Art Low.

So I've reached the end of a second term. The sun has come out, it feels like spring and I've got less work to do than normal. Yet in spite of this, I've been feeling a bit low this week.

Maybe it's the sudden stop after a busy few months or maybe it's just regular spring burn out. I've been drawing and painting so much, I'm developing a strain in my hand and I'm exhausted. It's a bit worrying but I've been keeping this nifty graph in mind.

However I feel the main source of this artistic slump was the receipt of my end of term formative assessment for Game Production. I didn't get a bad grade. I actually got a pretty good grade. But it didn't meet my own expectations. I'm my own harshest critic.

It's just a number. But a number that's lower than I was expecting, assigned to a subject where I've dedicated a lot of effort. In some cases at the expense of other, more enjoyable subjects. In context, that number is a punch in the gut.

But it's a lesson and this low is temporary while I regain confidence in my art. It's time I relaxed and put some time into work I enjoy. Maybe not even work at all, because I really, really need a holiday!

On the Visual Design front, things are much better. We've been revisiting some locations from the first term like the Space Centre and Bradgate Park. It's a relaxing way to end the term and a nice method of measuring improvement.

Space Centre, 2014.

Bradgate Park, 2014.

While I don't see any overwhelming, technical improvement, I feel my compositions have become significantly more interesting.

I've also at least halved my production time without a loss in quality which is very encouraging.

But it's taken a lot of hard work so it's time to recuperate. See you in a couple of weeks, refreshed and ready to go.