To begin my drawing project I have been doing a series of ‘blind’ drawings – as in not looking at the paper at all whilst completing the drawing, concentrating totally on the subject.
Before I started these drawings I was flicking though ‘Experimental drawing’ by Robert Kaupelis, looking at some of the suggestions, but nothing really grabbed me, until I came across a sentence stating that,
‘…I am suggesting to you is that your first 20 or 30 hours of contour drawing is to be done completely blind.’ (Kaupelis)
This I took as a challenge!
So far I have completed 17 hours of these drawings, some of which are interesting to say the least. It will be interesting to see what they look like by the end of the 30 hours!
I have found that on some (probably many, if I’m honest) of these drawings I am quite lazy. The idea is to make slow drawings, ‘look at your subject, one line or form at a time, and force yourself to believe that your pencil is touching the form you’re attempting to draw’. I definitely know that I don’t do this sometimes. The other thing I notice is the way I hold my pencil some times, which is definitely not good, gripping it to hard, like writing with a Biro in a way that I don’t have much control over the pressure applied.
So at least so for I have learnt somethings!
Even though I loathe to put them up, here is a selection of the drawings I have made…….
I have found this week rather interesting, you see I have made a few changes in my life recently, I left my part time job (where I had worked for 11 years!) and this has been replaced with more hours life modelling (at the college where I used to study) and freeing up more time to get on with my art work. So I suppose I’ve been adjusting a bit in the last couple of weeks, but what I have found interesting is listening in to the drawing classes. The classes I sit for are mostly first years (degree level), so it is quite fitting with my project at the moment, as I am revisiting the beginning of drawing, and this is what is being taught. I am finding it very useful as even though I can remember the basics of these lessons, they were 4 years ago! It is almost like I am getting a second change to partake in these (probably) most important lessons from the degree.
It has all left my head swimming with ideas…….
Well I actually started to do some drawing!!!!!!!
OK they didn’t go particularly well but that’s not the point, the point is I’ve got past the blockage and started some new work. I did some drawings of some old glass bottles, but they just weren’t working out, but I think it has a lot to do with the subject matter. Even though I love the bottles, they’re just not really a ‘me’ subject when it comes to my work. I originally started to draw some marbles (and I still do want to work with this subject matter), but they are just two simple to work with for the minute. To really delve into, and expand my drawing practice I need to work with something a bit more complex to draw, and off course something that keeps me interested, something I can really get my teeth into. So I think for know I’m going to use my beloved Doc Martens, and you never know, I may even have some work to put up soon…….
So far I haven’t written anything else for my drawing project, mostly because I haven’t done anything yet! I initially had ideas I suppose about this wonderfully flowing blog that would show my every step of this project. But still I haven’t actually started any drawing! I have a list of things, that, in my head I must do before I start the project, and the problem is this list just seems to keep growing.
It’s not all bad though, I have now actually got decent pictures of my work, I have an online presence and I’ve applied for things that I have been meaning to for over a year now and all of this has lead to some positive stuff.
I have in some ways started the project, I have done some research, found some inspirational images, read up on different drawing practices and ideas and so on and so on! But let’s face it I’ve just been procrastinating, and have been for over a year now. But as deadline loom nearer it’s time to get on with it!
As for my blog, I need to get rid of the idea of this perfectly flowing form, like a story and start to learn to think aloud, as this is what will be most beneficial to me right now.
So here’s hopping …..
So it is over a year now since I graduated. I’ve done a bit of this and a bit of that, mostly trying to figure out what to do now! So after lots of trial and error, and ending up down a few to many dead ends, my head seems somewhat clearer about my way forward. So here I am, going right back to the beginning!
My Project:
Learning to draw again and challenging the idea of what constitutes a drawing.
I want to explore the importance of drawing, not just for the sake drawing but for all art practices. I want people to broaden their views to the meaning of ‘drawing’ and of what a drawing can be.
What set me onto the path of ‘learning to draw’ (again) was realizing I hadn’t actually drawn anything for a long time, even in my last year of university, so when I came to actually make some drawings they left a lot to be desired.
At first I will be using traditional drawing materials such as pencil and charcoal, possibly trying pen, I will then move into using other materials such as paint, digital and 3D to explore further what a drawing is.
To begin with I expect the process will be quite methodical, using pencil to create drawings in quite technical and accurate ways, for example measured drawings, working from photographs etc.
I will then move onto working with charcoal and hopefully the drawings will become looser and more expressive.
