Saturday, December 11, 2010

Making something happen

So, as I told you, I am babysitting a lot. Taking care of little kids is time-consuming, so for now I am not getting much done on the artistic front. That's OK, but  yesterday I felt like I had to sit down and do something. I got my sketchbook out and while Marco slept I drew a pine cone.


They are one of my favorite motifs and they are kind of hard to draw. When I was in Seattle a couple weeks ago I bought two new permanent drawing pens. One has a brush tip and one a fine tip. I used both here. I have not done much drawing in a long time and I felt really rusty. I need to do more of this. I know there are fabric artists, especially, who feel no need to draw, but I strongly believe drawing is the basis for everything. Discipline. Drawing trains your eye and teaches you about composition, proportion, value, line—well, like I said, it is everything. It is a fine thing to make beautiful drawings, but even if your drawing looks like a monkey did it, drawing is building skill and your observational powers.

There is a new online project starting the first of the year called the Sketchbook Project. It is a blog with a group of artists who will be posting challenge ideas and posting their sketchbook entries. I think I'm going to follow along. I need a little push to do more drawing. I looked at the blog and got a little scared when I saw a video about materials, including sparkly paints and glitter and glue and sequin waste and fluffy stuff. Not me. I hope it is mostly about drawing.

5 comments:

  1. I think your pine cone is wonderful. I looked at the Sketchbook Project and think that I, too, will follow along. I have only doodled in margins at staff meetings for so long that this is going to stretch muscles I haven't used for a while. I so agree with you, though, that drawing is the basis of everything and I know that I have to get back to the basics. You've inspired me today! Thanks!!!

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  2. Sometimes the urge to create is just so strong. I'm glad you succumbed, the pine cone is great.

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  3. What a gorgeous pine cone. It has personality. Aren't those brush pens fun!!! I think I need to try a pine cone---- after I get done with the chairs.

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  4. Anonymous7:52 AM

    I think you draw very well, and although drawing is not a strong suit of mine, I agree with your opinion that it is the basis of everything. Rhonda M.

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  5. Someone with your talent doesn't need glitter, fluff, and such. When I first read that it was a "sketchbook" challenge, I thought it might be directly correlated to someone who makes cards wherein a "sketchbook" is used to plan card layouts. I quickly went to the website in question and found it's so much more! You'll have fun with this!

    BTW, do you use Copics? Best sketch and/or coloring pens ever.

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