10/27

How do you get better at drawing? Or Anything for that matter?

Deliberate Practice: Quality vs. Quantity — Is 10,000 Hours Enough?

Excellence doesn’t come from simply putting in time—it comes from how you use that time. Deliberate practice emphasizes intentional, focused effort over sheer volume. It’s not always easy, and it may not always be enjoyable, but it’s the fastest path to real improvement. Whether it takes 10,000 hours or not, what truly matters is the quality of your attention, the clarity of your goals, and your willingness to push beyond comfort.

Aristotle wrote: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

Zen views mastery as a lifelong path, where each repetition is an opportunity to deepen awareness and refine skill.
Modern Learning Science: Deliberate Practice. Anders Ericsson’s research formalized the idea that expertise is built through structured, feedback-driven practice, not just time spent.

Drone Racing:
With drone racing, is it better to race more tracks or to focus on induvial moves, like tighter controlled turns, and really master them?

Climbing:

When I climb a challenging route, I don’t just check it off as “done.” Instead, I force myself to repeat it two more times to ensure it wasn’t a fluke and to truly master the movement. I also experiment by climbing the same route in different ways—sometimes even removing holds—to deepen my understanding and adaptability.

Reading:

Given the choice, I get much more out of reading a book than listening to one. It’s easier to pause and reflect while reading. When I read textbooks, non-fiction, and even some fiction, I often stop to really think about what I’ve just read. I underline and annotate the pages as I go. Although it might take me longer to finish a book this way, I gain a much deeper understanding of the content.

Running:

When training for running, I don’t just focus on logging miles. Rather than accumulating volume for its own sake, I design deliberate workouts that target strength, speed, and specific performance goals. I prioritize quality over quantity, avoiding “junk miles” in favor of purposeful sessions that build resilience, efficiency, and adaptability. These focused efforts stimulate specific physiological adaptations and reduce the risk of overtraining compared to high-volume, low-intensity running.

Drawing:

When working to improve my drawing, I don’t just sketch aimlessly. I focus on deliberate practice—targeting specific skills like form, perspective, anatomy, or lighting. Rather than rushing to complete finished pieces, I repeat studies, break down complex forms, and explore variations to deepen my understanding. I often redraw the same subject multiple times, experimenting with different approaches or constraints to build fluency and adaptability. This process may take longer, but it leads to stronger work.

10/21

What are the most important skills you need to survive college or industry?

How many hours are you in class per week an how much time do you spend on homework?

In college you will take approximately 15 credits per semester but with 4X the work. This is equal to 50 min per credit and (50 min X 15 credits = 12.5 hours) 12.5 hours per Week

10/3

Today I began the Lamborghini tutorial by setting up image planes for the side and top views, ensuring accurate proportions. I then shaped the wheel well, focusing on its curvature and depth to establish a solid foundation. Later, I moved on to modeling the front quarter fender, which proved challenging due to its complex curves. After careful vertex and edge adjustments, the fender’s form is starting to take shape—it's rewarding to see the structure come together.

IB DIGITAL ARTS ONLY

https://bluelavaart.com/art-education/process-portfolio-pp

9/29

Divergent Thinking vs. Convergent Thinking . . . ( Step 2 )

Playing Without Instructions (Creative Mode)

Encourages Imagination: Builders invent their own worlds, characters, and stories.

Promotes Problem-Solving: They figure out how to make structures work without a guide.

Supports Divergent Thinking: There’s no single “correct” outcome—just possibilities.

Builds Confidence: Students learn to trust their ideas and take creative risks.

Following Instructions (Structured Mode)

Teaches Precision and Focus: Great for learning sequencing, attention to detail, and spatial reasoning.

Develops Convergent Thinking: There’s a clear goal and a correct way to achieve it.

9/25

When students "play school"—meaning they focus on performing for grades, following rules, and pleasing authority—they often prioritize compliance over curiosity. This can suppress creativity because:

Risk-taking is discouraged: Creativity thrives on experimentation and failure, but "playing school" rewards correctness and safety.
Intrinsic motivation fades: Students may stop exploring ideas for their own sake and instead do what’s needed to get a good grade.
Thinking becomes linear: School routines can promote convergent thinking (one right answer) rather than divergent thinking (many possibilities).

On the flip side, when students are encouraged to play with ideas, question assumptions, and engage in open-ended projects, creativity tends to flourish.

Curiosity . . . ( Step 1 )

9/4

IB DIGITAL ARTS ONLY

BEST RESOURCE: https://bluelavaart.com/art-education/comparative-study-cs

9/4

BASQUIAT's work ethic

https://youtu.be/8G9pnE0bnfE

9/2

Design - Example - Laser Cut ProjectINITIAL IDEA EXPLORATION

8/28

How Sony Completely Outsmarted Pixar

https://youtu.be/FG8tc2gq38s

8/26

8/22

K-Pop Demon Hunters Behind the Scenes: What It Takes to Animate a K-Pop Battle

EXAMPLE

Design - Example - Laser Cut ProjectINITIAL IDEA EXPLORATION

READ and ANOTATE the IB Visual Arts Guide for group discussion

https://www.ibo.org/globalassets/new-structure/university-admission/pdfs/dp_vis-arts_subjectbrief_en.pdf

8/20

1. Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960–1988)

Source: Galerie Bruno Bischofberger – Wikimedia Commons

Known for: Beginning as a graffiti artist, Basquiat eventually found himself one of the major stars of the neo-Expressionism art movement of New York City in the 1980s. Aside from his art, he is known for being a close friend of the artist Andy Warhol.

Source: Jessica Hope Jackson, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

8/18

8/12

Allegory of the Cave

The Cave: An Adaptation of Plato's Allegory in Clay

https://youtu.be/69F7GhASOdM

Plato's Allegory of the Cave — A Storyteller's Guide to Using Allegory

https://youtu.be/xOULKUK07kU

20+ Images . . . AMAZING Laser Cut Projects!

4/26

Inside Disney’s Secret Engineering Lab

https://youtu.be/16LuvR2CARA

4/23

What does this mean?

3/26

How Will AI Reshape the Future of the Film Industry?

3/13

The Secret To "Great" Design Is Simpler Than You Think

IB HL visual arts - process portfolio (level 7) + advice

https://youtu.be/FeLskug099s

2/27

Art that looks back at you

1/28

Angela Duckworth Grit and Perseverance

1/13

Its Time to Get Gritty!!!

GRIT!

Grit: The power of passion and perseveranceLeaving a high-flying job in consulting, Angela Lee Duckworth took a job teaching math to seventh graders in a New York public school. She quickly realized that IQ wasn't the only thing separating the successful students from those who struggled. Here, she explains her theory of "grit" as a predictor of success.

"And where I excel is ridiculous, sickening, work ethic. " ~Will Smith

1/13

IB Seniors: Create a new page called 'IB Final Projects'

Include:

Project #, Title, Description, Medium, Size when Printed in CM, and Quality images and videos of work.

1/9

The surprising habits of original thinkers | Adam Grant

1/7

Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator

12/5

12/3

The 65 Jobs With the Lowest Risk of Automation by Artificial Intelligence and Robots - USCIThe age of AI and Robots is here, you may be worried that robots will take your jobs. There are some jobs that have a low risk of being taken over by AI.

Will Robots Take My Job?Find out how susceptible your job is to computerisation

11/26

“Being polite is withholding feedback to make someone feel good today. Being kind is being candid about how they can get better tomorrow”

― Adam M. Grant, Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things

11/20

Will Smith!

11/18

1. Project Progress and Achievements

What progress have I made across my projects? Have I met any significant milestones?
What am I proud of so far in my work, and what specific skills have I strengthened?

2. Challenges and Problem-Solving

What challenges have I faced in each project, and how did I approach solving them?
Are there any recurring issues or areas where I feel stuck? What strategies can I try to overcome them?

3. Skill Development and Learning

What new skills or techniques have I learned this semester? Which tools or software have I become more confident using?
How has my understanding of design concepts evolved through my projects?

4. Time Management and Project Organization

How effectively have I been managing my time and resources across different projects?
Are there areas where I could improve my organization or focus to stay on track?

5. Creativity and Exploration

How have I experimented with new ideas or techniques? Where have I taken creative risks, and what did I learn from them?
Are there design elements I want to explore more in the next phase?

6. Feedback and Improvement

What feedback have I received from teachers, peers, or mentors, and how have I applied it to my work?
What have I learned from comparing my work to professional examples or benchmarks?

7. Goals for Next Steps

What are my main goals for the remainder of the semester? Are there skills or aspects of my project that I want to prioritize?
How will I measure my success or progress by the end of the semester?

Reflecting on these questions can help students set clear intentions, acknowledge growth, and identify areas where they can focus their efforts to make the most of the rest of the semester.

Mid-Year Reflection Example

At the midpoint of my final design project, I’m reflecting on my progress in several 3D modeling projects: modeling a car in Autodesk Maya, designing a sword, and completing various skill-building exercises. Each project has taught me something new and pushed me to develop a range of skills.

The car project was especially challenging, requiring patience and precision to achieve smooth, symmetrical curves. Learning to use tools like extrude, bevel, and edge loops was crucial in adding realistic details. The sword project, on the other hand, gave me more creative freedom, allowing me to explore unique shapes and materials while practicing texturing and sculpting. Smaller exercises, like modeling basic shapes and working with UV mapping, helped me get comfortable with Maya’s interface and experiment with lighting and rendering techniques.

For the second half of the year, my goals are to refine my models with realistic materials and textures, improve my rendering skills, and focus on creating polished, professional-looking final pieces. These projects have shown me how much I enjoy 3D modeling, and I’m excited to keep learning and see my work come together by the end of the year.