After listening to me whine through the month of February (I'm depressed. I don't have a dream. It's winter. It's gone on too long. Nothing matters, etc.), Parapluie said she had an idea for us both which was to be a challenge to do a drawing every day.
Hmmm I thought. This is kind of an interesting idea. not so much because of the artistic end, but more how when we do something like a painting or a drawing, it requires looking, some quiet time to see the lines, the shapes of things. I used to draw a lot. I remember many many times with her where we both had our sketch pads and were drawing often something very different from the exactly same subject.
This sounded pretty simple in a way. No big usage of materials. Just a drawing. I said okay.
So since the beginning of March (actually from February 28, I have done a drawing a day-- with one miss. I have learned a few things. One is that I am not as good at drawing as I used to be. I saw, in the first drawing that my proportions were off. Now what was that about? I thought of something else.
I might be doing sketches not drawings.
What is the difference?
I asked Parapluie if she thought there was a difference. I draw but I am too impatient in drawing to do anything but sketches.
She thought a bit on that and you will see her answer in her blog-- [Drawings versus sketches and cartoons].
I am a few days into the challenge and really liking doing this whether any sort of product comes from it or not. In fact, that's what I like best about it-- not having to worry about a product at the end of the process. Doing it reminds me of many many yearsin my past where I 'sketched' often. So far I have done drawings of the sheep, the family, the ocean, the farm, and will be open to what comes next.
What I like about a drawing is what I like about plein air paintings. You are there. You look. You see things. For a bit, you become one with something as you try to decide where the lines and shapes should be. I don't care about legally producing a drawing but I like doing this. I like what it does for me emotionally. Parapluie had a good idea!
10 comments:
sounds as if you friend had a good plan in mind for you...just what the doctor ordered. Giving your attention to the seeing of something, closely, and recording it, takes really 'being there' for a time. A great exercise. Have fun with it!
What a great idea. Sort of like writing or yoga or whatever exercise that you release your brain to something outside of yourself.
That sounds like fun. You are a beautiful woman Rain...:-)
That's the perfect idea for your sweet artistic self Rain. This should be a lot of fun for you...
from Julie,
What kind of pen are you using to sketch?
It's not a special drawing pen. Just the kind you can buy at Staples. This one is made by Pentel with a 0.7 ball. I had gotten it before this idea arose as I like it for writing in a journal. The sketch pad is likewise inexpensive paper and available at Michaels if you have one or probably most craft stores. I have used drawing pens before and might before this month is up or charcoal which allows for smudging. For now though the plain ink is satisfying even if it doesn't let me erase the wrong lines. Then I have to work them into the plan which is especially difficult when it's say the nose of my granddaughter ;)
from Julie,
Thank you Rain for that information. I sketch with graphite and charcoal pencils but I've been hesitant to use a pen for the same reason you stated. Not being able to erase a mistake is good discipline though. At Staples, I get Bienfang or Norcom sketchbooks. Occasionally, I get Canson All-Media that can be used with watercolor paints. Canson is more expensive so I save it for "special"...lol. I like how strong the pen lines are in your sketch! I'll need to get a little brave to use a pen.
It sounds like a GREAT idea....Anything that gets your creative juices going is a terrific thing to do, in my humble opinion....I love losing myself in a creative project---whatever it might be. It ALWAYS makes me feel GOOD, and always I feel a lot better than I did...And like you, I love the doing of it---whether it comes to anything or not---it is what it is---And that in itself is something!
My eyes and my brain do not cooperate with my hand. I draw like I think Grandma Moses probably did. But, I'm excited to know more about Parapluie's meaning between the differences in drawing and sketching.
Wonder if you ever do etchings? When I was single I always sent holiday greeting cards that were b&w etchings. Haven't seen many etchings for years. I think they're often striking, especially winter scenes when nature's colors from the sky to the ground are the multi-shades of black and white.
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