Friday File: Out of the Comfort Zone for EM challenge
Friday, May 27, 2005
Drawing Exercise: As you can probably guess I drew this blind folded. I like it, it looks kind of funky.
This one I drew in pen—no eraser. I never do that!
Back to my old ways, but I’m sure I didn’t use the eraser
as much.
To be honest, I don’t draw with confidence. My drawings usually start with scratchy lines and plenty of erasing activity. For me, approaching a blank page is always met with a vague sense of performance anxiety (the drawing kind that is). Many art books will inform you, this is the left side of the brain getting in the way of right brain creativity. These “art books” also suggest ways of making the left brain/right brain switcheroo: drawing your subject upside down; drawing only negative space; and my favourite so far, drawing blind folded.
I think this method worked for me because my inner critic couldn’t see what was going down—ha ha fooled you. I can here her now, “No, no stupid that’s all wrong—ERASER! The exercise relaxed me enough that big mouth (left brain critic) found something else to do. Next week: I’ll try the ye old negative space trick.
Have a great weekend eh!
posted by Sunday Afternoons at 1:00 PM
6 Comments:
Deborah, I am SO happy you posted these drawings! It is great to see all three, the three different ways you had of approaching the eggbeater. This makes me know much more about you as an artist and anyway the three together make a great composition! I'm going to go back and look at them again and again. (I use an eraser all the time, btw--I figure that's why they make 'em ;D.)
I'm with Laura - I like seeing all your works in progress, too. I don't think there's any sin in using an eraser if you draw in pencil. Draw any way you like ... just draw. When I first started posting things on the web a few years ago, I obsessed so much about "purist rules" it was ridiculous. Ruminations ... must draw in ink ... must draw in a Moleskine (well I didn't have one) ... must draw on watercolor paper ... must use watercolors ... must use pan watercolors .... must use Daniel Smith or Schminke pan watercolors. Today I say nuts to all of it ... I'll draw with a piece of charcoal on a cardboard box if I feel like it (and I have) ... mechanical pencil, notebook paper, brush pen, Photoshop, Painter, heavyweight card stock, all "real materials," all digital, or some combo of the above. It doesn't matter. Drawing is what counts, anyway you get there. And you're getting there just fine.
hi deborah! =)
that first one looks like a Picasso, it does! haha! i bet you've stumbled upon the secret process of the master!
love this post of yours, i enjoyed seeing the different approaches to drawing.
--ian [everydaymatters]
http://ulan25.so-phobic.com/paperjournal
One thing I've learned here at EDM is that art truly is in the eye of the beholder; and often not in the eye of the artist. This works for me because I, being normal and all, am way more critical of my art than others. I have a piece in a juried show right now and when I see it hanging on the wall all I can see are flaws and errors. The juror however, said some very nice things about, things I hadn't considered, and he was quite caustic with other pieces that I thought were much better than mine. What I've learned is that it doesn't really matter what style, or technique is used, someone will like it.
On Track
Deborah, these are NICELY done!! I agree with the above comments -- it is fun to see the works in progress and the different ways you do the eggbeater. I'm not sure I'd have the courage to tackle an eggbeater ... that was a tough one I'll bet! :-)
Okay-- now you have to tell me how you drew something blindfolded. I'm serious! I know the negative-space thing, drawing it upside-down, but not blindfolded. I thought it was a pure contour drawing that came out particularly well.
I erase all the time, but keep it to myself!
And that blank page thing-- oh, how I know that, too well. I get the urge to draw, but nothing comes out except a reflection of the blank page. Suddenly I can't think of a thing! So, I just go lie down until the urge passes.
This was a great idea, all three ways of drawing one object. I like it! Looks like 3 different people drew the same thing.
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