Learning to draw

This week was Modules Week at school. It's a bit like a working spring break. The department brings in emeritus profs and professionals from the community to share their expertise in one-week intense classes. I took drawing--drawing as a means of seeing landscape.

Once i upgrade the memory on my laptop, i'll upload a sketch to show what i learned this week. A long way to go until i'd want to display drawings to anyone, but my prof taught us (me) enough to recognize shadows and light, the shape of things, to remember perspective. I'm proud of my blind contour California poppies, and the gesture sketches of guest speakers. I think i'm still better at diagrams than at anything close to realistic, but Italy should cure that. ;-)

EDIT: Here is a page of the gesture sketches.
They're rough, but hopefully the action or stance of the person is readable. Few eyes because they always look angry when i draw eyes!

It feels like learning to drive: all those things to think of: rear view mirror, side mirror, space cushion ahead, scanning, shifting gears, watching for stale greens & pedestrians; and now driving is like breathing. Maybe, if i practice enough, drawing well will become like that and perspective, diminishing scale, detail, light, shadow, and contours will be more automatic.

On the other hand, i drive 300 sorry miles a week, and i don't think drawing time is going to come close!

I also learned: Collages are an effective way to create perspectives. Legs are really hard to draw. And do not inhale cobalt blue!