Day #5 in Orvieto

February 27, 2013

Today we had our second class. Not sure if I mentioned this before, but the class is called “Disegno” and it is like an introductory drawing class but it includes writing as well. It’s like a “Text and Image class,” or that’s how Professor Doll described it. Today we came in with our drawings from yesterday and we hung them up and had our first critique. Even though I hated my drawing yesterday and I would’ve thrown it out if I had time to start over, it actually wasn’t TOO bad today. Still a little messy and not finished, but it definitely fit in with the rest of the group’s drawings and I just felt better about it. During the critique, Professor Doll said, “Megan’s drawing has some wonky things going on with the perspective, but it has nice shading and value.” Overall, it was a successful first class, even though it was a little strange to start off with a critique, especially when we don’t really know each other yet or what the class will be like. We then spent the next hour just making a bunch of contour drawings of the cardboard boxes set up in the middle of the room. The boxes were meant to look like a little city. I realized that I have zero patience with contour drawing and then I try to quickly do it and then I want to be done. Then I looked around and realized that everyone was still on his or her first contour, and that they were doing multiple drawings. So even though everyone seemed to enjoy that part of the class, I definitely wasn’t on the same page and I need to be more patient…

For lunch we had some cheesy broccoli ziti, some potatoes and carrots, and then a stuffed pepper. Once again, it was delicious.

We had our first Italian lesson today with Alessandro. For the first 45 minutes, we were filling our some forms that would give us “permission to sojourn.” The forms were pretty extensive and Alessandro had to help us, step by step because obviously the forms were in Italian. We then started the real Italian lesson and we learn basic hello’s and goodbye’s, a few other greetings, etc. I was so tired though and it was freezing in our classroom, so I almost feel asleep. Around 5pm the lesson was over and it was time to work on our homework. For homework we had to do two more contour drawings in the city and then one final drawing for homework. Thankfully, this homework assignment went better than yesterday’s (maybe one day I’ll put up a picture of my first drawing… but don’t get your hopes up). Here’s a picture of what I was trying and draw and a picture of the work in progress:

Laura was in the frame but I didn't draw her... sorry Laura

My drawing so far... believe me, it's a lot better than the one yesterday.

The sun began to set and we had to pack up our drawing materials because it was getting hard to see, but we saw a beautiful sunset. We then realized it was around 6:25 and we were all meeting to go to a prayer/worship meeting around 6:40, so we speed-walked back to the Villa to meet everyone, but we were too late! But since we had another hour before everyone returned from that, we went to the chocolate store and had “hot chocolate.” I don’t remember what it’s called in Italian but it’s pretty much melted chocolate and whipped cream. Laura and I shared one even though we both could’ve had a whole bucketful of that stuff.

For dinner, we had bread (as usual) and we each had a large salad with lots of vegetables. Dinners are usually light here – as compared to the HUGE lunch portions.