Sunday, January 6, 2008

Copying


I find that I see drawings and photo's better than I do real life, perhaps it's the ability to study and focus. Real life drawing makes me nervous, and I can't yet do anything that looks like a human figure. So in practice, I am starting to copy other artists - which I understand is a time honored method of learning.

This is a copy from a colored pencil instruction booklet - not even 0.1% as good as what is in the book but a fair start when I looked at it the next day (it was that art fairy from Casey's blog!). (Original drawing by M. Ferron)

I took the kids to see National Treasure today and we had a great time. First had to buy one of the twins some long sleeved button down shirts and an actual tie, he needs them for school. He looks so handsome and grown up in that shirt and tie, I nearly cried. The other kid didn't want anything so we just roamed Target until it was time to go to the movie. Then came home to pizza and talk until it was time for them to leave. What was interesting was hearing these two 15 year olds talking about the upcoming election and who they like. As they put it, they like Obama because the people from Obama's camp who came and gave the talk at their school were the coolest of all the speakers. And the most in touch. The didn't like the woman who spoke for Mitt Romney...because all she talked about was herself and because she cursed. I was shocked hearing that they were shocked about the cursing but I guess they're being brought up right. ( and as I have no small hand in this upbringing I get to feel proud also). As usual after a day with them, I feel uplifted, happy and somewhat tired...but happy is the front most feeling.


I also bought a Koala Sewing cabinet this weekend and had it in the back of my car - where it would have stayed unless the kids came over with their dad and helped me bring it down to the basement. It's a beauty, with a fold out top, and casters and a large fold up back for quilts. Hurray!!! My sewing machine even goes onto this little airlift dumbwaiter thing. Awesome. Now I can finish the quilts for my boys.

6 comments:

caseytoussaint said...

I think the art fairy definitely waved her wand on that one - it looks great. I agree about copying - I always start learning a new medium that way

Kerstin Klein said...

You received an award for making my day.

Same here with the live drawing. I´ve improved a lot with my portraits this year, but they are always from the pic. But so what. I do feel like a cheater sometimes, but then I think that "So what?". First I´ll learn it this way and when I´m satisfied I´ll move on to live drawing.
I´ve done the copying too which helped me learn quite some stuff, but only after a few times I felt bored. I do still copy a lot, but that is more the motifs or ideas and not the style or painting method.

I think the figure you drew is very nice and I love the colors I used. I would never have the idea myself to use these colors. So that´s really good to copy from others.

can´t wait to see pics of your quilts.

Debra Kay said...

That is an awesome awesome gadget. Double gadget points for the dumbwaiter.

soulbrush said...

yes, i found this to be true this holiday, tried so hard to draw real people and things, couldn't, but from pictures and photos it's easier, maybe because pictures don't have any 'soul' and it's that soul we can't capture?

Kerstin Klein said...

I think it is because the pictures don´t move. ;) And I think it is a lot easier to draw from a two-dimensional picture (where lines are defined) than from a 3D oject where the lines are not that clear.

Mim said...

I wish I could think about capturing soul, but right now it captureing static stance, with enoght time to really see what is going on....life drawing for me has been real tough.