Day one... Maybe an hour and a half of painting. I had a block in prepared already.

Whelp I just ordered oil paints. WTF am I doing?

Thank you again to everyone. My class was so chill. The instructor is closest to me in age. There were eight older women and one older man. All painting. No drawing or illustrators. I asked my instructor about my Bridgman efforts on Procreate and she said she had trouble seeing where to place values because she didn't understand Bridgman. She's used to seeing in blocks of value, not line. She is a fan of Stephen Bauman and we've been in contact via email attempting to figure out what I would work on since she's primarily an alla prima portrait artist. Perhaps y'all might be able to give me some ideas for selecting an image to work on with her?

I've really enjoyed my in person art classes, but yes it is easy to get intimidated. What helped me not feel like a 6 year old with crayons was seeing how even the best in the class will see something another has done and ask how they got that effect. It helps me remember that no matter how good someone is, there is always something else to learn. There has been a mix of skills, experience with a variety of mediums and styles. We had some cartoonists and tattoo artists, a couple of painters. All were there to learn something different, and all seemed to feel inadequate. :)

Haha, I'm sorry Tim... but... haha. I didn't mean to laugh! I swear! But... it's kinda funny, innit? Even though I totally feel your anxiety in my bones, haha. It's like speech day in class. You're so nervous, but then you get up there and realize everyone else is super nervous, too, and you just laugh and get on with it, and turns out there was nothing to be nervous about to begin with. It just made me think like the bullies are coming for the freshmen in "Dazed and Confused." Haha. Pretty sure that won't happen! And if it does... throw some paint at them, haha. I'm sure there will be plenty of it, haha. Those are such insightful nuggets from the Boss(worth) and Ash. I'll just add, as one musician to another, that you might try to think of it like a jam session or something at the local pub. There may be someone who can play everyone else under the table, and there may be someone who can barely tune their instrument or keep rhythm. But you're all there because you love music and you all have a passion. So at least you'll have that much in common with this class. You're all just there to learn. Honestly, nobody really cares what the others are doing, anyway, do they? It's just fun to play with other people! And there's the collective energy of the performance, too. I always actually played better when I got together with others... those nerves add juice to my fingers, haha. Maybe it's the same making art with others? But it sounds super relaxed, tbh. I can't imagine there will be any issues at all, unless for some reason the mentor person is weirdly unprofessional.

It's a huge step to get out of the comfort of your studio and put yourself in that environment, so first off congrats on starting the mentorship! Pretty much every class, workshop, plein-air pack-out, or weekend drink & draw I've attended starts off with a bit of nervous energy. 
Try to remind yourself that you, and everyone else in the room is there to learn, and you’re surrounded by people with the same focus and dedication to pursuing their craft. That usually helps me settle in. Ask as many questions as you can, and try not to worry about how that’s perceived. I once handed my brush to an instructor and asked them how to load it properly before I went for a mark. It felt a little insane as it was happening, but in the moment that was my question, now I have an answer to what I was looking for in that moment. I promise you there’s no question too philosophical, or pragmatic! Be sure to give yourself some extra grace with the work you produce in any new environment or mentorship program. If you’re focusing on learning a new technique, or pushing a known technique as far as you can sometimes it can yield an overworked, wonky piece, but the mileage is important. Some of my favorite learning experiences have come from drawings I thought were beyond saving. Once I accepted they weren't going to turn out the way I hoped, they became great opportunities to experiment, and most of the time those "failed" drawings or paintings end up teaching me the most. Looking forward to seeing your progress, would love to see what you're working on!

Hey! That is so cool you signed up for something that takes you out of your comfort zone and is for your growth! My best advice is to show up to every class and ask questions when you have the opportunity. What are you going to be learning, exactly? I also think you have an advantage if you're still watching the videos here on Proko on top of whatever the class is.