Saturday, October 11, 2008

Big Draw Day 11

Charcoal, soft. Eyes open? Right hand.
Doodle with right hand. Micron Pen and colored pencils.
charcoal, soft. Eyes open, right hand.

Pen. Eyes closed, right hand. It is very humbling to draw with my non-dominant hand. I find these results boring. Not boring to do exactly, but to look at. But there you go. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

12 comments:

Teri said...

They might not look like much but they are so interesting!

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Suki!

I love these a lot. I think it is so cool how these drawings look like landscapes. Was that in your mind or was it something which just happened.

I agree with you about this being a humbling experience, but it also reminds us to return to what comes naturally. What does your brain do with things when it feels out of control?

We have done workshops with non-design professionals where we have them work with their non-dominant hand so they can just touch on trying to understand what it might be like to struggle with a task which usually comes naturally...usually when we work in pediatric and geriatric health care. It is amazing how more empathy comes from these exercises.

I love these a lot and can imagine them as works unto themselves as well as starting off places for paintings. You and Andrea have me revisiting this experience and I am very, very close to committing to daily non-dominant hand sketches.

I hope your day is excellent!

Cris, Artist in Oregon said...

These are interesting actually. I love the colors you put in.
they do kind of look like landscapes. How the hand doing? hope it is getting better.

Lynn Cohen said...

What fun you are having....what are you learning by doing this? What awarenesses are you making, kenetically?

marianne said...

I love the third one! I feel I'm drawn to a cave!
Have a nice weekend Suki!

Anonymous said...

I like the one with the pink, looks like a creature of some sort :-). Happy weekend Suki.

Katiejane said...

You need to turn them into something with watercolors the way Andrea in Paris does. I can't imagine trying to make something right handed.

Anonymous said...

I really must try this!

Mim said...

I like the third one also. What is interesting to me is how you are continuing with this excercise - your persistance is great. I have enought trouble with my regular hand, probably would cry if I tried my left hand....but you inspire Suki - we'll see!

sukipoet said...

Thanks, Teri.

KIm, I probably did have nature/landscape in mind. I had read the chapter about drawing the 4 elements so that may have influenced me. Hmmm, not sure I can answer the questions as to what my brain does with things when it feels out of control. Probably tries to find some calm through either reading or painting. Bringing things under some sort of pattern.

that's so interesting about the workshops. I didnt know you did that kind of thing in design! Sounds wonderful.

That is so cool Kim, that you may do some daily non-dominant hand work. Who knows what might arise from such experiments. That's what keeps me doing them. I just assume something valuable is there for me, although at this point I couldnt say what.

sukipoet said...

Cris thanks. The hand is okay as long as I dont type too long. That action seems to make it act up again although the bruising and swelling is gone.

Lynn, I think I am mostly learning to be humbled by my awkwardness in an area that I tend to do without much thought. IE naturally. This happened in a recent yoga class to where I felt totally humbled as I couldnt follow her directions not to mention this was a harder yoga class and I couldnt do some of the poses. And I think I'm such a hot shot yoga person. Hmmph.

Thanks, Marianne.

sukipoet said...

annie, it looked like that to me too.

Katie Jane, if i used watercolors I will be humbled even more as I am not good at watercolors. I should practice with them every day too.

thanks for stopping by difference a year makes.

Mim, I would say one of my consistent qualities is persistence. It is something you definitely need in order to write a longer work (300 plus pages) but I seem to have it in various areas of my life. I did not always have this I dont think. But I have learned through experience that when I try something I cant seem to do a number of times (from 3 on upward) eventually it works. Or it doesnt work and i move on.

I just heard someone on the radio say something similar about reading a book. Beginning a book that is. She says for your first dip into it, spend at least 45 minutes even if in the first 5 minutes you think you dont like it. IE give the book/narrator a chance to draw you in which may take more that a few pages. Interesting.