Quite a bit has transpired since my last post.
On September 1st I began my MFA in Fashion Design program. The plan was to move to San Francisco where the school is located and begin a new and exciting chapter in life. To my dismay, I had a rude awakening when I learned just how expensive and difficult it is to find a place even outside the city. I spent about a week in San Francisco exploring the city, visiting my school, and looking for apartments. The fact that I am now enrolled in the school's online program should tell you just how successful I was. When I told my advisor how unsuccessful things had gone and how I decided to postpone moving and starting school until the spring semester, she pushed for me to take online classes instead.That way I'd stay on track with my program. I should have listened to that inner voice that said, "Hmmm this doesn't sound like a good idea. Art and fashion classes online??" Instead I switched my schedule to all online classes and here I am three weeks into the program and hating it.
Don't get me wrong I love the fact that I am taking classes to do something I have always dreamed of, but the format... well... sucks. I have taken plenty of online classes and loved them however, I am a visual learner, so when it comes to more hands on things like drawing hands or a proportionate and realistic nude figure, or sewing a curved seam or a straight dart I need so much more than just a "how to" paragraph. Only one of the three courses I am taking does a great job of explaining in written word, audio, and video the concepts of the course and requirements of assignments. The other two, illustration and construction, are shakey at best.
In my illustration class I feel as though I have walked into the middle of an advanced figure drawing course. I have no background on appropriate drawing techniques and no way of knowing if what I am doing or how I am doing it is correct until I have submitted my work to be graded. And the workload is insane! Five plus assignments every week each taking 2-3 hours; this class alone is like a part-time job and I haven't even started on the other two! I honestly think I could handle the work if I were a more advanced artists like my peers however, every week is like a never ending cycle and I am struggling to keep up.
But the class I hate the absolute most is my construction class. I will credit the instructor for posting videos for each assignment but the videos are based on a one set of requirements, the course assignment list another, and the discussion topics where we submit our work list yet another set. Why? Because the instructor fails to update the course outline and instead uses the same outdated one year after year. So when I submit my sewing assignments incorrectly it's my fault and my grade suffers because the videos and directions are unclear. GRRRR... And on top of that this class requires me to purchase a $600 dress form in addition to all the other supplies and the RIDICULOUS amount of tuition I am paying (and starting to second guess).
For something I was so excited to start I am beginning to lose the joy and enthusiasm for this educational choice. I am praying and hoping things will be different when I move to the city and am taking classes on campus. But for right now I need some sort of revival or break from it all.
