No Excuses - One year of hard study

[Black Sun]

So. I will be entering my third year at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco this fall. Due to financial reasons, it's going to be my last. Of course, I'm not anywhere near ready enough to graduate. This was eating at me since last semester ended, I wasn't sure what to do with myself.

Last night, I was seriously pondering my future, and where I was, and where I wanted to be as an artist. And I realized... Fuck it. I don't need to go to a school like that to develop as an artist. I remembered that the only reason I went in the first place was because I had no discipline. But now I do. I'm confident that I have a pretty good understanding of where I'm at, and what I need to study in order to get better (thanks mostly to this place). Besides, I'm 23... I need to get my ass in gear. I'm so far behind people my age.

So here's my plan. I'm going to finish out this last year, while I do my own studies. I'm going to bust my ass because I am still considering applying for TAD in 2011, and I can't go without the scholarships, so I have to get good enough.

In the mean time, I live in the Bay Area! There's tons of sketch groups and figure classes, I have no excuses.

Well, for the next 8 weeks, I'm staying with my parents in Pennsylvania, where I don't have access to live figure classes and what not. So I devised a schedule (set as my desktop bg) that I'm going to adhere to until I moved back to SF in the fall. This is temporary, once I start classes and get a job, it'll have to change.

I'm starting this as soon as I'm done posting here, and I'll post what all I did later today.

I'll post some work from last semester to tide y'all over 'till then.

Aaaaaand I promise I'll refrain from being so damned long-winded in here from now on.

Anywho, the bug is the front cover of one of my sketchbooks, the creature thing was for my digital imaging class, the roe deer is from a photo, and the figures where done in my figure drawing class. They're all blue and red because I used colored graphite. The red one, my best to date, is 18 x 24, and took about 4 hours.

[Black Sun]

I'm posting the schedule here so I can update it when I have to change it.

I want everyone to be able to see what I'm doing so you have expectations, therefore it will help me from slacking off.

[Nonobot]

Sounds great, sooner is all ways better than later when it comes to drawing.
Great idea with a schedule! Hope you follow it well! I like how it ranges so you wont get bored too, setting a nice example. Cant wait to see how this sketchbook turns out.

[mpdpsy]

good schedule, I like your drive! and this is a great start to your sketchbook I think those are really nice drawings.

[wilkerson]

not bad at all so far.

[JakehC]

wow that is really hard-ass-core! I am rooting for you!

[Krato]

hmm do what you want but i always thought it was best to work on what you suck the most at and trying to improve that.. while also doing other basic studies like lighting values ect

[Fiddzy]

Great work already, loving the squid-horse creature and the sketch of the deer.

Best of luck with the studying schedule, if you can keep to it and remain dedicated I have no doubts that the final results will be extraordinary!

[Caio Monteiro]

Man I wish you luck!
Your studies will be very hardcore!
But I wish I could do the same...

[sanakris]

Honestly your not as far behind as you think you are.
With the extra effort you'll get to where you want in no time. And age don't matter.
I have this written down on my white board on my wall. "You know what needs to be done...Do It" Which you are...just trying to rile you up a bit.

Nuff said draw till you have blisters on your fingers that are popped, swelling, bleeding, puss infused, ingrained with sweat and tears.

Congrats on your new found resolve.
Best regards and wishes.