Cartooning Figures in Motion

Back to cartooning class after the Columbus Day break. I had done all my practice but still had that pre-kindergarten-dancing-school what-excuse-can-I-find-not-to-go bout of anxiety.

(I must have been a tiresome 4-year-old to be dragged whining to dancing school every week. Once there, I was fine, not because of my talent but because I could pay attention and follow instructions. So why did I resist?)

Half the class didn't show up (guess my psychology isn't unique), so we have dwindled down to three introverts.

Who cares, as long as I overachieve enough to impress the teacher. I had lots of practice drawings. "You're really serious about this," he said. Duh. When was I ever not serious?

Last night's lesson was about putting characters into motion. We practiced with barely developed stick figures. Result: the drawings on this page. Fun.

The teacher liked my work. I had to confess that I got a little practice at this in the 1980s, when I was doing stick-figure illustrations of Pat Drum Aerobics routines. He suggested I take a regular figure drawing course. Hmm... I don't want to get too literal, but I do love the gracefulness of a figure that lines up just right.

The teacher also mentioned that, as opposed to the emotionality of other forms of art, cartooning is very cerebral. That must be why I'm always drawn to it.

10.17.06

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