Drawing a Point of View

"Drawing, as suggested by the examples reproduced in this book, involves more than making an accurate rendering of a subject, just as it requires more than the skillful manipulation of media and technique. Drawing is about content; it presents a point of view, interpretation, and expressions of the individual artist."
from Mendelowitz's Guide to Drawing, p. 10

One of the first projects in this drawing book is to make a "scribble drawing". You scribble all over the page (mine was 12 in x 12in), then stare at it and see what image pops out at you. You then start darkening values and lines to see what emerges. I remember doing this sort of exercise as a child, waiting for a parent to pick me up. I loved it then and still do now, it was good fun.

I found myself struggling against wanting to fix things and make lines more accurate. It was interesting how the image I had originally seen in my mind kept coming and going as I tried to bring it out of the scribbles. By the end, I had lost it completely. I suppose that my mind was now working with what was on the page, and it had changed, so my mind's "goal" image also changed.

Looking at 2008

I’ve begun looking at 2008 and where I’d like to go artistically. I was going to save this post until later, but I've been in a funk and decided that I just wanted to get started on some of these new projects. So, there you go, I guess I'm ready for the new year (in some ways at least :-)!

Essentially, what I plan to do falls into four general categories: research, technique, just for me, and challenges.

Research – will continue as has been my pattern, looking at artists, aspects, and movements in art history. Most of this will be done in conjunction with Katherine Tyrrell and others. These will be two month projects. Topics include:

• composition - I've wanted to do this for a while.
  
• Japanese art (ukiyo-e) - to better understand the influence on many that we studied in 2007, as an aside maybe throwing in a little look at Franklin Booth (who did woodcut-looking pen and ink work).
  
• color - use of color in various approaches
  
• Degas - a favorite
  
• Turner - a favorite
  
• Rembrandt - perhaps my all-time favorite
  

Technique – this will be addressing areas where I’d like to improve my artwork, focusing on the figure and perspective. These areas should also help me improve my "drawing from memory" skills. I'd really like to capture more of what I can see in my mind on paper.

• Anatomy - I’ve realized that the figure is very important to me in art. People fascinate me and capturing that in artwork drives me like no other subject. So, I’ll be looking at various sections of the human anatomy, each for a month in duration.
  
• Perspective - The remaining months of the year, I plan to spend looking at perspective in landscapes, interiors, and exteriors.
  
• Recently I picked up Mendelowitz’s Guide to Drawing and I've begun working through that.
  

Just for me – in 2007, I had a goal of filling a sketchbook, just to be in the habit of sketching. Some of these sketches I posted, some I didn’t. Mostly, they were just for me. I had no goal with them other than to be putting pencil/pen to paper. I definitely need to have something regular where the result is unimportant. I can get very discouraged with my art not meeting my expectations so I need an activity without expectations. As drawing will be more result-oriented for me in 2008, I’d like painting to be where I can just play around and enjoy myself.

• 50 starts - For this I’m going to take an idea I recently came across on Drawing the Motmot (a blog and artist I really enjoy and admire). I’m going to try and do 50 “starts” over the year. Simply put, just begin 50 paintings. I may make them all still lifes, from life, but I need to see how the “composition” research goes to know if I can create successful still lifes. Whatever form it becomes, the goal will be to make 50 starts over the year, not necessarily finishes, perhaps an hour in duration - roughly one a week.
  

Challenges - pushing myself out of my comfort zone:

• art competitions - one or two in 2008. (This will involve me researching to find them and then producing something to enter.)
  
• website - I’d also like to expand my website. I recently put it up, but I’d like to work on it more.
  
• business - Finally, and this perhaps is more of a long-term goal, but I’d like to work more towards the business end of art. Whether that is seeking more portrait commissions, or creating a print gallery, or some other option, remains to be seen.

We'll see how the year progresses, but this is how it looks now.

The Technical Pen

I recently picked up a copy of The Technical Pen by Gary Simmons. I hesitated to get it because I already have Rendering in Pen and Ink by Arthur Guptill. But, as Simmons book is focused on radiograph/technical pens, as opposed to pens with nibs, I thought it might be worth it.

I haven't been disappointed. It's been a great read. In the beginning he goes through a couple of the big name pens. It should be noted that he is regularly employed by one of the makers. He refers to the "disposable" kind of pen, e.g. Micron, as a pen marker. Lately, I've been running through pens quickly, so if anyone else wants to weigh in on radiograph/technical pens and their preference, I'd love to hear it.

He has the standard section on different types of strokes, useful but not evolutionary. He has an interesting section where he does one drawing in 24 different ways. He spends the chapter talking about how the different strokes are successful, or unsuccessful and why. Throughout the book he comments on the tension in pen and ink work where the stroke choice can affect value and texture. Sometimes, you want texture, sometimes you don't. I found this ongoing theme very thought-provoking and stimulating.

His final three chapters are on sketching loosely, producing a "tight" (or careful, deliberate) work, and color and the pen. The first two of these sections are thorough - they have exercises and ideas on how to progress through a work. He has several good thoughts about sketching on the spot with the limitations of a pen. He also has a nice process laid out for producing very exact, detailed pen and ink work. The final section looks fascinating to me (I've only glanced through it). I haven't really considered using colored inks before, but with the illustrations included here, I may have to try that. He achieves some things that I didn't really think were possible.

In short, I'm thoroughly pleased with this book. It doesn't seem to be in print anymore, but should you run across a copy in a used bookstore and you're interested in pen and ink, I'd definitely recommend getting it.

If I had to rate it, I'd give it 4 pencils. (I'd like to say 5, but I think the audience for it is rather small.) It's not really for a beginner, I think you do need to be interested in pen and ink and have some experience. At times, I think it is written almost like an instruction manual. That appeals to me, but I don't think it appeals to most people. It's not a comprehensive treatise on creativity, or drawing. It's a thorough explanation of all the different ways to make marks with a technical pen and the effects that are achieved.

Above is a 30 min sketch exercise from a reference by kuntal on morguefile.com. Done with no outlining, approx. 6 in x 10 in.

Art as Passion

What makes your art a passion for you? Why, when you're tired do you pick up that brush? Why do you always find another art book to buy? Why do you buy sketchbooks?

For me, the answer is:

• Discipline - I constantly look to improve my own self-discipline, art is one expression of that for me.
• Practice - I like the routine of it, the habit of it.
• Comfort - It is a solace to me from myself and the world.
• Learning - I like to seek knowledge and understanding.
  
• Success - when I see myself improve, it is a great feeling.
• Gifting - when I can share my work with others, it is another great feeling.

Next week I hope to have a book review for you and some plans for December.

Some sketches of my boys watching tv - it's amazing to watch, they don't even sit still to watch, though they are totally engrossed. They constantly flip themselves around.

Thankfulness

We Americans celebrate Thanksgiving today, which is meant to be about being thankful for all that God has blessed us with as a nation. And for some, that still happens. But for many, it is done in very American fashion - with overeating, over-indulgence, and football. :-)

I am thankful for many things this year. But, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank my readers, some of you I know, some of you I don't. It's a great encouragement to me to know that someone reads my posts. And thanks to those of you who also comment! I appreciate your kind thoughts!

I played around with my Copic marker today in the park. The ends are interesting and capable of a great many different kinds of marks. The park was lovely, boys screaming and running in the background, and now they are all safely snug in their beds, fast asleep.

Art as Comfort

Recently I've really needed my art to come through for me - not in a financial way, more in an emotional way. I've needed my art to take my mind off the day, to relax from the challenge of taking care of three demanding little boys, to get me ready to face it all again tomorrow.

It made me realize that art has almost become this silent friend to me...one that takes me away on little holidays, challenges me, and recently has comforted me. Goodness, I'm sounding all crazy! I guess what I'm noticing is that art-making has an incredible power over my mood - not one that I noticed before. I'm happy when it goes well, I'm grumpy when it doesn't. And, as fed up as I have been recently with the awkward results that I've been achieving, it hasn't made me want to quit. In the past, I did want to quit, or let myself drift away. But, now, I can't really imagine that happening.

Tonight I was just having a play around this 40 min sketch, from a random photo I found on www.morguefile.com (it's not as gruesome as it sounds, it's just copyright-free references).

Art as Discipline

Ever thought of art as discipline? Seems to me there are several ways to think about it:

• daily painting - e.g. daily painters, the discipline of producing every day
  
• refined cross hatching - e.g in architectural work, this sort of work just exudes carefulness and thoughtfulness
  
• repeated series - e.g. Monet and the lilies, constantly returning to a subject to mine it's depths more, again the discipline to constantly press forward with a repeated theme

In the general public, artists are not considered a disciplined bunch. However, anyone picking up an art instruction book and glancing through it will read that success requires "practice, practice, practice." And anyone looking to make a business with art learns that they need to work hard on both the business and art ends of it.

Have you noticed art bringing discipline into your life? I certainly have. I was recently talking with someone wanting to find time around work and family life to write and publish research. I mentioned to them that I started the year trying to find 15 minutes a day (1.5 hours a week) to sketch with. As I began trying to do that, I found that I loved drawing to the point that I almost need to do it for at least 15 minutes a day. This created a drive in me to get all household chores done in the most efficient manner possible, so as to add to the sketching time. Now, my artwork gets more like 6-8 hours a week - almost without me noticing - because I wasn't focussed on just being disciplined, but rather on maximizing something I wanted (art time.)

Has art brought discipline to your life in some way?

Thanks to OzonaLori on WetCanvas for the reference "Mom at 85" from which the above quick sketch came from.

Art as Expression

Quick Sketch of Lighthouse, unfinished
thanks to terence p on WetCanvas for the reference

This week I plan to look at different aspects of art and art-making...how I see it, what I like about it, how it functions in my life. It won't be a comprehensive treatise, just a few thoughts.

First, I just wanted to look at "art as expression." There are times when art is chosen as a medium over words or photographic evidence. This is an interesting aspect to art.

Using art to express something better than in words or photographs:

Guernica by Picasso -

• what it did: made people understand quickly the depth of a tragedy
• why it works: how easy is it to stop reading an article or turn off the radio and tv? Guernica said everything in a single glance.
  

Pre-Reformation Roman Catholic Imagery -

• what it tried to do: teach their people everything they needed to know about God, the universe, and everything (this was back in the day when the Bible was only in Latin for academics, chained to the pulpit)
  
• what it says about art: this is not an approach I agree with, but nonetheless, a bold concept to explain religion by art alone - says something about the perceived power of art

Rembrandt's Sketches of Saskia's deathbed (here's one) -

• what it did: (only guesses here) helped him sit through those hours, helped him work through his emotions, helped him grieve, enabled him to honor her in her last hours
• what it does for others: conveyed a mood that Rembrandt couldn't put into words - no one would be interested in the reading a rambling diary of a grieving husband, but how interesting are the sketches?
  

These examples leaped to my own mind, perhaps others popped into your mind. It's interesting to think about why art was chosen for expression in certain instances - and why it was effective in certain instances. And by way of application, do have any examples in your own portfolio where you "spoke" with your art something that was best conveyed that way? I don't just mean, did you express something in your piece, but rather did your artwork communicate something that another medium couldn't have done?

And with all that seriousness, let's end on a funny note. According to this site, this blog is written on a "genius" level - I suppose as with all modern standards, the standard for genius is falling! :-)

More Chocolate?

Here's another go at the new technique with a different subject. It's not finished, but I think enough is enough on this study.

I've been eating alot of chocolate this week, so somehow the reference just jumped out at me. :-) Thanks to Ban Sidhe on WetCanvas! for the photo.

Casting Off

Well, I've written this post three times tonight, and ditched all three ideas!

So, suffice to say, here's a second effort on the new technique. And just to say, this is a teen fishing, you know, one of those odd sorts who wears their shorts far too big and far too low! :D

Thanks to TerenceP on WetCanvas for the reference image.

Change of Plans, Change of Pace

Study in Red, 6 in x 8 in colored pencil on paper

I had mentioned last week that I would be taking a break from blogging due to a family visit. Sadly, plans have had to change. I have a seriously ill family member and his needs must be seen to. The patient is the oil painter in the family. It's been many years since he has painted, but he is an incredibly talented painter and portraitist. It's due to him that I now own several American Artist magazines from the 1960s - they predate me!

So, this evening, without guests or hubby who is at a conference, I took advantage of the quiet and had a play around with CPs. I have been a little frustrated with CPs lately - actually more than a little frustrated. Tonight I just went for broke and tried to flesh out what's been in my mind for a while. It's a different handling of the medium for me - one I think I am much happier with. I used a hatching technique with the goal of being sketchy up close, more polished looking from farther away.

Color Dimensions and CPs

The information in this post comes from a great book, The Colored Pencil by Bet Borgeson. Basically, this post contains my notes on chapter four, "Mixing Colors". I'm sure that I've read this information in other sources, but this was the first time I had seen it presented in such a useful way. In fact, I know it will be useful and that's why I've posted it - as much for my future reference as for yours! :-)

There are three "dimensions" to color: hue, value, and intensity. Hue is just the name of the color, say blue. Value is the lightness and darkness of the color - white with a drop of blue on one end, and as close to black as you can achieve while still being blue on the other end. Intensity "describes the purity of a color in terms of its brightness or dullness." On one end of the intensity scale you would have "vivid" blue, on the other "dull or unaggressive" blue.

Here are Bet's suggestions for changing these dimensions with CPs:
To Change Hue:

• Layering two or more pencils
• Optical mixing - joining two or more pencils by placing them side by side

To Change Value:

• Change pencil pressure
• Overlay with white or black - overlaying a light valued pencil with white will not be very effective, overlaying with black can be deadening
• Overlay with lighter or darker color
  

To Lose Intensity:

• Overlay with neutral gray - won't change hue, will only slightly change value, but will produce "loss of color"
• Overlay with black - suitable for dark colors
• Overlay with complement
• Thoroughly combining with two adjacent colors on color wheel

To Increase Intensity:

• Loosely combining with two adjacent colors on color wheel
• Increase pencil pressure
• Overlay with white, then overlay with original color again
• Using a solvent - most dramatic changes in intensity come with solvent

Above you see my efforts to understand exactly what she means. I've never really understood intensity...I thought this might help, not really sure that it did, but knowing I don't know is at least knowing something :-).

Paying it Forward

Last night I came by an offer that I couldn't refuse. Jeanette Jobson is offering a piece of art to the first three commentators who respond. In response, they agree to give away three somethings, publicly on their blogs. The idea is to "pay it forward" or give something without receiving anything back - because we all have received non reciprocated gifts. I love Jeanette's work and I just couldn't pass by an opportunity to have some of it.

So, I am offering the first three responders who leave a comment their choice of one of the following:

• graphite portrait of an individual, 9 in x 12 in on Bristol board, based on a reasonable photo (reasonable meaning, if it's too blurry and I don't know you, I doubt it will be all that successful)
• colored pencil or pen and ink work based on a subject you suggest and I agree to
• or if you have no preference, something of my choice
  

I will aim to get you your piece as soon as possible, but as it is a busy season, I'll say by the end of January 2008. In return, you must give away three somethings.

Finally, Karin Jurick has produced another video, this time on YouTube. You actually see her paint this time - a fascinating, worthwhile ten minutes. When I first saw her art, I thought to myself "I'd like to do just that, with CPs." She's one of those artists that can create magic on canvas out of seemingly any moment. Watch her work her magic here.

Gone Quiet

Things have gone quiet here around this blog this week. Sorry about that. The events of the week and life have just gotten the better of me.

I hope to make one more post and then I'll be having a little hiatus as my parents are coming in for a visit. So, I'm hoping for a post on Monday, hopefully a few scattered about, and then we'll be back to full service at the end of November.

Thanks for your patience!

Love of Drawing

This past weekend I picked up Complete Life Drawing Course by Diana Constance at the library. I'm not all that far into it, but I've had a good evening of drawing from exercises in it. These images are some contour portraits and straight-line-only drawings I did based on her exercises.


Here's what I've picked up so far:

Balancing the Figure (a set of steps to follow)

• use a balance point - essentially figuring out where the weight of the person is. On a front view, this is usually at the base of the neck and hangs down from there as a plumb line. On a side view, mark your point at the middle of the ear, extend down.
• mark the weight bearing foot - (feet, or arms, etc)
• place the body - the head, then curve of spine from neck to hips, simple space for rib cage, weight-bearing leg (nb. hip will be raised), other leg, then shoulders and arms (nb. shoulder on weight-bearing side will be dropped.)

Contour Drawings - a useful way to improve your observation skills

Drawings made with only straight lines - these come out a little strange, as the body is made of curves, but there is something intriguing about this exercise nonetheless. Normally, when I draw my mind is always thinking of flat planes constantly tilting to create an edge, I think this exercise allowed me to flesh that out, and so I enjoyed it.

WIP and Found Art

This is a WIP portrait of number three :-). The expression on his face is a little unusual, unless you know him. This little boy never stays still, doesn't walk unless told to not run, and hardly ever stops talking. So, I tried to capture some of that "bubbling/bursting" part of his personality here, as he is about to erupt into speech. He knew I was taking pictures of him, so he tried to smile sweetly for a second, but could hardly stop talking to do so.


Here's a little "found art" that I came across...my sons decided to decorate the windows on the back of the house! Part of me was annoyed that the sidewalk chalk is just being ground up and smeared all over the patio, another part of me was impressed at the artistic innovation!

Napping...

Friday afternoon I got a quick chance to sketch a sleeping son (and his greatest treasure to date, his blankie. :-)

I did this with colored pencil in a new Canson sketchbook. I grabbed the colored pencil because my pens were all malfunctioning (note to self: find a pen sale.) I realized that I ought to be using colored pencil to sketch more and not just attempting more polished works with it. I think using them to sketch with would help train me! :-)

Off to a busy day...

Final on the Portrait

I think I'm done with this portrait of my middle son. Click on the image to see it larger. One down, two to go.

Next week is shaping up to look like: an Illustration Friday entry, portrait of another son, copy of a Monet work...we'll see!

Have a good weekend! Remember to take your sketchbook with you wherever you go. :-)

Clutter Progress

This is a WIP portrait of my middle son. I'm hoping to do a series of all three sons, merge them into one image and mail that out as the Christmas photo this year. We'll see if that idea flies with everyone and whether it all gets done.

I decided to just do this as it naturally flowed, rather than consciously deciding my process and technique. Interestingly, it all developed as a whole - of course, I've been trying to force myself to work that way with CPs lately, here it just felt more natural. I'm not sure if that's the result of having enough practice working that way, or my mood, or just what. Also, I decided to let my mark-making technique be natural as opposed to trying out something. I suddenly realized while I was making my scribbles that they were incredibly light, slowly built up, and felt very natural. This made me think that I ought to give myself the same freedom in CPs, rather than trying to make marks like I've read about or seen. All in all, good fun.

Tuesday I gave myself a little housekeeping pep talk. Here are the results on the field:

• Cleaned out two kitchen cupboards - so the daily medicines are no longer buried, we can find the bag closures, the pens and pencils are all in one spot with paper next to them (that little center is even near the phone! :-)
  
• Took a pile of clothes to Goodwill
• Upgraded clothes storage from cardboard boxes to plastic boxes in one cupboard
• Got the kitchen counter tops cleaned off and looking empty (that's my preference)
• Did a major dust and vacuum - it's been quite a while!