The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Large-scale drawing at the Met museum for the first time, and it's totally different than a little sketchbook or moleskin. At 18 x 24, with a few pencils and a kneaded eraser, so many people stood over my shoulder and just watched as I drew. The first sculpture drawing took an hour. The second, 45 minutes; the third, half an hour. But even with all the strange people, there were a few that stood out:


The Do you mind if I take a few pictures?-Lady. She took pictures of me drawing from every angle. I don't know why. I feel like it could have been a Met-based photo project, or she was just a student, or a journalist. I didn't mind much. Actually, I was a little flattered.


Middle Aged White Tourist, Female. This type looked over my shoulder, smiled at me a little when I turned around, and maybe asked a question or so.


There was a guard who came over to me in the morning, when no one was really around, and asked me, "How long did it take to master the technique?" It caught me so off guard that all I could say was, "This is just my drawing" or some equal phrase.


Small children. Older children. They are patient and they watch with wonder and they don't ask questions. I don't mind children watching my drawing. I do mind the parents who say, while I'm in earshot, "Oh see that- she's drawing".


And, finally, the two types of people who were in the way:
The ones who actually stood in the way, who I didn't really mind that much.
And the ones who realized as they walked in front of me that they would obstruct me and quickly hurried away with a short, 'sorry'.

Geographic pride.

Today I went on a field trip to the Heckshire Museum in Huntington. The main show was about Long Island artists, including Cindy Sherman and Lee Krasner.
     In STAC, we sneak into museums. In Art Class, we get a tour. "Have you ever been to a museum before?" Yes, we're AP Studio kids. We weren't answering the questions because they weren't very good questions. There was a set of ethno-photography, but out of context. The African warrior was in a studio getting his picture taken. Instead of pointing that out, why can't we ask Why the artist may have chosen to do that? Or go further to reflect on the artist's ideas of ethno-photography?
     It was a very Long Island day, though. Long Island artists, a trip to Huntington, passing every old shop.


I wasn't listening to the nice tour guide. I was drawing. The caterpillar's from earlier in the day, and started as an exercise.

Zombie, Fela Kuta, and Christmas.

Merry Christmas. No 'whad'jaget?', just that I have another large sketchbook. The extended family went, ooh, ahh, draw something, so I found a marker and showed off. I drew a self-portrait, and I like this one. There is enough going wrong with this picture in 'reality' that i'm just leaving it alone.
     I remember seeing a Man Ray figure-drawing and thinking 'I couldn't get into college with this.' And I smiled a bit because it's a little pathetic. On one hand, Man Ray is just a person. On the other hand, what am I expecting colleges to expect? Am I an intellectual artist? Can I be?
I've been listening to Fela Kuti's Zombie.

Attention!
Quick march!
Slow march!

Left turn!
Right turn!
About turn!
Double up!
Salute!
Open your hat!
Stand at ease!
Fall in!
Fall out!
Fall down!
Get ready!

Halt!

museum and facial structure

i need to return to the museum with a sketchbook, pencils, a watercolor set, and an invisibility cloak so no one will question me.

thought about elven facial structure during english SAT prep. there's a good diagram in the Dungeons&Dragons Player's Guide (v3.0 i think) of the different races and their facial/body structure. hair was a problem, though.