Monday, October 13, 2008

Big Draw Day 13

Micron Pen. Onions again. Drawn with right hand. I wanted to do a four part drawing experiment outlined by C.S. Siegel in her book The Spirit of Drawing. The first drawing is a ten minute sketch eyes open.

Charcoal. The second drawing is an eyes closed "sensing" drawing trying to get the movement and flow of the object.

The third drawing is eyes open.


The fourth is a second try at eyes open. Amazingly I like my 4th drawing best. Did doing this sensing bit help me feel out the shapes?? So far, I have kept up my interest in doing a drawing a day. Maybe using the suggestions in the book helps. Not sure. Doing the drawings seems meditative and peaceful. A little pressure today to try to follow Siegel's directions. But not much. How is the big draw going for you all?

15 comments:

Cris, Artist in Oregon said...

Yes I like your fourth drawing best too. Maybe it imprinted it on your mind better doing the before ones.
I know if I draw out something, later on I can actually see it in my mind and draw it out again. Now that amazes me.
I am so enjoying the drawing a day. I am finding it a challange to find something interesting to ME to take the time to draw and color it. It's fun. I find just drawing something to draw it tho is boring to me and I cant get into it.

Cris, Artist in Oregon said...

PS. I post dated my blog to post after two am. We are three hours behind you in time and 8 hours from Paris. so I am the last on the totem pole so to speak so to keep up I set it to come on while I am sleeping. there is an option place you can push and set the time.

Lynn Cohen said...

I'm enjoying watching you learn these techniques and am challenged to try some too as a result.

I like the Big Draw as it seems to draw something new out of me. But finding the time is not easy when I want to spend it at the sewing machine and cutting board...or organizing my fabric stash as I did yesterday...but, but, but, a good thing and am glad I am making time to do it.

~Babs said...

That header is truly God's paintbrush at work!
You have a large talent for photography,Suki.

Don't you love charcoal? I forget to get mine out,,,,,maybe this afternoon I will have time to try some non dominant charcoal drawing, just for fun.
Thanks!

sukipoet said...

Cris, I wondered if you were doing that. I do that sometimes too--post-date the post.

Lynn it is sometimes hard to find the time. Right now for me, it seems the easiest of my tasks of the day so I'm still enjoying it.

Babs, I love charcoal. This is a soft charcoal which I esp love but i have harder sticks and also pencils.

thanks for acknowledging my photography acumen. Well, I never really thought about it that way. My Dad used to take photos too and develop them too. So maybe I inherited something or other. all my photos are digital though and lost to the wind.

~Babs said...

Hey Suki,
just one tip you may already know about. If you're near a Walmart, Walgreens, etc. and if you have a special photo that you want printed to keep, you can just upload to their website and for 12 cents get a beautiful print. Order online, (easy) and pick up in the store, or they will mail it for a fee.I have a printer, but it doesn't do a really good job, so all of my Grandson's pics I've had printed this way.

Blue Sky Dreaming said...

Suki, Wonderful to see your drawing process in these four today. I like the last one best because I think you captured the papery quality of the skin and at the same time the solid weight of the bulb...garlic never looked so good! Your photos of fall color are so so beautiful...you live in a fall wonderland.
Nice pin and vase too!
Mary Ann

sixty-five said...

Very nice! I think I might have to try this technique.

San said...

I find this all very interesting, Suki. I saw that Kim is working with this practice too. I am very tempted. As I told Kim, I have tried writing with the non-dominant hand, also patching one eye, then the other. It really gives me a sense of two very different ways of perceiving.

Another interesting thing to do is to try eating blindfolded. It opens you to a deeper sensory awareness of the food.

sukipoet said...

Babs, thank you for the tip. I am not very practical in some matters. I had no idea about uploading photos from home. We do have both, Walgreens being closer so I will try this.!!

Thanks for your reflections on my drawings Blue Sky Dreaming. I always wonder how others see them. These were all quick drawings.

sixty-five are you still taking pastel or other art classes?

San, I have never eaten with my eyes closed. Have to try that. Nor drawn with one eye covered. So many ways to deepen our perceptions of the world around us. Thank you.

Mary Richmond said...

i love these drawings! i especially like the last one. i'm sure the sensing exercise has helped feel out the shape and essence--great exercise! i'm having a blast with the big draw myself!

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Suki,

As you know I am not doing the Big Draw deal, but I am sure enjoying watching everyone else do it. Those kinds of pressures just close me down, but at least I know that about myself. I love these drawings so much. You and Andrea have opened up a whole new can of worms for me. I have done a lot of the non-dominant hand work in the past, but never has it had as great an impression on me as it has this time.

And look at what you are doing with this concept. Suki, you are becoming ambidextrous! I keep wondering if constant work with the non-dominant hand will one create a stronger hand and two have a positive effect on my dominant hand. I am quite sure you are beginning to answer some of these questions.

Thanks So Much, Suki!

sukipoet said...

thanks Mary. I am finding that sensing exercise very valuable on a subjective level. I need to come look through the rest of your BD postings. Guess I should flick on your flikr site and see them all at once

Kim, I am thinking the work with non-dominant hand may exercise the brain in a different way too, perhaps opening pathways that have previously been closed. You know at one time, teachers of children FORCED left handers to write with their right hand. Horrible. I dont know that they became ambidextrous, but I'd think they'd become confused. But intentionally using the other hand, choosing to do it, that seems valuaable to me. Luckily, I went through school after teachers dropped that unhelpful tendancy.!! PS I usually dont do well with pressure either but for some reason have fun doing this big draw.

Anonymous said...

(clapping hands) The 4th one reflects your learning experiences from the first three.

sukipoet said...

thanks Chewy.