Square one
Posted: September 2, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized 20 CommentsToday on my between classes break I sat on a bench outside my school, hoping to find some unsuspecting student to draw. (Unsuspecting is always better because most students walk away if they realize they are being drawn.) By the time I got out my pencil and sketchbook and looked up, I realized someone was drawing me. He saw that I was also drawing and we gave each other a nod of acknowledgement. Eventually he came over and we compared sketchbooks. Aaron (in the drawing at top) is a Communications student at my school and he was practicing quick gesture drawing, timing himself at 30-second intervals with his phone. It was great to compare notes, and have a chat about our Urban Sketchers group, which he hopes to join. When it was time for him to get back to class I continued to draw.
Why is it that drawing people never gets any easier? Every time I have a long break from figure drawing, it feels as if this is the first person I have ever drawn. Today it did get a bit easier the more I practiced (if you go from the first to the third drawing you can see that the lines are smoother and more confident) but boy does that figure drawing hand (or it is the eyes?) get rusty.
I like these sketches ! Very expressive.
Thanks so much.
Sure doesn’t look rusty to me! They’re great little sketches.
Thanks Tracey!
Shari,
It is so nice to see these process drawings. People are my nemesis. That just means I have to start drawing them more. Like exercises!
It is always such a challenge to do these but at the same time there is such pleasure in getting one line right. Makes me want to go out and do some life-drawing classes too.
It encourages me that you have the same problem with picking up that pencil and drawing people!
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Go for it Chris. Get out there and draw some people.
Lovely sketches!
Thanks!
Shari, I think ‘rusty” is how you feel, they look great to me. But I understand it as I have the same feeling when I draw buildings and other architectural structures….
We all have our nemeses I suppose Beste, and I keep trying to deal with this one. Good luck with those buildings.
Rusty is exactly what happens. But I will take some responsibility here…I take a long break from commenting (well, nagging actually, about drawing people) and what happens? You take a long break too. OK, your break is over… time to do get out of your comfort zone and do more people sketches.
Ok, I’m glad it’s not my fault then. This is directly tied into your absence. Great to hear from you again Ross!
OK. Now that we have apportioned the blame to your satisfaction, it is time for you to draw some more people… and the paper doll cutout in today’s sketch doesn’t count. : )
Back in full force I see!
They do sit still when they are on their phones, eh?
They do. Such easy targets!
I’m glad that you said that about feeling like it’s for the first time every time you start to draw these people sketches. Somehow art always feels a little too “new” for me too. I suppose if it got too familiar, I’d be bored.
That is so true Les. Every day is a new struggle and I guess that’s why we keep doing it.