Ok so, I’ve been a little sick of drawing portraits. Maybe cause they’re not getting any better, maybe cause I don’t see much change and I am bored. Maybe it’s completely unrelated and I need to change direction. Not sure. Either way. I did these two:
then I decided it was enough. I tried a 3/4 one from Tam’s lessons and a portrait one. One has a too small a nose and lips and the other, too big.
and then I decided March was going to be sketching month. I have been taking Alisa’s class and I really want to develop a sketch practice. Even if I suck. I want to at least try. So I took a good 75 of my favorite photos and I am trying to sketch one every day. Some days it’s black and white and other days it’s color. Depends on my mood. Right now, I suck at both and they both take too much time. But I am trying.
I’ve done a few in February, here’s what I have so far.
this one was mostly improvised.
i love the butterflies.
this is a photo I took in San Diego a long time ago.
I then did a color version:
then I decided I should stick to mechanical pencil:
I rushed this one:
and then today I went back to color but this took way way too long and I don’t even like it.
so there we are. i will experiment. Some days I will do portraits. some days other things. Some days it will be pencil and other days watercolor. Let’s see if I can find my way. So I will post these on Thursdays just like I was doing for the portraits for now and then we’ll figure it out as we go along.
After I scheduled this post, I saw Julie’s post on Wednesday and she inspired me yet again. And I love this article she linked to as well. Julie is often so very inspiring to me and this post was no exception. And I loved this bit from Ebert’s article:
It seems to me Annette said something like this: Begin with a proper sketch book. Draw in ink. Finish each drawing you begin, and keep every drawing you finish. No erasing, no ripping out a page, no covering a page with angry scribbles. What you draw is an invaluable and unique representation of how you saw at that moment in that place according to your abilities. That’s all we want. We already know what a dog really looks like.
something I will have to keep in mind.
Six Portraits a Week is a weekly project for 2011. You can read more about it here.
Julie is right. Take a class–in person. I really never thought I could never draw, only drew stick figures. I started lessons Jan31st this year. I am so excited. See my first drawing here–http://yanlowson.blogspot.com/2011/02/i-am-artist.html I am learning facial parts now. Soon a full face!
Karen, I so enjoy…
…that you share your successes and (in your opinion) non-successes.
…your willingness to keep trying.
…the links to others who inspire you.
…your wry humor.
…the joy you take in other people, especially your three guys.
I do like that profusion of flowers, btw, and the colors you used!
Wisdom from Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain: turn your subject photo upside-down. I sometimes flip photos over for my photo students when we discuss composition. It helps confound the naming part of the brain and lets one observe the organization of line, shadow, proportion more easily.
I think your photo sketches are remarkable, especially for someone just starting a practice.
AT
I loved seeing these sketches and laughed at you thinking some weren’t not good. Oh believe me you have some talent here girl. These are pretty good for just starting and doing some practicing. My own sketches don’t even compare to this. I love the birdhouse one and the last one is so pretty. How fun to draw a parking meter too. Keep posting these because I enjoy looking at them. I love how honest you are about your feelings on these too.
I’m new to your blog and have really enjoyed your artwork! As a fellow artist, I think the hardest thing to do is to not be so critical of oneself. I thought this last drawing/painting you did was so pretty and yet you didn’t like it. The colors you used are perfect! I took a watercolor class last summer at the local college and the teacher said the best way to get better at sketching and painting is to practice, practice, practice. I never thought I could draw and here I was doing some really impressive work! You have done a wonderful job on everything, yes including the faces, so just keep at it and everything will eventually come together the way you want. Think positive! 🙂