Negative Progress

It was bound to happen. I have hit a wall.

The most recent lesson was on negative space -- which I was really excited about because I love the idea of negative space. In art and in life, I believe that perception is reality. Negative space is a perfect example of this. I also love the idea that the spaces in between things are as important as the things themselves...very zen. And it reminds me of quantum physics.

However, the lesson on negative spaces has frustrated me. We are supposed to draw a chair only using the negative spaces of it -- using our perspective panes. I am beginning to hate this perspective pane. It is nearly impossible to hold up the pane and draw on it without the pane moving around and distorting the perspective. Conceptually, it makes perfect sense. But in production it makes what started out as an exciting task an arduous one.

So I decided to put down the pane and try to draw the negative spaces free hand. But I have not cultivated the skills fully or mastered proportion. So everything is really off and distorted.

See, this is the old impatience creeping in. I want to be able to draw now, and I do not want to put in the work. I feel like the karate kid when he was waxing on and waxing off -- working on the fundamentals when all you want to do is kick some ass.

I will go back to the perspective pane. But I won't like it, and I will need to wallow in my set back for a day or two.