(for Cinna)

[smallgayjew]

David is doing fairly well with most of his classes. He thinks he's got the hang of the school system now, though it had been difficult at first.

He's still struggling with art, though that wasn't really a surprise. He's not even sure why he took it other than that it would look good on an application. Still, he's determined to do his best. He makes his way down to the art room and stops in the doorway.

"Mr. Keegan?"

Comments

[setfires]

Cinna had been looking over some sketches done by the students when he heard the voice call his name. He looked up and saw David standing there. He offered the boy a small, welcoming smile.

He knew David was struggling in his class and he is happy for a chance to answer questions. He doesn't think that David is the type to drop a class he sees as a challenge.

"David," he says, his voice soft and warm. He doesn't want to make the boy more nervous than he already is. "Come in. What can I do for you?"

[smallgayjew]

David hesitates just a moment before stepping into the classroom. "Thank you, sir. I wondered if I could talk to you about this week's assignment?"

[setfires]

"Yes, of course. Take a seat." He gestures to the chair by his desk and puts the papers away before settling down at his own chair to give David his attention.

[smallgayjew]

David smiles and settles into the chair, pulling his attempt at the drawing they've been working on out of his portfolio.

"I...don't seem to be making much progress with it."

He feels he hardly needs to mention that he's not the best artist.

[setfires]

Cinna takes the piece and looks at it for a moment before considering David carefully. "What makes you say that?" he asks honestly, considering David with an open expression.

[smallgayjew]

David frowns down at the drawing. "Well, it's...it's nothing like."

[setfires]

Cinna looks at him. His brow is raised just enough that it's clear that he's inviting David to continue.

[smallgayjew]

David is a bit at a loss as to how to continue.

"Well...isn't that the point? Isn't it meant to look like...like a ruddy bowl of fruit?"

[setfires]

"You don't have to be prefect," he admits after a moment. "You're putting the effort in. What do you think you can do to make it look more like what you intended?"

[smallgayjew]

"I don't know. That's the trouble. I know what it looks like in my head, but it just...doesn't come out on the paper."

He finds this intensely frustrating. Usually, if he can understand a subject, he can do well in it. That doesn't seem to be the case here.

[setfires]

"You can always practice by using something simple. Try drawing a pencil, or something else that has simple lines."

[smallgayjew]

David gives him a wry smile. "And if I never progress beyond pencils?"

[setfires]

"It won't be the end of the world," Cinna replies. "You can draw a circle, can't you? Here, try right now." He gives him a blank piece of paper and a pencil.

[smallgayjew]

David frowns at the paper. "Not without a compass?"

He's a bit of a perfectionist.

[setfires]

Cinna pulls up and gets an orange from his supplies and a compass. He puts the orange on his desk and hands David the compass.

"When you look at the orange, what do you see? Do you see a perfect circle?"

[smallgayjew]

David sighs, rolling his eyes a bit. "No. I know it's not meant to be...geometrical. But it is meant to look like an orange."

[setfires]

"Let's try," Cinna says calmly. "Don't worry about it being perfect. Just try to draw the basic shape."

[smallgayjew]

David picks up the pencil with a determined sigh and stares at the orange.

[setfires]

Cinna gives him space and time to draw, watching him without pressure or hurry.

[smallgayjew]

David stares at the orange for a good long while before he even attempts to set pencil to paper. When he finally does, his sketching is slow and laborious.

[setfires]

Cinna lets him finish before he speaks. "What are you thinking when you're drawing?"

[smallgayjew]

"I'm thinking about the orange and how what I draw doesn't look anything like it."

[setfires]

"So in your mind, you've already failed?"

[smallgayjew]

"In my mind, I know the failure is inevitable."

[setfires]

"So you can tell the future?"

[smallgayjew]

"No, but I know my abilities."

[setfires]

"Knowing yourself is admirable, but abilities change and grow."

[smallgayjew]

"I don't think I'm ever going to be an artist."

[setfires]

"And you don't have to be. I'm not expecting you to be the next Da Vinci."

[smallgayjew]

"I'd settle for advancing beyond stick figures at this point, I think."

Though honestly, he isn't sure anymore why he's even doing art.