I found a thing

Sifting slowly through some stuff I wrote while posting to Deviantart.  It's about criticism...that's all...

Well, my last digital OC deviation was flawed as ever, but getting the hang of layering functions and quick shading techniques with some expert input from Mr. Boyfriendpants and the YouTubes.  Gentle guidance from the teachers around me is such a huge benefit!  I'm lucky as a casual artist/craftthing to have teachers in my honey for my character sketches and my Dad for my photography.  Both well-versed in the technical stuff, very good teachers, and not afraid to offer constructive criticism with a healthy dose of kindness and support.  It's also nice to know that this support is because they like my stuff, not just because they like me.  They want to see me be the best artist I can be, and they know that it only comes with hard work and experimentation.

I really try when I'm teaching to model what I see them doing for me, acknowledging successes as steps forward and then offering advice for continued improvement.  It seems to work well when students are struggling in the biological sciences as well.  Most students have something that they "get" or that they do well or connect with viscerally, but they don't realize that they can use that as a foundation to get at what they are struggling with.  Sometimes it's that they don't recognize what they are good at, and sometimes they just aren't quite seeing the connection.  I think the role of a teacher is as much to throw light on what a student already does correctly and can use to further themselves, as it is to root out misconceptions and challenges.

This isn't some new-wave teaching foofy clouds and bunnies thing...whatever I mean by that...it's a really effective pathway towards clear, objective, and critical self-assessment.  Too often, we tend to bash ourselves more than necessary for what we do wrong when we are working towards a goal.  This clouds judgement and is just as deluded as thinking we know everything and are the best at what we do already - or that well-intentioned critics just don't get what we're going for.  Objective critique of one's own work is really hard, because we are protective of it and yet often also the harshest critics of it.  Neither perspective is the truth, and both perspectives make it difficult or impossible to move forward and truly improve at anything.

For what it's worth.

Pinnotheres.

Super Heroes...

As a child I was a pillow-case-caped super hero...(you know, the kind who steals their mothers favorite pillow case, ties it around their neck, and Bam! Instant super-hero). My mother was never amused by this and always worried that I would end up joking myself...especially as I got bigger and it became harder to tie a knot that kept the pillow case on without choking myself. However, since I was getting both bigger AND taller...I simply switched to baby sheets...with the added benefit of the bottom curling under quite attractively when I used a baby sheet that was "hooked."

Why is this important you ask? Well, it isn't really. However, My nephews and nieces all like to be super heroes as well. And having three nephews at the age of three who are growing like weeds...and my sister-in-law was expressing a wish for an actual child-sized cape for her son Josh...because she had no more pillow cases that he could use....I came up with the brilliant idea that I could make capes for them all! Ones that were made just for them...and I could build in safety features...like Velcro clasps that would come undone if jerked hard (that way if the cape got caught on anything my beloved nephews and nieces would be perfectly fine instead of choking!)

So, Idea in hand I headed to the nearest fabric store. I originally conceived the idea with solid colored wool felt in mind...I thought it would look very dashing as they ran, and I could do an opposing solid color initial/name. But, once in the fabric store I was immediately smitten by all the printed flannels that were coincidentally on sale. My idea began to morph...what if I did a printed side and then a solid side? It could be reversible! New idea...and the wool felt was forgotten. I tried to choose colors and designs that my nephews and niece would love...and then went home to design my pattern and start sewing.

I loved everything I got except the sticky Velcro stuff...so annoying...so sticky it barely came off the sheet it was sold on...and then...not sticky enough to stay on the fabric without being sewed down...which left my needle all yucky. so annoying. However, it is done. success...five lovely capes. I did have to make a call and ask for measurements to be made on the nephew who lives in another state. But, his mother is super nice and very skilled with a tape measurer, so it was quickly done and the measurements sent.

I think the best part about this whole thing is that none of the kids were expecting anything...and suddenly they had super hero capes. It was amazing to see the nephews and niece here put them on and instantly be inspired to save the world. Another great thing...is even though I made five of them they were fairly quick to do which made for a good break from the quilts that I am still working on.