Over the course of the semester, my opinion has changed on drawing. At first, I really thought things were going well when we were just doing line drawings. I was impressed with what I was able to produce, and I thought the experience of drawing in class was really helpful because I was able to get direct feedback from Prof. Fick. When we transitioned into charcoal and shading, I think my work struggled because while I was spending multiple hours on my pieces, they just weren't at the same talent level as previously. This was definitely a learning curve for me, because I would end up being frustrated with my final drawings. I would spend hours on one piece, and then at the end would still feel as though it wasn't up to par. I think I started to get the hang of it when we were doing one drawing a week. I started dedicating significantly more time to my drawings, and I think that the results showed. I liked having the opportunity to really get feedback from my classmates and from Prof. Fick for the last few drawings (it gave me great ideas which really helped my work!). I am especially proud of my last drawing--I think it really shows how far I have come in one semester. I learned a lot!!
I also think that taking this class has helped shape my perspective on the way I see things on Duke's campus. When I had to decide on different landscapes to draw, I really considered the spatial distribution of objects and buildings on campus. My eye became attuned to seeing what was really in front of me and the way I would be able to interpret that with my pencil on paper. I thought it was a really cool exercise forcing myself to consider what I would be best suited to draw--what was in the foreground, how could I interpret detail in the distance, how would I use shading to make the scene look real. I now walk around campus and really challenge myself to see what is in front of me--when presented with the challenge of drawing something, it really makes you consider what is actually there.
Overall, I really enjoyed the class. It was definitely time consuming and at times really frustrating, but all in all I think I improved a lot and learned from my experience. I would suggest the course to anyone who has the time to dedicate to the drawings and is interested in seeing Duke in a whole new way!
-Madison Moyle
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