Reflective Statement of the Course

Once I got over the time issues, I really enjoyed this course.  It’s made me think outside the box and has given me lots of new ideas to further develop and research.  It’s made me realise that a sketchbook is not just some random book used to record life model studies in, it can reflect and be a source of inspiration.  Rather than a sketchbook, it’s an idea book.  Going forward I have more confidence to explore materials, having pushed myself into doing more colour studies.  I would like to look at doing self-portraits in the style of Paula Rego, large and with soft pastels.  I would like to do more studies of sculptures and being able to move around the object was fascinating.  I would also like to do colour studies in still life, either revisiting Morandi or looking at Cezanne.  I had gone to see his exhibition and while I did not have the courage to draw from his works at the time I was taken by the pastel palette and the shear size of some of his works.  So would like to explore pastel pencils in a gallery setting next.