Review

I don't really get attracted by the text parts of the blogs, unless it is something I am highly interested in, in the first place. Generally the blogs i read are blogs by people I look up to, ones where they have personal conversations on their blog, not being afraid to pour their hearts out. If it's other random blogs or in particular our class blog, I mainly get attracted by the videos or photos on blogs then anything else. A example from class would be Jess' tedious post. I really enjoy the art work that she displayed in it, what I noticed first was the overall size of the art work and the great detail it contained. I think that is mainly why i gravitated towards that image.

Personal blogging is what i enjoy. That is mainly why i like blogs, they are written personally but they are entirely public for anyone who cares to look. I love writing and i think it is probably very evident in the size of my text descriptions with the class assignments. But the class assignments aren't what i like writing. I love writing about things that have happened to me or how i am feeling at the moment. If I had my choice I would have a public journal in essence, for everyone to see.

It is quite a phenomenon with my generation, the fact that privacy is not a factor for them, they put their lives on facebook and myspace, they write their personal feelings in blogs, they twitter every time they move an inch to let everyone know what they are doing. They don't care who looks at it, or why, and they don't bat an eye at divulging their selves to complete strangers.

The only thing that I don't like about blogs is it's time consuming, very time consuming. Just writing isn't as bad, but trying to arrange pictures, or to take the time to improve the picture before you post. I don't have a lot of time as it is, and this greatly clashes with the things that i love to do the most, which is writing, design, and learning (all out side of school work). I have been in college for 6 years now and i have at least another couple to go, and through my time I have progressed through a degree with no general direction to a degree that was all research papers and statistics to a degree that is all about free expression and now to a degree that is about the 9-5 grind. All of this has eaten up 6 years of my life with busy class schedules, assignments, commutes and half eaten meals. Recently i have taken on 3 degrees and have a very minimal time to do what i love, not to mention just sit and relax.

I haven't left much comments at all on my blog members sites. I try to follow every ones blogs from the class but there are things that just don't spark a creative writing streak in me, for commenting or critiquing. Also because I'm really bad at keeping up to date with things, which i think i have done okay with this blog. This goes both ways, i haven't seen much comments form other members as well. I enjoy that we have our class blogs because I like looking at others work. Have to understand though I am the kid that sits in the back of the class room and doesn't pitch in the debate. I would rather just sit and listen the whole time, as well just look and take everything in. Which completely contrasts that I make friends really easy, doesn't add up.

I think it would be neat to give an assignment to the class where you have to find images or write why you are in this class. I don't mean because its in your major or that it's required. I mean why are you and artist/designer, especially the studio art majors since that's not a (legitimate career by many), what has motivated you, what has pushed you, pulled you, held you back, who supported you, who disregarded you for choosing a career in art. Basically how did you get to where you are today.

Now onto the assignment, to rate myself in accordance to the image quality, I would have to say my images are actually rather large in size, really high quality photos which is thanks to my SLR camera. I enjoy photos and I keep a library of every photo I ever used on my computer. So overall I would say one of the best parts of my blog are my good photos.

I try to blog about other stuff other then the class assignments. Most of the time it comes out in rants within class assignments. I nearly haven't posted enough extra blog entries as i should or as I would like to. Which brings up the point of all the shoulds and woulds in my life right now, which I will save for another time. But I would say my extra posts are minimal at most.

In terms of posting comments on other peoples blogs, I would have to give myself a failing grade. I haven't posted anything on any one else's blog since the beginning of class. I have made comments to some people in person about their work they post, but i think something is lost in translation when it's not in person. Although that's no excuse for a failing assignment.

As a professional artist I would have to say my blog is not the place to go. For professionalism I would rather have people go to my actual website with my work on it. I would have to say that my blog would successfully communicate me as an artist to anyone who looks at it. I would think that people would describe my work as highly detailed and very tightly created designs with underlining fantasy and nerdcore themes. I think they would describe me as someone who is very open and loves what he does enough to continue creating and writing.

Overall, I honestly would give my blog a B/C grade mainly sincei have not done any comments on other peoples blogs.

~Strauss

Long Drawings

This first image is one of the first pictures that I have done which I actually enjoy. With very heavy strong lines closer to the viewer that gives the image a clear mass and visual weight.

As well the weight of the line value getting softer and softer towards the top of the spinal column and the bottom of the right Femur give the image a clear indication that there is more to the figure which proceeds off the page.

I think in terms of our class, the sharp angles and over extended lines give the form life, as though it's in motion. I think this is one of my strongest drawings in terms of line weight, with a broad range of heavy to very light lines (especially in the back femur.)

This next image is another one of my favorite works so far. It was actually the most recent. Here you can see a very good use of shading through the use of hatching and line work. The is really evident use of foreshortening on the left leg from the knee back to the foot.

You can see the use of basic shapes throughout the image. An example would be the triangle on the stomach and and other triangle between the two legs.

The rib cage can hardly bee seen anymore but this image started out with the rib cage and the pelvis like normal. You can see the shapes in the back that make up the right shoulder blade. As well the spinal cord can be seen in the back of the neck right under the head.

The head was not defined since we have not covered it yet. Also the arms lack definition, both in shading and proportion. Specifically the right elbow is one area which i didn't notice before that does not look correct. It seems that it is too thin.

This last image might be one of my favorite ones. First it is very reminiscent of generic comic book heroes, with the broad muscles and the bald/blank head.

This really depicts the spinal curve well, paying attention to the turn of the torso. The faint drawing of the rib cage can be seen within the upper torso, which shows a base point to start from.

This drawing depicts the models position very well. With lighter line weight given to the left foot in the back and the top of the right knee which can just be seen behind the model.

This image i think is the best one to depict the actual muscles that can be seen. Great detail was given to the leg muscles, which were tensed because of the pose. The only part that is completely out of proportion that I see now is the upper left arm. It is greatly increased in size compared to the rest of the body.

IN all these drawings show improvement on some of my first ones i have posted. Even though these three drawings seem to focus more on the outline, they actually are focused more on the shapes of the muscle groups. These three drawings also were all built upon the long axis lines which were the starting point for the drawings. The rib cage and pelvis were sketched in along with the axis lines in the beginning.

Gestures

These are some of my first gesture drawings. on the image that is marked with the numbers you can see that at position 1 the rib cage and the pelvis is quickly sketched in, to give a starting point. There is a problem with the location of the pelvis, it is located to low, in relation to the rib cage. At point 2 you can see a heavier and bolder line which is used to indicate which areas are closer. In the upper right image the use of heavy lines was too overdone, and you don't get a clear understanding of the depth.

In all of these drawings the figure whole figure fits within the page and no part is left undrawn. Each pose you can get a good sense of what the pose actually was. With the top two standing and the bottom one laying down.

Each drawing is focused on the long axis lines, it is most apparent in the top left and bottom right drawing. The bottom right pose is the only position that is looking away from the viewer and the foreshortening can be seen with the sharp angles at the knees and elbows as well as the diagonal lines receding into the back ground.

These three drawings are from later in the semester which show and overall improvement. The first image shows my ability to draw within a smaller window. The left half of the image is oriented correctly, while the right half of the image is turned to the left. Each of these images show an improvement with spacial relations, with both the right and bottom left image having correct relation of the pelvis of the rib cage.

You can as well definitely tell that the right image is standing looking away from the viewer and the bottom right is curled up on the ground, I think both of those are very clear. I think that these all show improvement from my first images and looks more representational of a human figure.

Lower Leg Muscles

From this front view of the lower leg you can see the extensors which run across the top of the foot and connect to each toe. The tibia bone can also bee seen which would in turn be considered your shin.









From this left profile view you cans see the extensors a lot clearer. The bulk of the extensors can be seen attaching at the top of the tibia, as well as the tendons of the extensors running across the top of the toes. The peroneus tertius can also be clearly seen attaching in the middle of the tibia and the tendon attaching to the outer side of the foot.



The third image shows the back three quarters view from the outside of the leg. From here the extensors can be seen slightly, but what is prevalent in this image is the gastrocnemius. The gastrocnemius or otherwise known as the calf muscles attach from the bottom of the Femur while the tendon runs down to the heal of the foot. This tendon would be known as the Achilles tendon.



This last image shows again a back three fourths inside view of the lower leg. From here the flexor digitorum longus and the soleus can be seen running down and under the foot which will attach to the bottom of the toes.

In all these muscles I think turned out well. Only thing I would change is hte calf muscle, since it seems to end too high on the lower leg.