On art courses and things

I have just returned from a week in Cape Town. My 'travels', however, took me to some very unexpected places and helped me notch up lessons in human behavior as well as art.
My first nude: wow, what fun. I loved the whole thing. From creating with like-minded yet so different individuals, to the excitement of discovering self when put in a situation of 'just do it'. (not having time तो be restricted or in fact caring about ones inhibitions or lack of experience) The first few exercises were 3 minute 'blind', continuous drawings of the model with the third being incorporating a little more detail.
We then went on to do a quick 10 minute(approximate) drawing of the model. I was rather pleased at how this came out, given that I don't normally work in charcoal, I always have an eraser on hand (which I use prolifically) and I often draw in tentative overlaying lines. We didn't have time to faf, and I didn't. The lecturer was pleased with this one saying that my proportions are accurate, although, I personally feel that I needed to explore a more expressive interpretation. (she possibly did too).
This was also a quickie. I was initially very nervous to interpret the spacial accurately and I think my nervousness showed, so it's still a bit 'tight'. In terms of accuracy and possibly also, proportion, not too bad, but again, lacks a lot of zhoooz....still, with practice, I'll get there. It was painted in ink and jik.
This was the final 'sitting', whereby the model was wrapped in toilet paper (to distort lines), and lay on her side on a small mat. The lecturer liked this out of all the pieces that I'd done as it was looser and more expressive.

I'm hoping somewhere in here, the worm will become a butterfly, that the contempory artist will suddenly emerge from her cocoon!! I want to and need to explore this. A long way to go yet.

I managed to speak to a few of the other artists at the course who all encouraged me in my dream to take this art thing to another level. I am so ready!!!