I forgot what "Spare Time" means...

Things are really starting to pick up around here in every single area. 

(Which results in lack of sleep, which then results in lack of blog. Sorry.)

For instance, today is the day that I start working on my eight page research paper for my Leonardo Di Vinci class. Hopefully I can get it done quick, so I can make time to work on the eight page research paper for my History of Florence class...

I'm actually really excited to start my Leonardo one, though!

Fun Fact: His name is not Leonardo Di Vinci. It's Leonardo. Di Vinci means "Of Vinci", as in that's where he's from. In case you didn't already know that.

I think the class is SO interesting for a few different reasons:

1. Leonardo was a complete genius, it's unbelievable. The reason he was such an amazing artist is because he was an even more amazing scientist. His perceptions and observations of EVERY one of his masterpieces was completely thorough-- inside, outside, all angles, all emotions, and all perspectives! With the little knowledge I have of Psychology, it actually seems as though he had some major ADHD, or an OCD of some sort. Basically, he had a learning "disability" that worked to his advantage. ( I think that's how every disability works, though. Just because you are unable to do things a certain way doesn't mean you're not capable of doing it. Leonardo was a great example of this) He couldn't possibly begin any piece of work until he completely studied and understood what he was trying to depict from all aspects. For example, he dissected animals before he could paint them, and that actually took place in one of the church/museums here where I plan on going in the next couple of days. I do't even know. He is such a genius, it is mind boggling!

2. Without realizing it, I grew up already knowing a lot of Leonardo's techniques because of my dad! I know for a fact that my dad's amazing art ability came from him studying the way Leonardo did things. It's really cool to actually understand and know the history behind what I watched my dad draw and paint. DAD YOU'RE A GENIUS! I'm hoping to be able to text him later and ask him about it.

3. I've learned that I look at art in a really deep way! I seem to always make the right comments about a painting that we are looking at as a class, and it excites my teacher (cutest lady ever) and always sparks a good conversation. It's a cool feeling because I always thought it was kind of common sense to be able to pick certain qualities from a painting, but I guess it can be pretty difficult! For example, Braxton and I were walking through the Ufizi, and part of me just wanted to get out of there, because all of the paintings of baby Jesus were absolutely hideous! I couldn't see them as realistic, and didn't even want to try. I was saying in my head the whole time how ugly they made him look, and that they made him look like an adult just naked and in a smaller size. And I didn't understand why they made him that way. So I mentioned it to my teacher in class today and turns out it was a big part of our lesson plan already! Artists prior to Leonardo did not draw babies, just little versions of adults. They didn't really know how to do it, because nobody ever had a baby sit in front of them while they painted--it just didn't happen. But Leonardo couldn't do that, and was the first to study a baby and figure out the difference in features, and actually draw a realistic baby, like here in "The Madonna of the Carnation". (there is another name for it, that I can't remember right this second)

See how he made him chubby and baby-like? He even has the deformed head shape so you can see the "soft spot".
 He does NOT look like this in others. It's gross.

I just find it all so interesting! Which is why I'm excited to write my research paper on The Mona Lisa. I asked if I could take that topic because I've always been curious about why such an ugly, small painting could be probably Leonardo's most well known artwork of all time. So we'll see...

I'm not grasping History of Florence like I should be. I'm worried about the paper for it. But Braxton is doing well, he grasps this sort of information so easily! It's definitely his forte. I mean, it's definitely interesting, but I really can't retain the information, especially because we learn in such large quantities everyday, it all kind of starts going over my head. I think that similar to Leonardo, I learn with a "scientific approach" (Leonardo was the first to use that approach). Sitting and taking notes just don't do much for me. So clearly this means I'm a genius just like my friend Leo....Right?

BUT ENOUGH ABOUT SCHOOL! 

TRAVELING IS PICKING UP AS WELL. IT STARTS THIS WEEKEND AND THEN, WELL, DOESN'T STOP UNTIL WE'RE BACK IN UTAH ONCE AGAIN! MY LEONARDO TEACHER EVEN SAID TODAY THAT WE SHOULD JUST "SAY GOODBYE NOW" BECAUSE THINGS ARE GOING TO FLY.

OUR TRAVEL ITINERARY---

FRIDAY: VISITING A CASTLE

WEEKEND AFTER THAT: GOING TO VENICE

WEEKEND AFTER THAT: GOING TO MILAN

WEEKEND AFTER THAT: VINCI AND MIDTERMS AND RESEARCH PAPERS DUE

WEEKEND AFTER THAT: MOM AND DAD ARE COMING YAYAYAYAYYY!!!

WEEKEND AFTER THAT: STILL WITH MOM AND DAD YAYAYAYAY!

FOLLOWING WEEKEND: BUDAPEST, VIENNA, AND SALZBERG. (We just booked this trip a couple days ago. SO excited!)

WEEKEND AFTER THAT: FREEEEEE AS FAR AS I KNOW

WEEKEND AFTER THAT: MUNICH

WEEKEND AFTER THAT: HOME......

whoa.

And that's not even including all the school related work, plus activites with the school such as playing soccer, or little tours or cooking classes. Plus visiting all the museums just here in Florence!

...So see you all soon, I guess..?