Evolution of a Charcoal Study- Day 4

 I have to apologize for the quality of this picture. Unfortunately I was distracted and in a hurry when I took it and wasn't as careful at making sure I got a decent shot. As you can see, I am slowly building up the tones. I still have details to correct and get working but they will be adjusted as I build up the layers. I have to remind myself that this is an exercise, a learning tool. This is the first time I have tried to draw something like this. It shows how important proper training is! I know I could not have done this as easily the first week of school. We four more sessions to work on this next week. I can honestly say I have learned an incredible amount in this one lesson. I am excited that we will be studying figure drawing next term. Hopefully I won't be pulling my hair out. Some days drawing is hard, very hard. When I got home yesterday I was so very tired. I felt like I had been climbing mountains all day. Even at its hardest and most frustrating, I still love doing this. I can't think of anything else I would rather do.
I am not sure where the next few years will take me. I thought it was all arranged not too long ago but, as most of you know, life is full of change, unexpected and otherwise. I would like to get to Maui to get what schooling I can, but I don't see that in the near future. After a lot of research, I still haven't found another school I would like to go to. It is a bit hard to change the learning structure and every school is different.
Well, I have rambled on enough. I will have more to post next week as the charcoal study comes to an end. -Renee