Yesterday I came across some info on a school in Florence for realist painters, and one of the first things their students do is follow a series of lessons devised by Charles Bargue, a 19th-century French artist. The idea is to copy the drawings exactly, using a piece of string to plot key landmarks, and letting your eyeballs do the rest. With enough practice, apparently, you can ditch the string, and apply your newly honed spatial abilities to draw more accurately from life. Here’s a copy of the lessons in PDF format if you’re interested.

Well, it’s the moment of truth. I’m green, and Bargue is pink.

Aaand, just like in tee-ball, I get the participation trophy. Sure, it seems pretty close, but the parts where I strayed definitely coincide with the parts I drew without consulting the string. I’ll keep plugging away.