Bah!

So just kidding about graduating at the end of this year. While I could take out a loan and conceivably graduate this Fall, financially it makes more sense to work full time and graduate next Winter semester (so in April). Counterintuitive to put off graduating, I know, but that's the way pell grants work. I wouldn't be covered for spring and summer as I am for fall/winter. And that means I can work hopefully full time over the spring and summer term as well. Blech. Which I guess will give me the time I need to actually finish my stupid independent study classes (thanks go to Jessica for informing me I can extend that deadline another three months. Whew! With eight classes this semester I barely have time to eat!). I love my watercolor class although it seems I've hit a rut. So far out of the eleven paintings I've done, my second one is by far and away my best one (pictured). I have a super hard time painting anything bigger than about 5x7 inches, too (my teacher really wants the paintings to be more like 11x15 inches, although he does count large margins into that equation, which is nice!). Bah! I like my art tiny, thank you very much! I think I get that from my mom. When you shrink something it automatically makes it cute and intricate. Minus spiders. Unless they are very very very very tiny. Then maybe.
Lithography is driving me NUTS. While it's fun to have a process, I hate having to reprint a picture over and over and over. I'm always much more satisfied with my original drawing. And I've worn two holes into my left thumb, had to needle/drain a blister on my left palm, and have red raw marks all over both palms and fingers. And don't even bring up the ink stains plaguing my fingernails. I even had to cut my nails! *sob!* It's not as hands-on or as organic in the same way painting is, so I don't really enjoy it the same way. Or really enjoy it that much at all. It's just not me. I think I'll be fine just looking at other people's lithographs. Especially now that I can appreciate all the pain and precision and time that went into them.
I'm starting to enjoy my figure drawing class now that I've finally (hopefully--I guess we'll see if she wants to sit next to me this Friday) made a friend and I've reconciled myself to the fact that I just physically cannot draw the way my teacher does. My chest barely hurt by the end of last Friday, too, while the two previous weeks the pain was completely unbearable. O Anxiety! How i hate thee! (And I didn't have any problems last semester with it, either! So frustrating!) Funny the things a friend can help with! Did I mention it's a five hour class? As in straight.
Next block of this semester I'll be taking an oil painting class, sculpture and intaglio. Hope it goes well!