Patience

Only one thing seemed to be blatantly obvious in all of my better work, patience. Just like the old saying that anything worth while takes time, so does art. Perhaps it was due a 3 hour studio before Life Drawing or just simply that I don't like to sit still I often found it hard to concentrate. Regardless of the standing at easel or sitting on the drawing horse there always seemed to be this constant itch breaking my focus. However on the rare occasion that I did manage to sit still and draw slowly and observe more carefully the work always paid large dividends. The worst habit I got into was giving up on a drawing before I had enough time in it to make anything out of it. Perhaps it was due to some classmates around me who had much more precise line work and didn't erase and redraw. Regardless this would often lead to half done under layers and sloppy outlines. Then on to a new sheet only to experience the same type of quick defeat at my own hands. I wouldn't categorize everyday as this struggle against finding something that immediately caught my eye, but on the off days this was usually the case. When the night before had been filled with a sound sleep and a body not charging ahead on energy drinks I found that just sitting still and looking was a drastic improvement. It's kind of like when you hear couples complaining about one hearing but not listening. I on the off days I seemed to be seeing but not looking. For whatever reason I had attributed speed with a certain loose style that I liked to recreate but found that wasn't entirely the case at all. Just like my all the grade teachers' said you need to sit still and finish your work.