Try some new things...

Trying something new in using some different things to draw on. Hoping to loosen up the limbs about mixed media and such. The first is a page ripped from a very old book about WWI that is falling apart and I'm not sure where I even got it. Now that I write this, I honestly think I have to go see if it's about WWI or WWII. Anyway... I pasted it to another piece of watercolor type paper that I inherited from my dad, and that paper is also ancient, but not falling apart. Rather, it has held up quite well. There's just something about old things that I find inspiring. I've seen a few artists do this type of drawing over text and wanted to try it out. Though always about the images, I found I wasn't so interested in the text as I was the photo. You might click on the drawing to get a better look at the men's faces. Fascinating. The second is the front of a Christmas card I got this year that I thought was rather pretty. It's shinier in person. Funny how the scan makes the embossed image stand out more.

Still working on this drawing....

 

Still working on this drawing.  It kind of feels like a coloring page at this point and I'm not sure what I think of it, but it does give me something to do while watching mindless tv...

Draw365

I seem to have left off posting here at drawing #8. I started posting them all in flickr instead for some reason. But since I want to try and keep this blog current, and I want to try and keep drawing every day (which I am currently failing at miserably), I will post them here again. So this post is to catch you, dear reader, up on those drawings/failings/masterpieces and allow me to start again....

#9

#10

#11

#12

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#15

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I've got to get busy again because that last grouping of little tiny sketches is pretty sad...

Draw 8

From yesterday...(drawing # 9 will need to take place today.) I didn't have much time yesterday to draw. That's the beauty of this exercise though, some drawings will be nothing more than thoughts on scraps of paper, and some will be full blown attempts at something special. This one falls under the first category. But oh, I can see the possibilities...

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Draw 7

Forgive me but the drawing is slightly cut off at the bottom due to my scanner being slightly smaller than the paper. You might also click on it to get a better look at it. :) Having fun playing with shape and line.

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Draw 6

I know this is good for me...but it sure is hard. I had a teacher once who claimed the only way to becoming a great artist was to do a lot of self portraits. I did a lot of them a long time ago, but I haven't done many of them lately. Like I can't remember how long ago it really has been, lately. I noticed I became less interested the more lines I started to see on my face. Which is pretty silly because I don't really have a lot of lines yet. Knock on wood. I think it really just boils down to I find it hard to look at myself that much. Maybe there's some deep psychological reason here...not really sure...but I find it hard to look at my face with the concentration it takes to draw a picture of it. Not only are you critical of yourself because we are just all naturally vain enough to be critical of our appearance, but you become critical of your drawing or artistry. But, that said, I agree with my old teacher. I think there is something timeless, and of the soul, to be found by rendering a portrait of oneself. I can't expect this to be very good today, as I have stated before, my drawing skills are pretty rusty. But I found it fascinating that almost immediately I could remember the basic curve to take here and there. It is my face after all. And I know it better than almost any other.

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Draw 5

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Draw 4

convoluted clouds and flowery dreams...

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Draw 2 & 3

Okay, last night I drew a drawing...really! I didn't wimp out on the second day. However, I did it right before I went to sleep.

And today I drew this one:

I'm not going to promise these are going to be very good at first...if ever. But I am glad I am doing it. I'm always telling myself I would improve on painting if I would draw more. I used to all the time...and am not sure why I stopped. Perhaps the lure of the paint brush became too much. I'm drawing, for now, on this watercolor paper from a moleskine that I got wet by accident and it got all warped. Makes me feel like I'm putting it to good use finally. Plus, I can add paint one of these days if I feel so inclined. :)

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Draw 1

I want to join in on trying to draw something every day for a year via Twitter (#draw365) ... I always have the best intentions with these type of things and never get very far. We'll see how this one goes.

It's interesting how we all make marks differently. I have always been fond of doodling, and seeing how the marks have changed over the course of time has been fascinating to me. When I put a pen to paper with no intentions, the marks often come out in the same fashion...but I see something new in them each time.

Find me on twitter @climenhaga

Miriam