This is the space for our members to discuss and share their creative projects, ranging from written works to drawings, photography, and even craft projects such as knitting and woodworking. Self promotion is welcome (websites where we can view and/or purchase your work). Please do continue to preface if content is NSFW and be sure to properly spoiler/link such content. Those of you who’d like to post future Creative Endeavors Threads post your request in the comments below.
One big change in my creative environment over the past year has been a semi-regular attendance at figure sketch sessions across three Michigan cities—Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and Detroit (and I might add Hamtramck to the list either tonight or tomorrow if the weather cools off in time–if not, I’ll be going to a different sketch night in Ann Arbor). My goal isn’t exactly the kind of realistic representation of human bodies or faces you might get with classical Western artists, but the discipline I think and/or hope has settled in as a result of frequent practice with Line-of-Action (and thanks again, Thor, for sending me there) feels like it’s been useful, let alone the implications for my cartoons and illustrations if not (for now) painting. I like the growing focus on shapes (which can be applicable in so many other ways) and alternating between nude and clothed models gives you a choice of rounded or more linear structures (often both). Last but not least, I’ve long wanted a greater connection with the local and/or regional arts community, and these sessions are a great place to find it. Or they would be if the crowds weren’t such a mixed bag.
I’ll keep things relatively anonymous, but the gamut’s ranged from an increasingly close-knit and inclusive group of positive, enthusiastic folks some of whom I already count as good acquaintances (or at least mutual Instagram follows) to a (largely) dyspeptic, far more homogenous (all right—old, white, and male) bunch whose clannish habits and just-this-side-of-obnoxious behavior (nothing sleazy, particularly, just annoying*) actually sent me packing halfway through the next-to-last session I attended there (I did the same thing next time around, but that was more because I realized I didn’t need a full three hours to get in a solid finished figure drawing from a single pose). The difference has blown my mind, even as it’s almost completely polished off any uneasiness or hesitation about putting myself forward when it comes to the second group (at this point I can’t believe I ever worried about this stuff given some of the particulars). Differing artistic backgrounds seem to play a role; the first group’s a mix of amateurs and semi-professionals while the second’s kind of been there, done that (among complaints about the politics of the organization putting on said sessions were grumblings about their art careers not panning out or how ill-behaved their own art students are these days—caveat emptor, PCG).
The header’s a set of self portraits I did this weekend, one in work clothes (I’m particularly amused at how the one on the right makes me look like Joe Don Baker). I’m still unsure how sharing model sketches works on social media or sites such as this; the “favored” venue encourages it, but I’m leery of doing so even on a venue I trust (I’m actually doing a Procreate image based on one of these sketches that I’m likely to post whenever I finish, but I feel like that’s different). So I figure I ought to be doing self-portraits, at least, both for the practice and for the leveling factor.
How’s your work going?
*I was belatedly reminded of Miki Berenyi’s take on Anthony Kiedis; I saw it online somewhere and still really need to check out her autobiography.