Entering the crit today I must say I was terrified. I almost didn’t go. The past month has been a whirlwind of emotions, of readjusting and of discovery. I should have aligned my project to incorporate some of this but I didn’t think to and instead was trapped by what I felt I ought to be doing and how I wasn’t doing it. 

I was nervous that the tutors would think I hadn’t been putting enough work in, and whilst I have been working hard I have also been distracted by all the things that both Brighton and the course have to offer. Dave was right when he said that I’d been letting myself ‘go slack’ too often and I think this is just down to not being in the right gear for the first project. 

The crit was, in the end, incredibly helpful. I got the opportunity to talk to more of the class I hadn’t come across before and it was really insightful looking at everyones sketchbooks and how each individual had been working. I found the first project to be really daunting and was concerned about what the tutors wanted from us, how much work we were expected to produce and what kinds of final pieces. I have seen now that (as I knew, but was unsure of in practice) all the work will come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. 

Encouragement from the others in my crit group was astounding. I entered the studio feeling like I had little in front of me, but as the feedback continued everyone picked a different element from the sketchbook to remark in different ways I could have developed a project from them. It was a real confidence boost and has given me drive and hope for the next brief.

I’m going to work on the project gradually in the lead up to January, obviously not letting it affect other projects we embark on. I’ve realised that gradually and steadily working on the projects we are given are going to be ultimately more successful than waiting for ‘divine inspiration’ to hit.

 

Following on from the American Horror Story theme I have adopted for my drawing project, I decided to go do some drawing at the Hunterian Museum. Located in the Royal College of Surgeons, the Museum is a vast collection of all things pickled. With everything from human teeth to jarred foetuses, you need a strong stomach to keep from feeling queasy.

I love the museum and have often visited to sketch the weird and the wonderful exhibits. I find it interesting that it makes people feel uncomfortable, but once you get past that they become so extraordinary. Not having much time to do a mad amount of sketching, I wish I could have done more but the trip achieved everything I wanted it to so I’m very glad I made the effort to go!