Thanks!!!

To those of you who sent feedback, THANKS for all of your comments! And for all of your encouragement and compliments. :) It really means the world to me and feeds my spirit to keep going.

I want to compile them here (received by email or on the blog), so I'll leave them anonymous, unless I hear from you otherwise! I colored the quotes to denote different people. So, quotes next to each other of the same color are from one person around the same time. My comments will be in bold black text.
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What a great idea!
I'm sure you won't mind my giving you some positive input. I think you have expressed yourself very well and I'm impressed! I'm not an expert, but for a beginner, I think your drawings are GREAT! Keep up the good work.

We just saw your work in progress and we are both impressed! You definitely have talent and keep up the good work. We hope it leads you to a happy and prosperous future.

I like what you're doing and think you're progressing well in your sculpture and drawing pictures. I like the expression on the bust and I could see that you caught the movement in those two ladies. Keep going for it! I appreciate what you're doing. It looks like you're becoming more and more professional. You have a talent. I can see that. Good eye!

I like your title as a "Born-Again Artist". You are following your heart and I wish you much success :)

These drawings are evidence that you have not lost your natural talents. After a long span of time away from putting the pencil to paper, they are actually very good drawings. It's not easy to NOT compare yourself to your other classmates, but realize that you will hone your skills in YOUR OWN TIME.

Nice work! , really like the drawings texture. You rock. Maybe you could help me draw up an idea for a tattoo I have?

Love your first efforts, they are great; love your title as well. Keep up the good work, I am rooting for you.

You are SO creative - can't access your blog here at work, but look forward from home. If I'm not reading about you in Art In America or some other artistic zine from my bed in the nursing home, I'll be totally surprised. You're going to make it big!!! Keep up the positive attitude!! You rock.

The Poster Person for taking life as it is and making it what you want it to be - wonderful, wonderful work. Then again, you know I knew, now we all know you rock!

Note: The person who wrote the above 2 comments in blue was one of my admissions counselors.

hi,

been a while since i checked your blog. took a peek today. your skills are progressing! i really like your figure models. you style is developing.... slender, edgy, good texture in the forms. nice work, tania.

Cool blog, miss T! Your stuff is great! You are very talented.

Tania, I like the way you put yourself out there. I am so pleased that you sent me your blog. i think that you are letting it all hang out, and I admire you for it.

I like that!!! Born Again Artist. Its like Born Again Christian with a twist.
You can redefine the idea of art!
Love it love it love it!!!!

COOL. i took a fast peek. you're talented....

Tania: I am very impressed with this blog and your artwork. Especially since you just started your classes. Stay with it and you will become a very good artist and hopefully you will be able to earn a good living with your creativity.

These are great! You can only get better! I hope that you are enjoying the classes. I have been an Artist for about 15 years now, and I can't do any of the work that your Analysis class teaches you how to do. Keep it up and you will soar! Your name doesn't show up once in your web-sight?!? You should be proud of it and blaze it somewhere across the page in big letters!

Note: The person who wrote the above paragraph was referring to the drawing class. I took his advice and put my name on the blog. He was one of my admissions counselors.

Wow! Impressive!!! Tania. I really appreciate you sharing your blog with me. Not only is your work exquisite, I love the blog! What a great idea. Please feel free to post information about your blog in a public space in this class...like the instructor's office!
Major kudos to you!

Note: The above quote was written by an online class instructor (Art History).

Hey Tania

Thanks for forwarding me your website. Its a really great idea to keep a running log of your work and progress. It will undoubtedly help your work. Its also a cool way for your friends and family to check out what your doing these days.

Note: The above quote was written by one of my instructors.

Tania,

This is great! Thank you for sharing it with me. I'll definitely check it periodically!

Note: The above quote was written by another faculty member who helps me with my school needs.

Drawings look good! No wonder... :)
Keep up the good work!!!

Note: The above quote was written by one of my drawing instructors.

Works in progress

Besides myself being a work in progress, so are the following drawings...

Still life composition

About the objects in the composition...
dog - sentimental value since it was my childhood favorite doll given to me by my dad. I named him "Cookie" and was my version of a comfort teddy bear. Him and my pink blankey was all I needed. :) He's all raddy and has been through the ringer. He has a hole and is missing his little felt red hanging tongue.
wine - 2 buck chuck from Trader Joe's (no, I didn't open it before drawing). For those of you that don't know..."2 buck chuck" is the nickname for Charles Shaw wine, which is only 2 dollars a bottle). Wine also can stand for celebration, warmth, and good company.
camera - vintage camera which belonged to deceased step grandma Irma (who was also an artist). Camera also stands for my love of photography and the arts.
book - vintage book which also had belonged to Irma. I guess this can stand for my love for learning and returning to college.
flower - part of my room's decor, which also makes it personal and reminds me of the things I love in my room and how I've decorated it. Also stands for my favorite colors, nature, and peaceful tropical places.
white backdrop - that is actually a smock which I have from my make-up artist days (worn by the person being made up and would attach around the neck with velcro). This is also a reminder of it being personal and representative of my life experiences and diverse background.
apple - to be eaten when done! Also represents life, health, and love (Adam & Eve)...okay, maybe the last one's a stretch!

Please note that the digital camera I used to photograph isn't very accurate in capturing the right shades of light and details, as it is in person.


Same photo composition in black and white (for charcoal reference):



My homemade studio set up:

As I write this, here is where I left off:
Doing this drawing was a late night affair (also for the correct lighting), and the next morning after adding in detail, I couldn't believe I did it...that I DID THAT DRAWING!!! Wow! How fantastic it is to see your potential through pushing yourself to tackle a challenge.

I received great comments in the critique for this homework from other students. The instructor gave me great tips, but loved my detailing of texture and the composition itself. For the first time, I thought my work really stood out. It was a great day! And I was vaklempt thinking about it.



Portrait drawing

Original photo from a magazine of actor Ethan Hawke:
Photocopy with grid drawn on it (great technique for accuracy):

Work in progress is below (he looks like singer Michael Buble at this stage!). I actually like this look with a part of the grid showing. It reminds me of those 3-D computer programs in documentaries where they show the 3-D grid and how life-like figures and flesh are built over it.

Keep checking back...more to come! :) How exciting! I feel like I've turned a page (literally) showing in my work here.

First figure modeling class (sculpting)

Art school is NOT easy! And spending 5-6 or so hours in one studio class alone per week (for mostly 2 weeks per figure in this class), plus homework time still is not enough to complete them...and to get it right (well, for a beginner at least). This was the first time I've ever taken a class remotely close to this. It took some time to just get used to working with clay and the tools. I have found that doing three-dimensional sculpture work is significantly harder then drawing or painting. But, I do really like it! Just need a lot of practice.

The purpose of this foundational class is for techniques and understanding the human figure. We looked at a full length skeleton, how muscles work, directions and tilts of the body, and observed live nude models. Surprisingly, the best I've done in this class so far was in doing a human bust (head and neck). Perhaps because there were more details involved in getting the sculpture to look like the model's head (shape of skull, facial features, the way the skin pulls and hangs, etc.). Doing the whole body in poses was very challenging for me. There's a lot to think about in regards to skeletal and muscular movement and shifting of the weight.

Anyhow, none of the projects photographed below were completely finished (as with other students as well) and both sides of the figure weren't always matching/finished due to time limits. The smaller pieces which are not on the armature were homework assignments/studies of shapes/body parts.

They are in order of when I first started in early February this year (2007).




Geometric demonstration of the form's directions. Didn't have time to get to the bottom half.
This next one took longer than 2 weeks as we studied the figure's parts.The next project shows a work in progress (end of one session), then after the second session, and the tear down of it down to the armature underneath (which I also assembled in class).

The following photo shows homework studies which have markings over my work from the instructor while he observed them and explained some things (especially the depth and curvature I needed).

My first bust! The man posing often closed his eyes as he was about to snooze, and since I ran out of time for details, I quickly made his eyes closed. A student commented she liked that in the critique. Though I know they and the other details and hair still need work.
The following figure needed more work on the limbs and details among other things.

My hand and foot homework studies coming soon...so stay tuned!

First drawing class

Foundational Drawing class:

This class only uses charcoal, which I've never really done before. It was intimidating at first, not only because of the new medium, which I feel is not an easy one...but also because I'm side-by-side with the younger, fresher, better artists in my class...who've had a lot more recent practice than me. I haven't drawn in YEARS! And never in a class like this either (or life drawing). It took some time to warm up and I'm still not fast enough (or good enough, in my opinion). But I know it takes time and practice and I've risen up to the occasion as best as I can, considering the circumstances and working p/t while going to school f/t. Good thing too is that I'm definitely not the worst, yet also not the very best in the class.

Note:
None of the attached exercises are completed or perfected, so please keep that in mind. I'm pretty much aware of what needs to be worked on. Also due to the nature of charcoal, some may have smeared during transit to and from class. These drawings below were mainly exercises in class, which I photographed with my digital camera. These are in the order they were done, starting from the beginning of class (early February) for this Spring 2007 semester (my first semester back at college). This is not meant to be a portfolio.

Shapes and values study:



Single object still life:
Drapery study:
Torso study:
Live model quick sketches (10, 20, and 30 mins.):