Katie Yang- Thoughts On Drawing

Drawing was always a huge part of my life in high school, but after coming to Duke I lost the time and motivation to continue drawing. I love it because I can completely zone out of the other things that are going on in my life and solely focus on the drawing that I am currently working on. I took this class as a way to come back to something I enjoy so much in the spring of my senior year. 

I think drawing is an amazing way to create something out of nothing. Regardless of skill level or the complexity of the artwork, every piece that is drawn is something that an artist was able to create out of nothing. I particularly think drawing from observation is such an expressive form of art. Every artist sees the subject differently and is able to put it onto a piece of canvas or paper in their own way. It is an easy way for us to express to the world what we are seeing or feeling at that point in time.

I enjoyed this class because we were encouraged to tell a story with our drawing. We were given lots of freedom to choose what we wish to draw, and were able to focus less on technical improvement and more on self-expression. I also feel that my technical skills have improved on their own simply due to the hours of practice that this class has required of me. 

I also really enjoyed this class because it was very refreshing to see my Duke peers in a noncompetitive and creative setting. I loved seeing everyone else's work and being a part of a setting that my other courses do not allow me to be a part of. This class was a great way for me to express myself and be a part of something that I never would have been a part of otherwise.