About Shape & Form

I‘m really glad I picked up “The Creative License!” I’m also glad that I’m not too proud to get back to basics for a little while. I’d forgotten that an artist’s eyes can get a little dull and their brain's even duller! It’s been a long while since I’ve done any contour drawings and although I use negative space all the time, I’d really forgotten the feeling of combining the two. I realized a couple of things in my drawings today.

1. Objects that you don’t mentally categorize as particular objects are much easier to draw. The drawing process then becomes relatively stress-free as the shapes stay simply - shapes.
2. Complexity is a trap that can be avoided by #1.
3. Minimal detailing, if it’s correctly placed, can be used to maximum effect.

Here are a selection of drawings from today. All are drawn in ballpoint pen with no corrections. The only exception is the camel which had exactly two corrections.

Negative space drawing of a chair - partial.

Negative space drawing of a table with a horse statue on top.

Amazing how much information can be gleaned

from such little detail.

 

Negative space drawing with contour.

Cell phone wireless headset. A very complex shape drawn

without stress due to the lack of conceptual thought during the drawing process.

 

Contour drawing using negative space

with minimal detailing added.

Table grouping of eyeglass case, phone, cell phone.

 

Contour drawing using negative space, with minimal detailing

added based on relative positioning. Stuffed camel.

An amazingly stress-free drawing. In fact, quite easy to do!

I’m delighted with today’s process. Especially as the goal of this “Creative License” project is to expand my creative process and not learn how to draw. (I already know how!) It would be a good day regardless, but the reconnection with these very valuable drawing tools (contour, modified contour, negative space, minimal detailing based on relative positioning) is well worth the effort.

Creativity Tonic

For many years I have felt a disconnect or short-circuit between the two sides of my creative life. I have mastered the ability to create a professional piece of art “on demand.” I don’t think about my desires in this, I simply create a portrait, or needed illustration, poster, advertisement, or whatever. However, there is another part of my creative soul that has become the “poor stepchild.” When I need to access this pure, creative, truly FUN part I can do that too but the path to get there is very hard to access. It feels as if it is full of downed treelets and covered by weeds. It takes some finesse to find the trail, let alone follow it easily. For many years I have taken pains to put down different sorts of bread crumbs to mark this trail so that when I do want to travel upon it, I can even find it!

Recently I realized that this disconnect is causing me physical sadness. I wished to find out where the short-circuit was and heal it. I took some time to consider the right path to do this, finally coming to a book called “The Creative License,” by Danny Gregory. Gregory also wrote “Everyday Matters,” and “An Illustrated Life.” When I picked up the book at my local bookstore yesterday I saw that it had a recommendation from the author Sark on the bottom edge of the cover. When I saw that I knew I’d found the right book. I’ve always been a huge fan of Sark and her books, like “Living Juicy.”

I started reading it today. The beginning exercises are similar to Betty Edwards’ “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain,” a book I have always loved and taught from for many years. But this book has more in it, that much is clear. It seems to be about giving yourself artistic permission to play. At least that’s my initial impression. It’s something that I could really use a hand with.

Already familiar with contour drawings I started moving through the book’s exercises today. Here are the series of blind and mostly-blind contour drawings. I have always found these simple drawing exercises quite beautiful to do. Peaceful in execution and they always look “right.”  Although I have more commercial projects on my table at the moment, I’m going to give myself the gift of making time to add Gregory’s exercises into my artistic routine. This feels really good to me. It’s high time to get both sides of my brain working together in harmony.

Contour Drawings from Sunday

WTF Art Show Opened Last Night

A lovely opening for the art show last night. I really enjoyed going. It was a bit nerve-racking seeing my pieces (so small! And with such tidy but low-key frames!) hanging there in such great company! The quality of art was quite good and the entire atmosphere was clearly about enjoying the art of the horse. Thanks to everyone involved for putting on a such great show! The show hangs during racing hours until Sunday.

“Waiting For his Class” with a bit of Photoshop magic added.

I think maybe I should start working bigger...

 

 “Man & Horse” again called out with PS.

The atmosphere of the show…

“Best Friends” completed

Today has been a busy day! First stop this morning was to deliver my pieces to Emerald Downs in Auburn. On the way home, I stopped by Daniel Smith's Arts in Seattle (the BIG store!!) and picked out a new mat cutting system so that I will never again go through the hell that I did on Monday while trying to cut two simple mats! *deep breath* After that it was home to finish (among other things) my newest piece, “Best Friends.”

“Best Friends” 9”x 12” Derwent Drawing Pencils

I like this piece. It has the nice companionable feel I was hoping for. I even came to respect the Derwent Drawing pencils by the time I was done. But then…the ultimate question (drum roll please)…would I use these pencils again for a piece like this? And the answer...Probably not. Everything I did with them I could have more easily and comfortably done with Prismacolors. But would I take them with me to sketch in the field? For that, probably yes. They are pretty nice pencils, after all. They make me itch to try them out on colored paper, using the paper as the mid-tone and the pencils to provide the high and low lights. I can definitely see that they might be fun for that. Perhaps I’ll set that up as their next test. But that’s for later. For now I have several other pieces in mind which will be either straight colored pencil, water-soluble pencil, watercolor, or more likely some kind of combination.

So here's to it. Onwards and upwards!

Pieces for the WTF Art Show

Here are pictures of the two pieces I’ll be hanging at the WTF art show this coming week.

“Waiting for His Class” Prismacolor Pencils 7” x 5 5/8”

“Man and Horse” Tinted Graphite, Watercolor 7” x 10”

Hope to you can make it out to Emerald Downs to see the show!

WA Thoroughbred Breeders 2010 Art Show

I am delighted to announce that I will have two pieces, “Man and Horse,” and “Waiting for His Class” entered into the WA Thoroughbred Foundation/WA Thoroughbred Breeders 2010 Art Show at Emerald Downs in Auburn, WA. The show runs from July 7th-11th. From all I’ve heard this will be a lovely event and I’m very excited to be a participant. If you’re in the area I hope you'll stop by!

More Ponies

Here’s the latest update on the ponies.

 "Best Friends"

It seems to be progressing alright but I find myself still struggling somewhat with the medium. My main complaints with the pencils are that I am having trouble getting the details sharp enough, AND that the colors available to me are so limited in range. The colors of the Derwent Drawing Pencils that I have (I have the 12 piece set and there are 24 total) are all analogous and/or quite muted. Although this can be a huge selling point, after all my recent work practicing mixing interesting greys and lively neutrals, I’m finding it quite the limitation.

The funny part is, I’ve been saying for weeks that I wanted to expand outward from the “usual” animal color palette of umber’s, ochre’s, russets, and bluish/greenish greys. Yet those are exactly the color choices of the Derwent Drawing Pencils! Perfectly funny! AND proof positive that I knew what I wanted all along. This piece is making me want to return to watercolor, or wax-based colored pencils, ASAP!

Although I can make a piece work using this palette (and these pencils), I miss having at least some blue-violets available for the shadows and/or cyan or bluish-turquoise to neutralize some of the sienna’s. Oh well, best make this piece as beautiful and evocative as I can and then return to a medium that I really love! Watercolor!