Hello;
I’ve been meaning to read some more feminist books. However, every time I go to the library I find myself borrowing other books that catch my eye. Lately I’ve read quite a few books about drawing and perspective and how to sketch.
I know, it’s spooky: Those feminist books I keep mentioning on my blog and I keep procrastinating about. I think it’s because they were tough to read, the topics were too poignant and they made me feel sad, indignant, upset…
Anyhow, I’m not going to dwell on this. I’ll see it as a sign I’m meant to read these other books at the moment and I’ll get to the feminist books when the time is right.
So, as I was saying, I’ve read a bit lately. I enjoyed doing many of the drawing exercises included. However, when it gets to the time of sketching I can’t bring myself to use the techniques suggested. I just cannot be bothered to use a grid or photographs or trace outlines of things. I do not want my drawings to be an exercise in measuring or in carrying gadgets.
It wasn’t long ago I quoted Goya’s words about drawing. His advice to students to draw continuously and let the technical learning -perspective and geometry- happen as they draw.
I like that philosophy. I like to draw and make mistakes and … gradually make fewer mistakes. (Note to self: never draw when tired: my ability to measure distances and proportions declines to ridiculous when I don’t feel well rested).
As one of the books I read (Drawing on the right side of the brain, by Betty Edwards) says, a drawing is not a photograph. Thus, I don’t worry about my sketches being slightly rushed, or out of proportion, or imperfect in any other way. They simply represent a moment between life, me and my sketchbook.
There you go, that’s my drawing technique, warts and all.
And … these are some sketches I did lately: Can you guess which one I did with my glasses off?
Thanks for reading this.
By the way, have you seen the works from our course exhibition?