Wassup Blogging nerds!
This intro could be interesting if you want it to be, but if you are ADD, you might want to just skip it.
First let me introduce myself...my name is Monica and I am a senior in college at The University of MIssouri-Columbia, in Columbia, MO. I moved here as a sophomore on a whim and it was the best decision I ever made! I am graduating with a degree in Interdis. Studies with emphasis in Business Management, Fine Arts and Communication. I like to tell people I am graduating with 3 minors, rather than explaining my major, so I seem more legit. My major makes me extremely self-conscious because I feel it automatically makes people assume I am unskilled and worth overlooking. I chose this degree though because I feel my abilities span THREE fields, not just one. Not lacking intelligence, but always discipline. I could never follow through with an Engineering or VetMed degree simply for lack of schoolastic drive. I can be extremely lazy. However, this blog focuses on my artistic endeavors more so than anything else. My other hobbies include horseback riding (I own horses and have been riding most of my life), working out (I'm doing the Tough Mudder challenge in April...12 miles of grueling obstacles) and reading (Dean Koontz is my favorite author).
Monica, A History.
I began drawing as soon as I could pick up a pencil. I actually remember finger painting much earlier than drawing. My mother always said I was more the "care-free" creative child and she always thought that I would amount to something someday. I don't think of myself as anything of real value or possessing a special quality to offer the artistic world, but I am glad to at least have the support of my parents.
In grade school, my peers made me feel like the greatest artist who ever lived. I basically was the best drawer in my class and I NEVER traced. My drawings consisted of fuller figured bodies with circular, not egg-shaped, heads, rather than stick figures, and elephant looking animals. Apparently this constituted as scholar-worthy artistic talent to 2nd-5th graders, but I let it boost my ego anyways.
In Middle school, I "expanded" my mediums to pen and crayon! Oh shit, lookout Picasso! My art teacher continued to make me feel super special with ridiculous amounts of praise. I blame this on the fact that no one in my school could even draw a tree. Not much to compare to. My mom forced me to take an art class outside of school and I HATED it. Typical child (12yrs), I resented any authority, and I figured that since I was the best in my class, I didn't need any help from some silly art teacher. I quit after 2 classes. I lived in my own world, content with my simplistic style and one subject drawings. I literally drew HUNDREDS of horses. That was it.
High School was pretty much the same, but I took to a more serious method of self teaching that comprised of Googling pictures and drawing them. Or photos in a magazine. Always horses though. I was good at them; why would I draw something I suck at drawing and fail? I don't fail. I still always used pencil and pen and my classmates still thought I was the best artist in the school because I could sketch stupid things and make letters look pretty on a notebook. Winning.
Fast forward to my sophomore year in College (I did nothing artistically freshman year). Since a component of my major is fine arts, I decided to make my emphasis in drawing. I was more than surprised when I showed up to class and I was basically only average. Art peoples in college are seriously legit. That is their major, their life. They've been taught how to do things "properly", whereas I taught myself. At first I was pissed off, since I was getting horrible grades and was finding the subject matter boring. Once I started to take my professors suggestions though, I noticed that I was developing my natural born talent, into something of slight value. We focused a ton on human beings, and I eventually learned proportions, how to measure distances, finding correct light sources and making compositions.
Junior year I took drawing and painting. I continued to build on the basic "correct" ways to draw, and expand my knowledge with graphite and charcoal. Not much more to discuss there. Painting, however, was another story. It was HARD. I sucked at it really bad. My professor was frustrated and so was I since I felt he didnt even teach us how to do anything. Rather it was a free for all and good luck getting a good grade! Eventually I figured out which brushes did what, how to mix colors, and how to compose a painting from beginning to end. The end of the semester was a break through for me and I really hope to continue painting in the future. Its so expensive though!
My first semester of my (this) senior year I took Intermediate color drawing, even though I had never drawn with color pastel. MISTAKE. I sucked for the first 3 weeks and continued to piss my professor off with mediocre, same styled drawings. Once I took his advice (yet again) to "un-constipate" myself, my drawings became better. Much better actually. Once I let go of the fear of failure, the drawings actually got better! Cray cray how that works. So, with what used to be my least favorite medium, pastel is now my absolute favorite!
This semester I am taking drawing III and its proving to be difficult. Its pushing my artistic brain to a higher level and increasing my fear of failure.Sort of a Catch 22 in college because you take a class to better yourself, but you also stress out about the grade. Speaking of, art class grading is horribly subjective in college. Professors are at complete liberty to grade however they want and the tendency is to compare to other students and grade based on extreme favoritism. This is what I hated until I realized the key to to kiss some major ass. Something I don't believe in, but necessary to get adequate grades.
Professionally, I would liek to work for a design company, magazine or tack shop designing logos and designs for merchandise. Also, I do portraits and I make T-shirts on the side.
And thats about it. Quite long-winded, but I felt it was necessary to explain.
