Thursday, December 6, 2012

Thoughts on Drawing - Kate Yang

Drawing has always been a huge part of my life.  Doodling was always a stress-reliever, and clothing design has always remained a passion of mine.  While I have experienced other mediums - photography, sculpture, painting, etc. - I always come back to the simple motions of pencil and charcoal.  I have taken many art classes throughout high school and middle school.  These classes made doing homework seem like a hobby rather than a repetitive task.  Once I got to Duke, however, this type of class seemed impractical within the slew of computer science courses that I was required to take.  Finally, though, senior year allowed me to take one of my most enjoyable courses, this one.

This semester has developed my skills as well as my confidence in drawing.  In particular, towards the beginning, I was extremely hesitant about landscapes.  I didn't quite understand how it would all come together, and I was definitely not prepared to show the class my creations.  By the end, however, those projects became my favorite ones.  I love drawing the natural world because it flows together, unlike a posed still life.  The sky blends with the trees, which blend with the family walking in front of them.  They all work together and create a "masterpiece" without having to stage anything.  To me, that's what makes an artist - being able to look outside or around your apartment and visualizing the drawing that it could become.

As far as my future, I know it will include some sort of art.  I will never cease to doodle across newspapers, to paint canvases in order to avoid purchasing actual artwork, to sketch beautiful dresses that I will eventually build.  I love drawing, and I will always find a way to fit it into my schedule.  I appreciate everything that this class has taught me and, more importantly, the hours that it forced me to stop my week of problem sets and take some time to be a little creative.  Thank you!!

No comments:

Post a Comment