Drawing Class continues

 

Late last night I got an email from my missing student, apologizing for missing the first meeting and my reminders, but saying she was definitely coming to the second meeting, and open to any changes in time that might happen.  Since I was also expecting my student who was away but kept in touch, I had better get there on time and be ready to teach advanced charcoal.  Luckily I already had my props in the car, so no real change to my plans.

In the morning I had my usual routine, then grabbed my bag and headed up to Ocean Grove.  No one in the lot yet (and the gate locked), but I saw a lot of cars heading into town.  Beachgoers? An event?  I had no idea, but was glad I didn't have to go any further. Got the gate open, got inside, tried to turn off the alarm quickly, but that's when the trouble began.  Despite my best efforts, the alarm went off, and nothing I could do at that point could stop it.  And no one was around.  So I got my heavy bag from the car, carried that to the classroom (already opened with my lighter bag inside), went back outside.  Finally got the call from Nichole about the alarm.  As I was talking to her, the cops showed up and banged on the door.  I let him in, Nichole had cleared it so I could put in the code, which turned on the green light.  I figured it was not a bad thing that the cop saw me do all this.  Still he wanted to see my ID, so I showed him my driver's license as long as my wallet was out for the alarm, he was satisfied, and I finally could get ready for class. Moved the tables and chairs as usual so I could use the room, and set up a still life, getting that done just in time for the first student to arrive.  

That first student was the one who had been in touch a lot, and she came early because she had tried some things on her own, and wanted some feedback, as charcoal was new to her.  She said she was a little intimidated by the large paper.  18"x24", what I generally use in my classes, but larger than she was used to, being more an 8x10 kind of person.  Just using half a page, I decided she had done fine with her practice still life, especially considering it was all new to her.  Being first, she had first pick of seating, so looked at it from different angles, and chose a spot.  She said she had to leave early, so I took a moment to explain ink wash to her, next week's medium.  Showed examples as well, brought for that reason.  My other student arrived closer to the official start of class, also with little experience in charcoal, just classes she took a long time ago.  I assumed college.  Both students were appropriately dressed in dark colors, as I had suggested in my emails.  

I gave them some basic instructions, then turned them loose. I walked around every 10 or 15 minutes, but they were doing fine.  I pushed them to pay attention to shapes, relative spacing, natural perspective.   I showed them how a distant view could be helpful for seeing bigger shapes, and both took advantage of this later in the works.  As time went on, both improved their drawings.  I believe they considered it a success.  Both left at the times they planned to leave.

Still no camera so here is an equivalent of what we did today- mixed value objects in charcoal. But like the ones done today, there is some value range, and some dealing with fabric.  As one said today, the more you look at the set up, the more you see.  And I always told them, draw what you see.

On my way out I saw a sign about a third session of classes.  Didn't know it was a possibility, but that could work for me.  Saw a lot more cars in the lot when I left, and guessed that at least some were people hiking uptown to whatever was clearly going on. Put my last things in my car, then went to walk to the office to let whoever was there know I was on my way out.  To my surprise, I saw Nichole, on a bike today.   Apologized for the alarm thing this morning (she said no problem), gave her an update on my communication and attendance, and asked about the third session.  She'll be gone, but said I should talk to Jeanne if I am interested. Perhaps with Nichole leaving, she will be in more.  Classes will only be 4 weeks, which makes sense, as the current classes will last until July is almost over, and then there isn't much summer beyond that.  And with that, I left.  Not easy getting out today, with a mob of bicycles riding around in circles in the middle of the road, complaining about all the cars trying to drive.