Something to think about

   Many people think that doing a master copy work is a waste of time but I disagree. I have done quite a few and always feel as though I have gained something more than just a nice replication of a superior artist created by my own hand. In this particular instance I was minimally motivated to work on my own piece because I was struggling with something as elementary as getting foreshortening completly  accurate on an element in a still life. I decided after repeated failure that a little eye/brain/hand coordination needed to be enforced and for me master copy work is about as disciplined as I know to specify such accurace. In the beginning it was more like penance (An act of devotion performed voluntarily to show wrongdoing) but as I kept forcing myself to invest the time each week, I gained better pressure control over the drawing tool, reminded myself of some anatomy ideas and recalled that nothing is too sacred to not correct what you know is wrong. Having one more session with this study, I am determined to correct my own still life, reguardless of the time or effort it takes; it's so much better when it is right. G.A.- glutton for punishment.