"I never concern myself with how much talent my students have. I couldn't say to anyone in the beginning, 'You have no talent.' I believe that nature is lavish with talent just as it is with acorns--but not all acorns become oaks. Talent is something that develops, or appears, as you work. The fact that you gravitate toward an art school--the very fact that you have opened this book--indicates that you have at least a hankering for art. What is required is the necessary effort."
"If you really want to learn to draw, you must be willing to build the underpinning. I have had students whose imagination far exceeded what might be called their student qualities, their capacity for sustained and detailed study. They want to run before they can walk. [...] I have had other students who seemed to be more interested in 'being artists' than in drawing. [...] Such students are likely to be found, not sitting in front of the model, but sitting over a cup of coffee in a neighboring café, talking about art. The student who really learns to draw will be the one who draws."
Hello, again.
I had intended to put here three modeled drawings done in water color: one, Debbie Ong; two, my buddy Ville holding his daughter Saara; and three, a portrait of my beautiful friend Swei.
But circumstances change. My interests shifted for several months. Then I moved to Gainesville, Florida, very recently. Desiring a fresh start completely, I backed up all my desirable files and formatted my hard drive, reinstalling Windows XP and stepping fresh into Ubuntu Studio. Deciding last night to pick back up the study of drawing, realizing the necessity of keeping my hands busy after a morbid bout of self indulgence, I began again, this morning, where I left off. However, things did not go as planned. Upon loading the DVD with all my pictures on it, I came to realize that 98% of them were corrupted and, therefore, as good as gone. Ashes to ashes. While the realization was a little sad, it was also liberating. I am to make a completely new start here, memories being what they are, memories. Praise the Lord for freshness. Praise the Lord for mercy and grace.
And so I move forward.
Praise the Lord.
20110720
20110309
Schedule 10A
We continue the long studies with water color
I enjoy painting with water color. I don't know why I try to distract myself from using it, because every time I do use it, I enjoy it. Something about it is so...sloppy; and the sloppy part is what makes it enjoyable. Something about dabbing and flicking the brush... I kind of throw precision to the wind with it--and yet manage to obtain a better feel with it.
The modeled drawing in water color. Nothing new. I've decided to post both the grayscale and color images of the water colors. I find pleasure in using whatever colors suit my fancy to describe depth. This babe is purple. I'm not sure what her name is; I found her among the pictures of Michelle Khor's Facebook account.
And the four-hour modeled drawing in water color. Only one hour so far. Actually, less than thirty minutes. Thirty minutes is pretty much tops for me for in any particular artistical sitting at this time in my life. The beautiful Debbie (actually, I felt like saying Deborah, but I don't know if that's actually her name) Ong has again claimed my fascination. Looks like we're in it for the long haul this time, Deb. Blue's a good color on you.
I enjoy painting with water color. I don't know why I try to distract myself from using it, because every time I do use it, I enjoy it. Something about it is so...sloppy; and the sloppy part is what makes it enjoyable. Something about dabbing and flicking the brush... I kind of throw precision to the wind with it--and yet manage to obtain a better feel with it.
The modeled drawing in water color. Nothing new. I've decided to post both the grayscale and color images of the water colors. I find pleasure in using whatever colors suit my fancy to describe depth. This babe is purple. I'm not sure what her name is; I found her among the pictures of Michelle Khor's Facebook account.
And the four-hour modeled drawing in water color. Only one hour so far. Actually, less than thirty minutes. Thirty minutes is pretty much tops for me for in any particular artistical sitting at this time in my life. The beautiful Debbie (actually, I felt like saying Deborah, but I don't know if that's actually her name) Ong has again claimed my fascination. Looks like we're in it for the long haul this time, Deb. Blue's a good color on you.
20110223
Schedule 9E
Have I ever told you that pen wasn't my favorite medium?
Trying to get back into drawing. "Trying?" I hear you ask? Yeah. My life has been a tapestry of intermittent passions. For these past several weeks it's been Algebra and Chess, but I believe thread's running out on these for the moment. I'd like to restring it with some art--at least enough to finish off this book. I already have three books stacked on my desk waiting to be read, with several more on my shelf waiting. Eh.
Exercise 25: Back to the Model
Sit with your back to the model during a half-hour pose. Look around at the model as much as you want to and draw just as usual, but don't move your chair. You will find it such a strain to turn around that you will look at the model as seldom as possible, and when you look you will really look.
I really don't know if I'd have done any better not craning my neck around for every peek. Not quite the spitting image of this exquisite girl, but I did spend more than the thirty minutes allotted me--which obviously wasn't hard to do.
"That doesn't look at all like me," says Swei. Nope, no it doesn't, Swei. But I was looking at a picture of you while I was drawing it, letting my eyes rub all up and down it. "So why did you only draw half of it?" she askes. Less than that, even. Mostly because the other side got wrong real quick, so I decided to focus my efforts on the better part for the time that I had. Oh, and "asks" doesn't have an 'e' in it.
Actually, I think I'm going to start naming all these people. Whether they take offense at my learning or not is up to them. That I didn't ask any permission or even give a head's up is besides the point. The first model was Debbie Ong, the second Suet Wei. Yes, Swei, I finally did one of you. I'm not satisfied with it, though; so it probably won't be the last. Rar.
Ever look at a word really long, knowing full well that something was wrong with it, but just not coming to the conclusion of what specifically? "Obviosly" was my word, today.
Trying to get back into drawing. "Trying?" I hear you ask? Yeah. My life has been a tapestry of intermittent passions. For these past several weeks it's been Algebra and Chess, but I believe thread's running out on these for the moment. I'd like to restring it with some art--at least enough to finish off this book. I already have three books stacked on my desk waiting to be read, with several more on my shelf waiting. Eh.
Exercise 25: Back to the Model
Sit with your back to the model during a half-hour pose. Look around at the model as much as you want to and draw just as usual, but don't move your chair. You will find it such a strain to turn around that you will look at the model as seldom as possible, and when you look you will really look.
I really don't know if I'd have done any better not craning my neck around for every peek. Not quite the spitting image of this exquisite girl, but I did spend more than the thirty minutes allotted me--which obviously wasn't hard to do.
"That doesn't look at all like me," says Swei. Nope, no it doesn't, Swei. But I was looking at a picture of you while I was drawing it, letting my eyes rub all up and down it. "So why did you only draw half of it?" she askes. Less than that, even. Mostly because the other side got wrong real quick, so I decided to focus my efforts on the better part for the time that I had. Oh, and "asks" doesn't have an 'e' in it.
Actually, I think I'm going to start naming all these people. Whether they take offense at my learning or not is up to them. That I didn't ask any permission or even give a head's up is besides the point. The first model was Debbie Ong, the second Suet Wei. Yes, Swei, I finally did one of you. I'm not satisfied with it, though; so it probably won't be the last. Rar.
Ever look at a word really long, knowing full well that something was wrong with it, but just not coming to the conclusion of what specifically? "Obviosly" was my word, today.
20110112
Schedule 9D
Ten minute form studies. This is the exercise that I most consistently fulfill the allotted time for. The second one was my best but my sister said that she couldn't tell what it was. I didn't tell her either.
And the fourth girl. I wasn't finished. However, I ran out of ink. Yes, I had other pens, but I didn't have any more purple pens--the color that I had been using--and I didn't want to end with another color.
20110108
Schedule 9C
I just read the definition of "dilettante".
I read it again to my sister and she thought it was hilarious.
Quick contours. Way to sneak up on me like that. Haven't done these in a while (always amuses me, though). So, I decided to postpone the rest of the exercise, take a shower, work on some more gestures ala joshua-ultra-quick-contour, and give it another shot.
Changed my marker, too. Can't say either way whether the pause helped. The first one was kind of creepy and reminded me of an alien or something. Man these things crack me up.
I see that the girls, for whatever reason, tend to get darker with each hour. The third girl didn't make it on the picture--the fourth one definitely won't--but I'll try to put in as much of her as I can, though. Maybe try to equalize the modeling. Maybe. The dimensions are already out of whack. But hey, whatever.
I read it again to my sister and she thought it was hilarious.
Quick contours. Way to sneak up on me like that. Haven't done these in a while (always amuses me, though). So, I decided to postpone the rest of the exercise, take a shower, work on some more gestures ala joshua-ultra-quick-contour, and give it another shot.
Changed my marker, too. Can't say either way whether the pause helped. The first one was kind of creepy and reminded me of an alien or something. Man these things crack me up.
I see that the girls, for whatever reason, tend to get darker with each hour. The third girl didn't make it on the picture--the fourth one definitely won't--but I'll try to put in as much of her as I can, though. Maybe try to equalize the modeling. Maybe. The dimensions are already out of whack. But hey, whatever.
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