tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68117314997596447802024-03-13T06:48:58.027-07:00Pen, Pencil, Paper—Draw!Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-36912337459704864562013-04-25T12:19:00.000-07:002013-04-25T12:19:04.641-07:00More treesJeff sent a drawing he did of trees.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Eb07_JsH2es/UXl9mSEYFpI/AAAAAAAANRY/LWB0rjOG7_s/s1600/jefftrees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Eb07_JsH2es/UXl9mSEYFpI/AAAAAAAANRY/LWB0rjOG7_s/s1600/jefftrees.jpg" /></a></div>
He did not say whether these were drawn from memory or observation, but my guess is that they are from memory, even though there is a lot of good observation at work here. The graceful taper of the trunks and the soft, delicate outer branches have a nice feel of "tree-ness"! There is something not quite right about the angles at which the branches grow from the trunks in some areas. But a nice drawing, nevertheless. It has a lovely, stark feeling of winter, don't you think? As always, I recommend drawing from nature. You will learn a lot about trees and their structure if you draw from direct observation.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Manipulating your drawings in Photoshop</span><br />
Here is something just for fun. One of my favorite artist blogs is <a href="http://blogdelanine.blogspot.com/">Geninne's Art Blog</a>. She is an artist who lives in Mexico and does beautiful drawings and illustration work. In today's blog post she showed some of her drawings that she had manipulated in Photoshop. One, which inverted the black lines and white background was made to resemble a blueprint by making the drawing appear with white lines on a blue background. A simple manipulation, but so effective! I had to try it. Here is my evergreen tree from the previous post, turned into a blueprint.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dSkJH-WWoBI/UXmA94L0iBI/AAAAAAAANRo/nUrRLzSVlLE/s1600/evergreentreeblueprint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dSkJH-WWoBI/UXmA94L0iBI/AAAAAAAANRo/nUrRLzSVlLE/s1600/evergreentreeblueprint.jpg" /></a></div>
Ah, Photoshop! How did artists manage for thousands of years without it? (Ha!)Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-41521182347960716502013-04-01T13:13:00.000-07:002013-04-01T13:13:29.201-07:00TreesJeff's trees (see previous post) got me thinking about drawing trees. The trees in our mind's eye are like the trees at the Christmas tree farm—perfectly symmetrical and perfectly proportioned, with no odd branches poking out in the wrong places. You know they prune them at the Christmas tree farm so they will look like that, don't you? That's not the way real trees grow!<br />
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The weather has been really amazingly beautiful here for the past few days. I had no excuse not to sit out on the front steps and draw a tree. Here is our fledgling apricot tree. It has a few blossoms on it right now. We are crossing our fingers that it will produce some fruit this year. We have been told "you can't grow apricots in Portland."<br />
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Trees are great subjects for drawing. Every one is different, but there are some obvious things to observe that a lot of people miss. First of all, I am always surprised to see a drawing of a tree that shows no understanding that the the trunk of a tree is biggest at the ground and tapers as it goes up. Likewise, the individual branches are biggest where they emerge from the trunk or from larger branches and taper out to nothing at their tips. Also, the branches grow upward, reaching for the sky. Here is a nice evergreen in our yard. I always think of it as quite symmetrical, but it is not.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NU3PAsHnYaM/UVnmO4EjtYI/AAAAAAAANJM/43nWwYNIYhQ/s1600/evergreentree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NU3PAsHnYaM/UVnmO4EjtYI/AAAAAAAANJM/43nWwYNIYhQ/s1600/evergreentree.jpg" /></a></div>
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The biggest challenge here was to decide how to render the needles.<br />
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Most artists draw trees at one time or another.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g8qpQ18s_vM/UVnmr9-FNaI/AAAAAAAANJY/mLohICd0urY/s1600/leonaedo-da-vinci-tree-drawing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g8qpQ18s_vM/UVnmr9-FNaI/AAAAAAAANJY/mLohICd0urY/s1600/leonaedo-da-vinci-tree-drawing.jpg" /></a></div>
Leonardo da Vinci drew this one, with all its knobs and broken branches. His simple suggestion of leaves gives me an idea of how I might deal with foliage in future drawings.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WfTsBuS9O98/UVnmx6S3CxI/AAAAAAAANJg/oIA1vUKfn74/s1600/treevangogh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WfTsBuS9O98/UVnmx6S3CxI/AAAAAAAANJg/oIA1vUKfn74/s1600/treevangogh.jpg" /></a></div>
The stark, graphic lines of this drawing by Vincent vanGogh show trees that have been shaped by the weather. This one really demonstrates those tapering, reaching upward qualities in the branches. Neither of these artists were looking for symmetry or perfection in their trees.<br />
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Have you tried drawing a tree? Did you learn something about the structure of trees that surprised you? I'd love to see your tree drawings.Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-88959594013416418862013-03-13T16:39:00.000-07:002013-03-13T16:39:01.207-07:00Is it something, or is it nothing?Sometimes an image comes into my head, and it seems like a brilliant idea for a piece of art or design. Sometimes this happens in the middle of the night, or while I am brushing my teeth or driving my car. I keep thinking about it and I'm not sure—is it something? Or is it nothing? Mostly, I have to confess, it is nothing. But I usually don't know until I draw it. Here is one such idea from yesterday.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IValJWYAeQM/UUEMAOF7LhI/AAAAAAAANBc/WniJ5JrlBAg/s1600/something.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IValJWYAeQM/UUEMAOF7LhI/AAAAAAAANBc/WniJ5JrlBAg/s320/something.jpg" width="218" /></a></div>
My sketchbooks are full of little things like this. Like I said, most of them never go beyond the sketchbook. They are nothing. Or maybe they <i>could</i> be something, but I need to think some more. Or maybe they are <i>something!</i> And I end up using the idea somehow. This is why my sketchbooks are not beautiful. They are not for public consumption. They have a lot of nothing in them. But I couldn't function without them or without drawing. I can't imagine painting this or, more likely, sewing this altogether without ever drawing this little sketch to get a sense of what it might look like or how it might work.<br />
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So what do you think? Is this something or is it nothing? I think it might be something.<br />
<br />Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-56395394467406699142013-02-26T14:02:00.000-08:002013-02-26T14:02:43.303-08:00Kitchen toolsI have exhausted my desk for things to draw and moved on to the kitchen. The kitchen holds a wealth of things to draw. Here's my pizza cutter.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-liC3d8W-ga4/US0sZHcdHMI/AAAAAAAAMyQ/0AHzbNUKHqI/s1600/pizza-cutter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-liC3d8W-ga4/US0sZHcdHMI/AAAAAAAAMyQ/0AHzbNUKHqI/s400/pizza-cutter.jpg" width="182" /></a></div>
And my wire whisk<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LcH8uWuBrVk/US0snJS3O6I/AAAAAAAAMyY/XmKQaH80UKE/s1600/whisk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LcH8uWuBrVk/US0snJS3O6I/AAAAAAAAMyY/XmKQaH80UKE/s400/whisk.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />A difference between these two that I will point out is the "pose". As I examined the pizza cutter I was interested in it as a completely symmetrical object, so I decided to draw it in a very straightforward, but not naturalistic pose, accentuating the symmetry. Symmetry is, in itself a challenge. Drawing a nice round circle isn't really easy and getting the mirror-image lines of the two sides of the shapes to reflect each other is another challenge. It would have been easier in some ways, to have drawn it laying on its side. But in this iconic pose it takes on a kind of dignity that surpasses its humble being. It could be a scepter or a ritualistic object of some kind! Drawing it made me appreciate the beauty of its simple design, especially the elegant curve of the metal piece just below the round blade, where you put your thumb as you cut.<br />
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I laid the whisk on the table to draw it. It was tempting to take a shortcut in drawing the wire part and just fake those lines instead of actually following each wire from the handle around its own curve and back to the handle, but it would not have looked right. As it is, I love the way the wires turned out.<br />
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Shall I call these "Iconic Pizza Cutter" and "Reclining Whisk"?<br />
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Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-8884862944095999142013-02-18T11:27:00.001-08:002013-02-18T11:27:59.120-08:00Drawing therapy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d2JFzVF44nM/USJ9hKBWbfI/AAAAAAAAMjI/jlBfSE6jyos/s1600/KMillerboots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d2JFzVF44nM/USJ9hKBWbfI/AAAAAAAAMjI/jlBfSE6jyos/s1600/KMillerboots.jpg" /></a></div>
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I got this lovely drawing in my email, from <a href="http://www.nautilus-fiberarts.com/">Karen Miller</a>. Karen says,<i> "I have been drawing and painting while caring for my parents. My dad recently had both feet amputated so my shaded pencil drawing of his familiar old boots was a kind of art therapy."</i><br />
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This drawing reminded me of the <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-79QImw-7CSs/T76UehNNbcI/AAAAAAAAI20/f9XKpZ4Uxfg/s400/Vincent+Van+Gogh-774357.jpg">van Gogh painting of his own, well-worn shoes</a>.<i> </i>There is such an intimacy and human connection in both of these—something about the undone laces and the folds in the leather<i>. </i>A real sadness in Karen's drawing, knowing the circumstances.<i> </i>Thank you for sharing it, Karen.<i><br /></i>Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-54458038587753665232013-02-17T15:21:00.000-08:002013-02-17T15:21:54.573-08:00I keep reminding myself..."see the shape, see the line, follow that line." I think it is a constant struggle, when drawing, to stay in the part of your brain that deals only with the shapes and lines you are seeing—not the part of your brain that says, "now I'm drawing the flap and now I'm drawing the box and the wrinkle in it..."<br />
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I am developing a theory that drawing objects that are not beautiful or cute or fascinating in themselves makes it easier to stay in your space/proportion/non-verbal right brain as you draw. You are not distracted by whether you are making the flower <i>beautiful</i> enough or the bunny <i>cute</i> enough. Interestingly, when you draw something like a little cardboard box that just came in the mail, it becomes beautiful in its own way. So much so that you really want to add the color that you know that cardboard box is.<br />
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Color added to scanned drawing, using Photoshop. </div>
<br />Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-3330040197576695502013-02-08T10:24:00.000-08:002013-02-08T10:24:44.067-08:00Working drawingsMost of the drawings I have shown on this blog have been done for practice or for the joy of drawing, but I do a lot of drawing or sketching for the purpose of exploring an image that I want to use in one of my fabric art pieces. Mostly these are drawings done from a photograph. It is always great if I have a photograph that gives me an image exactly as I want it, but often the angle is wrong, or there are parts that don't work for me. That is when I use the photo for <i>reference</i> and fill in with my own ideas of what I want to see.<br />
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I am in the process of making fabric work about Latin American architecture and I have lots of photos from Mexico and South America. I like this cafe shot taken in Oaxaca, Mexico, but I'd like to isolate the cafe and present it in a more straight-on, iconic view.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sGNMnNtQR8Y/URU_3PscIGI/AAAAAAAAMYs/4UHceQdnlSw/s1600/Oaxacacafe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sGNMnNtQR8Y/URU_3PscIGI/AAAAAAAAMYs/4UHceQdnlSw/s1600/Oaxacacafe.jpg" /></a></div>
While the perspective of the photo is not what I want, the photo is still tremendously important for suggesting the kinds of forms and details I want in my drawing, so I keep it in front of me for reference as I work. For the building I blocked in the proportions and divisions of space lightly with a pencil first. Then I went in with my pen and built the details. With my pencil I started with the largest object—the building, then added the windows above and arches below, then basic spacing of moldings and columns. Finally, I blocked in the tables and umbrellas in front. All very vague and simple. When I began the pen drawing, I started at the front, with the chairs, tables and umrellas closest to front of the scene and filled in the details of the building behind them.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jb9caC4YoTw/URVBo652_UI/AAAAAAAAMY0/WGBkMdModpU/s1600/cafe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jb9caC4YoTw/URVBo652_UI/AAAAAAAAMY0/WGBkMdModpU/s400/cafe.jpg" width="295" /></a></div>
Now I have a drawing I can work from when I start my fabric work. I think the thing to remember when you use a photo for your inspiration is that you don't need to include all the details in the drawing. Drawing is an exercise in reinterpretation of reality, not slavish reproduction.Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-41655521770296925442013-02-05T15:05:00.000-08:002013-02-05T15:05:34.476-08:00It's all about the lineI'm still drawing things on my desk. What are you drawing? <i>Are</i> you drawing?<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yja-Zv9n8Ws/URGAMLryr2I/AAAAAAAAMXs/uXgpPvsG3_A/s1600/addressbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yja-Zv9n8Ws/URGAMLryr2I/AAAAAAAAMXs/uXgpPvsG3_A/s1600/addressbook.jpg" /></a></div>
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I am always a little amused by the proclamation "I can't even draw a straight line" often made by someone discussing their lack of drawing ability. Why would a straight line be any indication of drawing skill? Hardly anyone can draw a perfectly straight line, without a ruler, nor do they need or want to. Straight lines are boring.<br />
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What I strive for are confident, strong, interesting lines. That is why I like drawing with a pen or fine tip marker. Pencil lines tend to be a little weak, in my opinion. I know, I know—pencil lines can be erased. Pen lines can't, but they can be wadded up and tossed away. Yes, you are allowed to do that.<br />
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Here are three kinds of drawn lines:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CnB19m7Kv7A/URGB0teIVlI/AAAAAAAAMX0/RETC3wGDwaM/s1600/hearts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CnB19m7Kv7A/URGB0teIVlI/AAAAAAAAMX0/RETC3wGDwaM/s1600/hearts.jpg" /> </a></div>
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The first is the kind of pencil line that most beginning drawers make—a sketchy line, which is actually a series of little short lines. Drawing teachers will tell you to quickly move beyond that kind of line. Next is a continuous pencil line. Stronger and more definitive. The third is a line made by a fine tip marker. It is basically the same as the second pencil line, but being ink it just seems so much bolder and stronger.</div>
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I challenge you to draw with ink. It's not that scary and, as I said, there is no reason not to toss your drawing if it is just awful. For me the quality of the line is what I am most interested in. Is the proportion or the perspective off? Probably. I don't care that much about that. A beautiful line—that's what I want. Look at this Picasso drawing.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KhGesADOc3g/URGOy7wpoTI/AAAAAAAAMYQ/Hm83Rq2uagQ/s1600/PICASSO-popup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KhGesADOc3g/URGOy7wpoTI/AAAAAAAAMYQ/Hm83Rq2uagQ/s1600/PICASSO-popup.jpg" /></a></div>
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Was he concerned that the hands are way too big or the leg too short? No, not so much. But look at that line. Beautiful!</div>
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<br />Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-51307669327414975642013-02-03T14:18:00.000-08:002013-02-03T18:04:58.510-08:00RebootOh dear. I got this drawing blog off to a pretty good start and then lost momentum. It had a lot to do with getting busy with other things and NOT DRAWING. No drawing, nothing to blog about. The thing is I really notice when I stop drawing. It gets harder very quickly.<br />
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A new year came and I determined to get back to it. I made myself a little pouch to care a tiny sketchbook, pen, pencil, pencil sharpener and eraser. It is small enough for my backpack or to toss in the car or in a suitcase. I made it. I carried it. Did I draw? Not much.<br />
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But I will keep trying. I see other people blogging about working on doing more drawing and I applaud that. I will follow their example!<br />
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Sometimes I get hung up on <i>what</i> to draw. If I am going to spend the time and effort it should be a worthy subject. Right? Well, that is an excuse for not drawing when you start thinking that way! I remembered that years back, when I discovered Danny Gregory's wonderful drawing blog, one of his drawings that I loved immediately was a bottle of Dawn dishwashing detergent, sitting next to the sink faucet in his kitchen. Doesn't get much more prosaic than that, but it had that charm of familiarity and seeing his drawing made me see all the small details that he had taken the time to notice and reproduce. So my new effort will be to just look around and choose something that is right in front of me, regardless of whether it will make a "beautiful" drawing. So I looked at my desk.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VMVQcnhUK_4/UQ7gbA2eUEI/AAAAAAAAMVE/M_bdv2IyMVY/s1600/tape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VMVQcnhUK_4/UQ7gbA2eUEI/AAAAAAAAMVE/M_bdv2IyMVY/s400/tape.jpg" width="383" /> </a></div>
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I started with my tape dispenser, recently refreshed with a brand new roll of tape. I hadn't drawn for quite awhile. My drawing is tentative and cautious, but a good start, I felt. Then I turned my attention to Ray's tape measure, sitting on my desk (where it doesn't belong).</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TvLWoN_OgUw/UQ7hOYfClHI/AAAAAAAAMVM/c--kQD_zjgQ/s1600/tapemeasure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TvLWoN_OgUw/UQ7hOYfClHI/AAAAAAAAMVM/c--kQD_zjgQ/s320/tapemeasure.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It is one of those kinds of shapes that you can get easily confused by, having rounded and squared edges and complicated bits and parts, and though the perspective is off, already I feel this drawing is a little more confident than the tape dispenser!<br />
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So, I am back at it. I hope you'll join me. Leave your comments, send your drawings, but mostly draw, draw draw. Now I'm going to put the tape measure back where it belongs...Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-32291327128226458802012-09-09T21:40:00.000-07:002012-09-09T21:40:10.876-07:00Shared drawingsAfter my last post I got two lovely emails and drawings from readers. Janet Burns wrote: <i> </i><br />
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<i>"I follow Danny's blog (Danny Gregory) and belong to the Every Day Matters group on
Facebook and Flickr. It has motivated me tremendously. I was an art
major, I do mostly pottery, a little quilting (very little), but my
drawing fell by the wayside. I did the Every Day in May challenge, and
it got my drawing motor reved up. There are all levels of talent and
proficiency that post, and it is the most encouraging and inspiring
group. It and you have given me the courage to use my pen more often,
but I still love graphite. Here are a few pages from my sketchbook."</i><br />
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Aren't these drawings lovely? The folds in the quilts are so effective and I really love the loose, joyful quality of those flowers.<i></i><br />
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Then I got this note from Emily Seider:<br />
<i>"...I am starting to draw. I have been wanting for years to learn to draw,
but have been stuck in the rut of my own self-doubt for a long time.
Every time I would start drawing, I would be so disappointed in the way
things turned out, the way they didnt match what was originally in my
mind, that I would quit. I recently decided to get over it. I decided I
just need to make lots and lots and lots of bad drawings before I am
skilled enough to start making good drawings. I am working very hard
currently be accepting of imperfection. So I just started drawing and Im
trying to make the time to do at least one drawing a day. When I found
your blog, it seemed like just what I need right now, a semblance of
direction. I realized it would be great to have "assignments", or a
group of people to draw along with. I hope you will accept me into your
following. I attached the drawing I made of my rock climbing shoes
that I keep hanging on my wall for easy access (and a photo, because
they are pretty funny looking shoes). Next up: still life!"</i><br />
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Great to hear from a new voice! You are off to a great start with those shoes. The laces are my favorite part of the drawing—such acute observation of the movement through the lacing. You really captured it!<br />
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As always—thank you for sharing your work and keep it coming.<i><br /></i>Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-79642582467841458902012-09-05T16:50:00.000-07:002012-09-05T16:50:43.127-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yes, it is true. I have spent nearly two months NOT drawing. Not a thing. It has been a great summer and I toted my sketchbook and drawing tools all over the place and never sat down to draw anything. Now, this week I feel like I am home and "back in the groove" and have pulled out paper and pens and started to draw again. I am rusty. I drew several things not worth sharing. But I am back at it. Just goes to show how quickly the habit can go south.<br />
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I have been enjoying <a href="http://dannygregory.wordpress.com/">Danny Gregory's blog</a> and his drawing prompts, though I have yet to take on the challenge of any one of them, but they give me some ideas of places to start.<br />
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Have you been drawing? Have you been able to draw while you've done some summer traveling? What are your goals, if any, for your drawing? Mine are to loosen up and make more graceful lines.Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-10413109937845494472012-07-16T12:32:00.001-07:002012-07-16T12:42:41.156-07:00Blind Contour DrawingKristen reminded me that <i>blind</i> contour drawing is really the best exercise for training your brain to see! She actually recommended negative space blind contour drawing, but that is a little bit like more than my brain can actually deal with, so for now I'm talking about blind contour drawing. Here's how you do it: set up some object to draw, then position yourself so that you have to turn your head away from your drawing pad to see the object. Here's my object.<br />
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Look at your pad and decide where you will begin drawing, then put the tip of your pencil or pen on the paper there, then <i><b>do not look at your drawing again until you finish!</b></i> Turn your eyes toward what you are drawing. Let your eyes move slowly around the object, and following your eyes with your pen on the paper, carefully drawing dips, curves, corner, details as you go. But remember, <b><i>you are not looking at the paper</i></b>—not even a little peek!<br />
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Now look at your drawing.<br />
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I guarantee it will be an odd-looking drawing. But the point of this is not to make a perfect drawing. The point is to train your eye and hand to work together. To shift into your right brain where you are seeing all the little dips and curves and translating the mass as it really looks, not as your short-cut brain <i>thinks</i> it looks. And then really look at your funny drawing. I think there is always something very truthful in these blind contour drawings. You get the proportions wrong for sure, but there is a spirit of the object that comes through and a nice sensitivity to the line.<br />
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Kristen has spent the past month moving from Hawaii to the East Coast, but sent me several drawings I posted earlier. Today I got this.<br />
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<i>"Tada! My favorite mug is unpacked and in use. I see that I drew it less flared than in reality, and I remembered the text differently. Fun exercise though."</i>Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-74011882049945085412012-07-07T23:50:00.000-07:002012-07-07T23:52:54.911-07:00Adding color to your drawingsToday's drawing was a handful of fresh Bing cherries on a paper towel. So beautiful and so delicious it was hard not to eat as I was drawing them.<br />
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So this drawing was just crying out for some color. You can hardly tell they are cherries without it. Here is an idea that I came up with awhile back for<i> experimenting</i> with color, without ruining your original drawing. Use your scanner or copy machine to make a couple of copies of your black ink drawing. This won't work if your printer ink is the kind that is water soluble. My Epson printer uses Durabright ink that is permanent. If you have a laser printer it works too. Use drawing paper in your printer. You may have to trim it to size. I made a couple of copies of the cherries.<br />
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For one I used watercolor pencils. I have a smaller box, that I use for travel, but I really like my <a href="http://www.dickblick.com/products/derwent-inktense-pencils/">Derwent Inktense pencils</a> better. I used them to color the drawing, mixing and blending the pencil colors as you would with any colored pencil drawing. I left a lot of white areas showing on the cherries that represent the reflections of light on the shiny skin of the cherries. For any kind of watercolor work, white is paper, not white paint.<br />
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Using these pencils is a little bit of a guessing game, because you add water after you have colored the work and the colors "bloom" to more intense and complex hues. You can use a small cup of water and a watercolor brush, but I am hooked on my<a href="http://www.dickblick.com/products/niji-waterbrush/"> water brush</a> that holds water in the barrel handle. It is perfect for drawing and painting on the go. Use a paper towel to clean the brush fibers between colors.<br />
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Here it is after I have "painted" it with the water brush.<br />
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I also have a little travel-sized pan watercolor set for painting on the go. I used them for my second copy.<br />
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I use the water brush with them as well. Here is the finished painting.<br />
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You can see the results are quite similar.Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-8335278706062024712012-07-06T11:33:00.000-07:002012-07-06T11:36:37.873-07:00Shared drawingsI am home from a week-long road trip to Idaho, Wyoming and Montana. I took my drawing supplies along and did not take them out of the tote bag. I had good intentions, but too full a schedule, with obligations to other travelers to find the time. Sigh. That seems to be the way travel goes.<br />
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Thankfully, a couple of you had work to share!<br />
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Kristin LaFlamme sent these with her comments.<br />
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<i>"I tried drawing some flowers when you posted about yours on your drawing blog. Unfortunately, </i><br />
<i>between the interruptions from the kids, the wind, and the fruity drinks (this was while we were at the hotel in Waikiki), I didn't finish either. ;-)"</i><br />
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<i> "I didn't find time to draw on our road trip. But, now that we are in our house with practically nothing, there is some time to stare at the ceiling. Here's a contour drawing (sometimes looking at the paper, sometimes not) of my view!"</i><br />
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<i> "Since the ceiling fan drawing sucked, I tried something a little more organic. Without going outside in the oppressive heat, our souvenir bota bags were the next best thing."</i><br />
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Karen Miller sent a couple of drawings done outdoors that she added watercolor to.<br />
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You can click on these to see them larger and read the writing.<br />
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<i>" I decided to join a local outdoor art group for a trip to a local man's lovely Japanese garden. They go someplace different every Wednesday morning from May to October. I did two sketches there. Others were working in a variety of mediums, pastel, colored pencil, acrylics, watercolor. I am not up to painting woods and distant trees yet so I painted things closer to me. I have never included a person before but he was sitting so still I was able to draw him. They have a group critique at the end of the morning. I told them I was a rank beginner at watercolor, still at the sketchbook stage. Comments were that they wanted to see the rest of the sketchbook and I sure could draw for a beginner. I was pleased."</i><br />
<br />Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-76637564706905555822012-06-26T23:42:00.000-07:002012-07-06T11:34:42.104-07:00Drawing on locationAre you traveling this summer? We are taking a couple of road trips and I will take my drawing gear along as I always do. It isn't always easy to find the time for drawing when you are traveling with other people. You don't want to bring everything to a halt while you stop to draw something, but often I find a space of time here and there. Here is a drawing I made in Ecuador in 2004.<br />
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My daughter had climbed to the summit of Cotopaxi, the highest active volcano in the world the year before. She wanted us to experience part of it, so we hired guides to take us up Cotopaxi in a van to the highest point you can drive to. From there our plan was to hike up to the base camp—the yellow-roofed building in my drawing, just below the glacier. Incidentally, because Cotopaxi sits very near the equator, it is the point on all of the earth that is closest to the sun. We stopped at the parking area at 13,000 feet altitude to start our climb. When I stepped out of the van I was overcome by dizziness and nausea. My heart was pounding alarmingly. Altitude. The guides said I could not make the hike. (As if I didn't know that!) So, I stayed behind with the van. Fortunately I had my sketchbook in my pack and for part of the four hour wait, I sat on the back bumper of the van and drew my view of the peak. I took photos as well and, in fact had to complete my drawing from memory when snow and fog rolled in. I look at this drawing and I can feel the pressure on my chest, the sting of the thin, cold air in my nostrils and the buzzing in my head from the high altitude. I am so glad I took my sketchbook. Even now, I hold the book in my hands and love that it was there with me on that mountain and here with me today.<br />
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Here's a less dramatic drawing.<br />
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A couple of years ago I had some time to take a walk around downtown Boise, Idaho near the hotel where we were staying. We lived in Boise many years ago and I remembered this charming old building in an area of town that has been completely changed since we lived there. This building is one of the few buildings that remain from the time we lived there and it now houses a Starbucks coffee shop on the main floor. I bought myself a latte that I took across the street where I found a wall to sit on, drink my coffee and draw the building. As I was drawing the bicycle parked out front, the owner appeared, climbed onto it and rode away. I was happy that I had gotten the main details down before it vanished. I am always a little shy about drawing in public places, but I find that most people ignore me and the ones who stop to see what I am doing are always so nice and appreciative.<br />
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We are on our way to Idaho and Montana tomorrow. I have my sketchbook and supplies ready to roll. If you are on the road this summer, don't forget your drawing supplies.Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-81427521524871638122012-06-21T09:02:00.003-07:002012-06-21T12:47:25.215-07:00Computers, Photoshop, Perfection and the Hand of the MakerI have been told that drawing is dead because computers and cameras can provide all the images one would ever need! Well, first off that presumes that the only reason one would draw would be to create images. I hope you agree, or are at least are considering the idea, that drawing is as much about what the <i>process</i> is doing for our perceptions, our view of the world and our sense of connection to all that surrounds us as it is to creating something we can frame and hang on the wall. But leaving that aside, let's just take a look at images—<i>the product</i>.<br />
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Photography is a fine way to create images. Here is a photo of the chair I drew the other day. I like the photo. By removing the background the graphic qualities of the chair are emphasized. This would be a good image to use if I were trying to sell the chair. It shows the style, the condition, the color and the shininess of the finish.<br />
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In Photoshop, I can apply filters to this photo to give it the look of a drawing—kind of.<br />
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Even a contour drawing.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EIrUMp1h5Yw/T-NCA7JN1ZI/AAAAAAAAJE4/fYdmkNGor7c/s1600/chairphotooutline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EIrUMp1h5Yw/T-NCA7JN1ZI/AAAAAAAAJE4/fYdmkNGor7c/s400/chairphotooutline.jpg" width="253" /></a></div>
I can even switch it up to emphasize the negative spaces.<br />
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As a graphic designer I have used these techniques extensively and I will be the first to tell you how much I love using Photoshop and Illustrator to create images.<br />
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But—<br />
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Even more, I love the look of a hand-drawn image because it is<i> not perfect</i>. It is not clean and perfectly proportioned. It is influenced by the<i> hand of the maker</i>, which is what gives all handmade work its soul and personality. Imperfect as it is, I think my little sketch of the chair is more interesting to look at and reflects something about my way of drawing; the choices I make; the parts I see well; the parts I don't see so well. Perfection may be overrated, in my opinion.<br />
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Am I wrong? What do you think?Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-41192000251446166522012-06-17T22:26:00.000-07:002012-06-17T22:27:39.941-07:00Contour drawing of a chairI love drawing chairs. They are hard to draw. Lots of funny angles and fancy details. Then, of course, there is the matter of making the legs look like they are all sitting on the same floor. Here's today's drawing of my old bentwood chair. It came from the YWCA in Pocatello, Idaho. My mom was the executive director and bought it when they did some redecorating. She knew I loved it, and 40 years later I still do.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lPb8Kn122xg/T9654nNGkQI/AAAAAAAAJDg/0E9kDrnmecA/s1600/chairpos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lPb8Kn122xg/T9654nNGkQI/AAAAAAAAJDg/0E9kDrnmecA/s640/chairpos.jpg" width="366" /></a></div>
I have drawn this chair many times and I never get it right, but I think it is better each time. This time, at least, it seems to be sitting firmly on the floor. Don't look too closely at the seat. I started with a simple outline, then added some additional lines to indicate shading.<br />
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Then I tried the trick of drawing the negative space, lightly drawing, with pencil, an imaginary border around the negative space. I thought it might really emphasize the positive/negative aspects if I filled those negative spaces with a texture.. Those lines were very meditative and are purposely uneven and a bit wavery.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UHyolQxii5g/T967YPX8ylI/AAAAAAAAJDo/qbqCDCztlqw/s1600/chairneg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UHyolQxii5g/T967YPX8ylI/AAAAAAAAJDo/qbqCDCztlqw/s640/chairneg.jpg" width="387" /></a></div>
<br />Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-87080528964405653052012-06-14T13:05:00.000-07:002012-06-14T13:11:29.130-07:00positive and negative contour drawing<i>"The concept of edges is a fundamental concept in art, having to do with<b> unity</b>, perhaps the most important principle in art. Unity is achieved when everything in a composition fits together as a coherent whole, each piece contributing to the wholeness of the total image."</i><br />
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-Betty Edwards, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain<br />
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For me the practice of contour drawing—really focusing on those edges—is the most valuable drawing exercise I can do. Last night I went to my local guild meeting. The program was given by the wonderful <a href="http://www.kerrgrabowski.com/">Kerr Grabowsky</a> and I was pleasantly surprised to hear her talk about how much she likes contour drawing and how valuable it is to her art.<br />
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One of the contour drawing exercises I really like and find challenging is identifying and drawing both the positive and negative spaces. Drawing negative spaces is a real right brain exercise if you can ignore the positive image and just focus on the shapes of the negative space.<br />
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Place an object or several objects on a contrasting background—a sheet of paper, a plain cover book, a place mat or napkin, etc. Be sure that your object(s) extend over the edge of the background in one or more places.<br />
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Start by drawing the object. Draw the contour, carefully observing the edges and the angles and the shapes, trying not to think of what object you are drawing, rather following the line of the contour with your eyes and observing it as line only.<br />
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Now, go back to your setup and look at the shapes of that background paper or book that your object is laying on. Try to make that little eye/brain flip that lets you see the individual shapes of the background, ignoring what is on top of it.<br />
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Observe that you have probably broken the background into more than one shape, by extending the foreground object over the edges. In my example I have three separate shapes to consider.<br />
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Now draw those shapes, observing and following the edge, but this time not as the edge of the leaves and branch, but the edge of the negative spaces.<br />
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<b>Shares</b><br />
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Jamie sent her contour drawing of several items, including the same key drawn from different angles.<br />
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There is a really nice loose, free feeling to these drawings! I especially like the keys, with their subtle hints of dimension. You can tell she was really<i> feeling</i> the shape of that key.Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-35764893252475763782012-06-08T11:16:00.003-07:002012-06-08T11:16:29.910-07:00Be inspired...<a href="http://dannygregory.wordpress.com/">Danny Gregory's blog</a> is always inspiring. Put it on your list. This little video is delightful.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/43251254" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe>Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-80754136296909406552012-06-06T14:21:00.000-07:002012-06-06T14:23:08.631-07:00Contour drawing - irisesThis is a great time of year for drawing flowers. I have some Japanese irises that Ray cut the other day and I worked on a contour drawing of a couple of them. Nice organic lines to follow. It becomes very meditative to just let your eye move slowly around each petal and notice how fluidly they blend into the stem.<br />
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It was tempting to "fix" that chewed leaf and simply extend it out into its natural point, but I pulled myself back into that space where things don't need names and lines are not leaves, but simply lines.<br />
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I like drawing with a permanent pen. For this I used a<a href="http://www.dickblick.com/products/faber-castell-pitt-artist-pens/#photos"> Pitt pen</a> with a super fine point.<br />
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Don't be afraid to draw with a pen. You will love the crispness of the line. So, you can't erase if you make a mistake? Who's checking?Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-19094209321950975172012-06-03T23:09:00.000-07:002012-06-03T23:29:24.633-07:00Contour drawing<br />
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<i><b>"The essence of drawing is the
line exploring space." ~ Andy Goldsworthy </b></i></div>
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I hope you have had a chance to explore the idea of "right brain drawing." Did you try drawing the faces? Did you get the idea of drawing, not the recognizable object, but the lines and angles and shapes without thinking about what they are?<br />
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Contour drawing is a great way of getting into your right brain and really observing your subject. Contour drawing is drawing the outer lines of the object. As much as you can, you follow the contour of the outer edges of an object with your eyes, as your pencil follows along. Don't think that you are drawing a bowl or a roller skate or whatever, just think about where the line is going. Think about the shape it is taking, the ins and the outs and where it curves gently or turns a quick corner. Remember<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W71qTtQ6pe0/T8PMpJS51iI/AAAAAAAAI8E/HzvAZeeEXrs/s400/poppy.jpg"> that poppy</a> I drew last week? That was a contour drawing, with a few details added.<br />
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Pick an object with an interesting shape. A key is a good small object to start with. Nothing that is iconic or, if it is, try to put the stereotypical image aside while you draw.<br />
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Contour drawings tend not to be perfect or even as realistic as you may want, but they are so good for training your eye to really see, and I find they often have a lot of character and a certain charming quirkiness. Strive for a confident line, not a wimpy or sketchy line.<br />
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Pick a more complicated object and draw its contours. Don't worry too much about exact proportions or proper perspective. Let your eye just move around the outlines. Don't add any shading. This toy had some good lines.<br />
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I think if I did a small contour drawing every day for a year I would get good at it! Maybe that's a good goal.<br />
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<b>Shares</b><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AhKdDhbJXJA/T8xN7As0LsI/AAAAAAAAI_w/AtDlOCOrnAo/s1600/Janet+Burns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AhKdDhbJXJA/T8xN7As0LsI/AAAAAAAAI_w/AtDlOCOrnAo/s400/Janet+Burns.jpg" width="323" /></a></div>
Janet Burns drew a sunflower. I love the sense of movement in the petals.<br />
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Karen Miller did a sketchbook theme page of a couple kinds of flowers. Then added color.</div>
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Jean Shute drew her foot and shoe. Nice value range in this drawing. It's good to see a <i>black</i> black, grays and white in a drawing.</div>
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This is Jean's geranium. Isn't this a nice technique? Not sure how Jean did it, but if I were doing this I would start with a very light pencil drawing, add the inked dots, then erase the pencil.<br />
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Jean says, "The flower drawing is certainly not a quick way to draw, but it can be
somewhat meditative to sit tapping on the paper until it comes to life.
Also easy to camouflage a misplaced line. "</div>Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-79232059326499819572012-06-02T09:07:00.000-07:002012-06-03T23:29:00.988-07:00Sorting out your brain for drawing
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<b>"An individual's ability to draw is...
the ability to shift to a different-from-ordinary way of processing
visual information – to shift from verbal, analytic processing to
spatial, global processing. (<a href="http://quote.robertgenn.com/auth_search.php?authid=638">Betty
Edwards</a>)"</b></div>
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My favorite book about drawing is<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Drawing-Right-Side-Brain/dp/0874774241"> <i>Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain</i></a> by Betty Edwards. If you really want to learn to draw the very best advice I can give you is to buy this book and use it.<br />
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I will be suggesting some of the exercises from this book, but you really need your own copy. You won't be sorry.<br />
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Dr. Edwards explains that the brain is divided into two sides that house different kinds of thinking processes. The left, most commonly accessed half of the brain is the analytical part, and also includes language. The right, less-used side of the brain is the intuitive side and also where the functions of space perception lie. Her theory is that in order to draw effectively you need to access that right half and suppress the left side functions—at least while you are drawing. You, of course, need to figure out how to access that part of your brain and how you will know when you are doing it! Here is an exercise she suggests to feel the difference between the two ways of thinking as you draw:<br />
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Begin by drawing a simple silhouette of a face on one side of your paper (left side for right handed people, right side for left-handers.)<br />
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This does not need to be beautiful or even terribly realistic, but as you draw think about what parts of the face you are drawing, naming them as you go—forehead, eyebrow, dip where the eye goes, nose, etc. etc. This is the left brain approach of using language and memory of what a face looks like.<br />
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Now move to the other side of the paper and draw a mirror image of the first silhouette. This time concentrate on the position of the line, the angle, how long that angle goes until it changes direction. You are not thinking of a face, only following the contour of the line. Now you are working in your right brain.<br />
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When you have finished both silhouettes you can connect them, if you like, to form a goblet or candlestick shape.<br />
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Try it again, adding more detail to the silhouette by making it a grotesque face, like a witches face. Again, as you draw the first silhouette, name the features as you move your pencil.<br />
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Then draw the mirror image again, concentrating on the shapes and angles only.<br />
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Could you sense a difference in the way you were creating the second drawing? This is a great exercise to continue to work on until you can really tell you have made a transition from one part of your brain to another.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Shares</b></span><br />
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Lisa Flowers Ross sent a lovely flower drawing.<br />
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Kristin La Flamme, in the moving process, says everything is packed up. She must now draw from memory.<br />
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Janet Burns drew a shoe. I think she has done this before!<br />
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Drawing is like handwriting. Everyone's style is unique.Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-88029683649751898532012-05-28T12:30:00.000-07:002012-06-03T23:27:12.806-07:00Flowers and more shared drawings<br />
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<b>"I have learned that what I have
not drawn I have never really seen, and that when I start drawing an
ordinary thing, I realize how extraordinary it is, sheer miracle. "
~Frederick Franck, <i>The Zen of Seeing</i>.</b></div>
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My poppies started blooming this week and they are incredible! I am always surprised how much poppies of this kind actually look like they are made of paper. The petals have that crinkly paper look. I like drawing the complexity of flowers. Drawing them really challenges you to put aside your mental shortcut images of flowers and look carefully at the structure. This is a line drawing, without any shading. It is good practice for me at carefully observing the shapes and lines.</div>
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Karen Miller sent me some drawings and commented, "Hard edges are easier to draw than iris petals for example, because one can much more easily see the distortions there, so self correcting works better." Probably so, but I am happy to have the "fudge factor" that drawing a flower petal gives you. You can make a few mistakes in detail and proportion and nobody ever knows!</div>
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Karen drew her morning juice container from memory, then from life. I think her memory was quite good!</div>
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Kristin LaFlamme is in the process of packing up her household for a cross country move. She said her still life was stuff left behind..</div>
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My sister-in-law, Jamie Grant, lives in Montana and is joining in with some drawings. She said she was "influenced" by the web site, <a href="http://www.fivepencilmethod.com/">Five Pencil Method</a>. You can take drawing lessons through the web site, but they also have some free tutorials that I plan to go back and look at. Thanks, Jamie. I will add it to the inspiration page.</div>
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Jamie drew her tea kettle from memory and then again from live observation.</div>
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Jamie's shoe. Lots of great detail.</div>
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Keep drawing!</div>Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-62436433405880808662012-05-27T10:19:00.000-07:002012-06-03T23:27:50.388-07:00Thanks!Thanks for the interest that so many of you have shown in this blog! Someone asked if I minded if they posted my little square graphic and a link to this blog on their blog. I would love it if people want to do that! Here is the graphic.<br />
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Please link it back to this blog: http://penpencilpaperdraw.blogspot.com/<br />
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I also wanted to point out the tabs at the top of this page. The one called "tools" has some suggestions for drawing supplies and the one called "inspiration" will take you to websites and blogs about drawing, as well as suggesting some books and other resources. If you have suggestions for resources to add to this I will post them. The more, the better!<br />
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And now, I have some shoe drawings to share.<br />
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<a href="http://kristinlaflamme.com/">Kristin LaFlamme</a> sent her drawing of her Hawaiian shoes<br />
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<a href="http://penpencilpaperdraw.blogspot.com/">Karen Miller</a> shared her sneaker drawing<br />
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Click on over to <a href="http://paint-cook-quilt.blogspot.com/2012/05/pppd-shoe.html">Quilterin's blog</a> to see her wonderful red sandal drawing.<br />
<br />Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811731499759644780.post-62375666044986215792012-05-26T11:58:00.000-07:002012-06-03T23:28:43.811-07:00Why draw?I know artists who do not draw. They say they don't need to. They say that the advent of photography did away with the need for studying drawing. They say they work abstractly, so have no need to create recognizable images. They say they "can't" draw. I respectfully disagree on all counts, but I will never convince them, I'm sure. I've tried!<br />
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Here are a few of the reasons I think drawing is beneficial.<br />
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<b>1. It's fun.</b> Just watch children draw. My five year old granddaughter can spend hours drawing the most magnificent, detailed drawings. She loves being in the flow of creativity and feels such joy and pride. Of course for adults who have attached feelings of inadequacy and expectation and stress to the process it isn't fun. —sigh— There must be a way to get rid of all that baggage and just enjoy the process again. <br />
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<b>2. Communication</b>. My Dad was a mechanical engineer, not an artist, but he communicated best with a pad and pencil. He could explain the most complicated machine by making a little drawing of it, but he extended it into explanations of everything. How I wish I had saved some of those little drawings of his.<br />
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Haven't we all had that experience of trying to describe some interesting thing we have seen, and when words fail, you grab a scrap of paper and just draw it?<br />
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<b>3. Drawing is <i>seeing</i>!</b> To me, this is the most wonderful, mind-expanding function of drawing. We all think we are observant. Some of us are, far more than others, but until you try to accurately draw an object, person, place, you have not fully observed it. Once you have drawn it you will never see it in the same way again.<br />
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Here's a little experiment to try:<br />
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Imagine some familiar object, that is not currently within your sight. Do you use a teapot or tea kettle? That's a good one. Think about it. DON'T GO LOOK AT IT! Now, try to draw it from memory. Put in as many details as you can. The drawing does not have to be beautiful or artful, just representative.<br />
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What are its proportions? Is it taller than it is wide or vice versa? Is there a handle? What is its shape? A lid? Does the lid have a knob? Does it have a spout that is somehow attached to the body? Where does it attach? At what angle does it stick out from the body of the pot? . . .<br />
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I drew my clear glass teapot from memory.<br />
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Then I went and got the real teapot to compare.<br />
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At first glance, I didn't do too badly, in my opinion. But look closer. Proportion is a little off. The real pot is taller than it is wide. The lid is close, but the little crescent cutout for the tea to pour out doesn't exist in the real thing. (This, by the way, is an example of how we draw things using assumptions to fill in the gaps in our memory. Sometimes those assumptions are more assertive than our actual memory) The shape of the pour spout is wrong. The reservoir inside, where you put loose tea is pretty wrong too. Most wrong of all is the handle. I can hardly believe I didn't remember that bold, distinctive handle. It is nearly a perfect half circle and connects rather cleverly to the metal band around the pot.<br />
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Try it. How did you do? Could you draw your car from memory? I couldn't. I think I can see it in my mind, but I couldn't begin to bring up details. I don't even know what the hubcaps look like. Does it even <i>have</i> hubcaps? I would know if I had drawn it.<br />
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Do you have other reasons for drawing? leave me a comment. Send me your drawing. Help me out here!<br />
<br />Terry Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16650965451863656517noreply@blogger.com1