Learning a new skill leads me to make use of the skill. We didn’t have a perspective drawing class this week due to Thanksgiving, but were given extra homework.

We’re still on one point perspective but I’ve gotten better at it. The banality of drawing boxes has led me to new territories to make other shapes leading to one vanishing point.

It’s such a better experience to have a classroom where the focus is solely on learning. No grades in the end. No one-upping other people. Nothing for “extra credits”. Doesn’t matter if you’re teacher’s pet or if you’re in a bad mood and can’t be bothered.

Everyone is there to learn and to share. If you don’t want to show up, it doesn’t really matter in the end (perhaps just a waste of your money). Everyone goes at their own pace.

When we do critiques (which are a group evaluation of everyone’s pieces), there’s still a game I play in my head, where I am comparing myself to others. I’m often impressed with the skills of other students. While it can be demotivating to see how good other people are in comparison to me, I also feel there is a value added to be inspired from the work of others. I want to focus on that positive side.

I suspect that’s why there were these chambers of artists – the surrealists, the impressionists, etc – as they each influenced one another.

Surrounding yourself with others you want to become is important.