As high school students it is important to discern between what you are about and why you are about what your choices are. The why is more important than the what. You are in high school to get a degree, that is your what. If you choose to have a vision and direction beyond high school, such as to become a Doctor, an athlete, or an artist then this becomes your why. Your why will carry you through life because simply put, your why is another word for passion. To understand further play the video below.

Answer the following questions to yourself.

I love ____________ because ________________.

My greatest interest is in ____________________. I suppose it is also my greatest passion.

Now, here is the tricky part. Break down your why and discover a way to create a piece of art from it. The best way to do this is with a personal sketchbook. It becomes a visual diary in many ways and it helps you discover ideas and work them out through the gift of play.

As advanced art students you need to be drawing almost every day even if you are just doodling. An important dynamic of creating art is getting focused within a concentration or passion. You develop a concentration on a subject by breaking it down and getting to discover elements of your subject that might open up new avenues for your final piece. The process is the important dynamic here. Below are several videos to watch to inspire you towards producing a creative and enjoyable sketchbook. This ongoing project will count as 25% of your final grade so let’s get focused and get this project going.

Assignment #2 for this week is to get going on your sketchbook by choosing an idea.