Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve posted. My interent has been very sporatic for a while. I’ve got my laptop hooked up directly to the satalite modem now to see if the problem could be my router. I think I have a love/hate relationship with technology!
I’ve been wanting to get some of my drawings posted. I’ve taken pictures of them with my iphone 3, but unfortunately they aren’t the greatest. I’ve heard the iphone 4 takes better pics. But I’m going to attempt to use what I have and see if I can get some posted anyway.
Like my mother before me, I’ve always wanted to be able to draw and paint. Recently, my brother gave me some of her drawings that he found in storage (we think they are from when she was in high school). She did self portraits as well as ones of others in her family. They are quite good.
One of my daugthers is very artistic. She can paint, draw, decorate cakes, do crafts, as well as make things out of wood. She is an inspiration to me.
For the last 20 years or so I have done sporatic drawings/paintings. In the early 90’s I took a Bob Ross wet on wet painting class. For a time after that I did several paintings. My daughter did also, even doing some on old saws and saw blades. I bought oil paints, brushes and canvas. But unfortunately I didn’t keep it up.
Then sometime later I got interested in acrylics. Again I purchased paints and brushes. But it just didn’t seem to capture my attention for very long. I liked doing it but, as with the wet on wet oil painting, I seemed to enjoy the process as much as the finished project. And it was completed so quickly that it kind of frustrated me.
Then, last fall I went with a daughter-in-law to a couple of her pastel painting classes. I loved it–so much that she gave me a set of pastels! But though I read books and checked out internet sites about pastel painting, I became frustrated. I realized this time it was because I didn’t know how to draw.
So this summer I began taking drawing lessons. I found an art teacher that would give me one-on-one classes. When I first began I felt I didn’t know anything about drawing. I would draw in my notebook for the actual class drawings, but most of the time I just drew on scrap paper. Then, slowly my confidnece grew. One day I looked at a drawing I had just completed and wished it was in my notebook. That day I decided I had enough knowledge/skill that I all my drawings would be in my notebook! It was king of a breakthrough for me. (Of course, I still doodle and draw on scrap paper when I’m on the phone sometimes.) So as well as giving me knowledge and skill, I realized the lessons have encreased my confidence.
Surprisingly, when I found an older notebook from a few years ago I noticed some of those drawimgs were quite good. Of course I didn’t know anything about perspective, but I had captured the feel of the images. I have learned so much and find that there is so much about drawing that I love. I can draw something as simpIe as a spoon or work on a detailed animal or landscape. I can do a quick sketch if I like. Or, I can work at one drawing for several weeks, returning to it again and again, to add a little detail or change something a bit. I have not yet tried to draw people–at present I don’t have the desire to. Some days I find I only want to draw rocks, other days clouds. Presently I’m intrigued with roads and highways. I still haven’t been able to capture the look I want with those. I feel it will take a lot of practice. I also feel drawing is something I will never get tired of. Indeed, I feel this is one aspect of art that I will continue.
Pastels still hold my interest as well. But I will have to get a lot more knowledge of color and light before I want to attempt much with them. Also, I would benefit from some classes or lessons. I can learn a lot via books and the internet, but some things work best with acual people. Perhaps it is the interchange of ideas I value as much as the actual knowledge. But pastels aren’t my focus at the moment. They are probably one of the leftovers I will return to at a later time.
Well this post has gotten quite long and I haven’t even posted any artwork. I guess I will keep the actural pictures for my next post. Especially since it will I will have to learn all over again how to post them! I seem to need to do things over and over to have lasting knowledge.
So I’ll close this post by adding my categories and tags–yes, I did remember them this time. I hope to get the pictures posted by next week if my internet cooperates.
learning2leftovers 