Terror...

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Hey... I'm in the second last year of high school... and I have this art class, I hate it. I just can't stand having to draw and create in front of other people, and then having to show them... I've always gotten good feedback, I did this one picture with pastels, I thought it was garbage, but everyone else told me it was amazing to me it looked like it was done by a four year old, were they just humoring me? They seemed for real... I'm still using oil pastels, the theme is fame and celebrities, and we can do it however we want to. Is it just me, or does everyone hate not having a set task or direction? I need to be told what to do, or I just can't do it... It's so nerve wracking, I think I'm going to skip class tomorrow and go to the library... s**t I hope I don't get caught... Anyone else had any problems like this? What should I do?

- Iddqd

If you don't know what to draw, draw whatever comes to mind. It's YOUR work, and you can do as you please.

Hi iddqd,

I would have the same problem you have, being left without any direction at all like that. On the other hand, if instructions would be very complex and precise, I'd have trouble too, because there'd be nothing left that I could do my way. Maybe you can explain to the teacher that you need at least some direction, e.g. he could give you an image of a "celebrity" from a magazine that you should include in your drawing, or he could tell you to draw purely abstract, avoid anything figurative, and express your notion of "fame and celebrities" with shapes and colors.
I'm sure the people in your class were genuine when they told you they liked the drawing you had made. I did a drawing class too, and the drawings I got the most positive comments on were not the ones I thought were best. I liked the drawings I made where the things I drew looked most 3-dimensionally real (like "coming out of the paper), while others liked the ones they found most "expressive". NT's apparently like it when you exaggerate stuff, e.g. make dark parts pitch black, draw thick lines where subtle edges are, make bright parts really shiny, etc., so that you can see what it is from a mile away, poster-like.

The other point about you think it's rubbish, but they says it's ace, I can empathise with. I produce work that I wouldn't rate at all, and find it scores top marks. Maybe you have the "curse of being a perfectionist"?

And as for the general direction thing... I haven't come across that very often. Admittingly, I can't do "abstract art" at all, or at least not abstract art that means anything. My general plan of art class where it had to be abstract was pick a colour and draw "squidgy" shapes for warm colours and angled shapes for cold. It tends to work.

The problem I have is in writing, but I let my mind wander, and after a while I can think of something. Usually. Waiting for an idea is quite hard, so just look at a random magazine, pick the first celebrity you see/know, and base it on them.

And look on the bright side. After high-school, you don't have to do any subjects you don't want to.

If the assignment is "fame and celebrities," then just draw a pile of dog s**t. If your art teacher is truly an artist you'll get an A.

I exactly understand what you mean with needing direction.
I kind of need directions on everything i do.
When i have to 'review a book', i'm stuck as i don't exactly know what to do.
I have to know concrete guidelines such as;
-Who is the main character
-What does he do
-..

All my teachers know of my Asperger and also know i need more direction then other students.
They give me that direction.

Just ask for it, i'm sure he'll understand, especially if you've made such good art-works before!