Drawing practice Day 1
I apologize for not answering comments sooner. Its been an awful emotional month for a friend of mine as well as my son, both of whom had parallel issues oddly enough. The result for me is that I have felt very triggered. Though all is on the mend, things have come back to bite. BUT this time, I am prevailing. I sunk myself fully into art and let things land wherever they needed to land, which they do regardless of what I say or do. Now I am taking out the manure shovel and cleaning house.
In the meantime my therapist gifted me with a sketchbook. This makes no sense perhaps. Surely, as a self professed artist, I have sketchbooks? I have several. But a new era has dawned for me. Its a story that is to be revealed and a new sketchbook symbolizes new life to me.
My new life involves practice. I am not interested in things such as motivation, inspiration,etc. I dont need to develop those things . I need to practice. I need to find an answer to something that has elluded me so far. Movement. How to convey it. How to enliven. I know its practice. I know its technical. I know I need to just do it and I know I will accomplish this. Through daily thoughtful practice. I kept thinking this but until this morning when I read “. 5 Mark Making Excericises to Jump Start Your Art” by Lorraine Glessner, I had no idea where to begin. Great blog, great artist. Please go and check her out:)
So first I did blind contour. I was to do it for 30 minutes. It took me 5!
Blind contour is where you close your eyes and draw after looking at a subject for a few minutes. Intimidating.
Then, since my timer was set for 15 minutes, I decided to try regular contour drawing. This is where you look at the subject but not the paper. 5 more ticking minutes.less intimidating.
And finally , this for the finish.
In the meantime my therapist gifted me with a sketchbook. This makes no sense perhaps. Surely, as a self professed artist, I have sketchbooks? I have several. But a new era has dawned for me. Its a story that is to be revealed and a new sketchbook symbolizes new life to me.
My new life involves practice. I am not interested in things such as motivation, inspiration,etc. I dont need to develop those things . I need to practice. I need to find an answer to something that has elluded me so far. Movement. How to convey it. How to enliven. I know its practice. I know its technical. I know I need to just do it and I know I will accomplish this. Through daily thoughtful practice. I kept thinking this but until this morning when I read “. 5 Mark Making Excericises to Jump Start Your Art” by Lorraine Glessner, I had no idea where to begin. Great blog, great artist. Please go and check her out:)
So first I did blind contour. I was to do it for 30 minutes. It took me 5!
Then, since my timer was set for 15 minutes, I decided to try regular contour drawing. This is where you look at the subject but not the paper. 5 more ticking minutes.less intimidating.
I wondered why you went quiet. I was hoping it was an abundance of spring, beckoning you outdoors. I'm sorry to hear it was an emotional obstacle, instead. You're doing the right thing by recognising the triggers, and formulating a doable response, through your art. It was a great gift, by your therapist. But you're the only one can use it. So cheers for getting started.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about capturing movement. It kept coming up, throughout my online art course, recently. My pictures looked flat, even though I tried really hard to put energy into them. The only one I succeeded in, was the exercise to do with putting music on and dancing, while you painted. Which I note was also suggested, in the link you supplied. :) The trick (it seems) is to take your mind elsewhere. To respond to something OTHER than the likeness of an image.
We will experiment together, in our own ways. I'm really happy to hear you will be pursuing this, however and whenever you can. I am doing the same. It takes a while to percolate though. ;) Thanks for the link, and I hope (and pray) you will find peace and contentment.
No such luck regarding Spring. I often predict a big storm before St. Patricks Day and I am often correct 99.9% of the time). We had 6 inches of snow two days ago but its our “freeze and thaw” part of winter. But I have become quite a hermit this year so I hardly notice.
DeleteI really enjoyed your dance peice. I have done work to music but its not something I feel comfortable with. I much prefer to work in silence. I might just need to break out of that shell however. I was drawing a butterfly the other day, and though it came out just fine, it was stiff. I realized that movement has always been my weakness. I think its both line, and perspective though. We shall see.
Please keep going on art. Even tiny sketches are something! Imagine how good we would be if we never stopped practicing?
Hi Linda, good that all is well, I had checked in a couple of times, so pleased you and your son and friend are now sifting through your emotions and all is getting back on track.
DeleteAnd I checked out the art blog of your link and some great information and art over there.
And yes I think we have all been capturing our moments more, as I too have not been in the blog world as often. Though I did spend a couple of days when we were snow bound. :-D and tried to catch up.
Spring keeps trying and thankfully our snow has now gone, but the temps are up and down all the time.
I am sure with practice you will capture movement!. We are all of us works in progress, each of us trying to improve one aspect of ourselves or another.
Looking forward to move sketches and I just LOVE new blank sketch books to doodle and draw in. :-) So a thoughtful gift from your practitioner :-)
Hope things continue to run smoothly Linda and enjoy each moment .. I know you will
Much love my friend.
Sue xx <3
Hi Sue, thanks for popping in. Our spring brought snow. But this week should melt most of it , then we enter mud season. lol. I am happiest when I practice. I keep forgetting that. We have still too many appointments but I am trying to fit things in anyway. I am still working out my stitching group as well. Its morphed into something I didnt expect but I will tell its story soon.
DeleteYou sound well Sue. I will visit your bog soon as well.
Love you