Action is the foundational key to success ~ Pablo Picasso

As you notice my quote on the picture is filled with mistakes. I am trying to learn calligraphy and I have a long way to go. But, our journey continues.  Also, that paper, pencil, and eraser in the upper left is a slightly modified copy of the believed fourth grader's drawing. A remarkable piece that is my inspiration for these posts.

Starting the Journey with Supplies

So, what does it take to start drawing? Surprisingly very little. Art can be just another way of making a diary. As you grow and develop your unique style more and higher quality material will be needed and as I mentioned previously, there are many resources that explain all the different tools. However, learning the fundamentals and gaining experience requires a low investment in supplies. When I entered art school, I was given a list of supplies that I would need. Most were unused until much later.

Most art is started with a HB pencil. Many standard "school supply" pencils are rated HB or #2 and can be used to start, but do not have consistent quality. Art pencils are rated by hardness or softness. Numbers 1,2, 3...9. H's are hard (lighter) while B's are soft (darker). HB is the middle point. I found that starting my training, a HB is the most used and versatile for the beginner. A 2B is not needed in the beginning, but makes darkening lines and basic shading easier. Later, you may want a 2H for lighter lines. A pencil sharpener is a must. Investing in a cheap ruler helps immensely with many things (proportion, lines, perspective etc.). Trying to draw a straight line freehand is difficult, but like most things, it gets easier with practice. For now any paper will work. Later you will discover that the type of paper creates different effects. I recommend a sketch pad about 9 by 12 of medium weight. Most stores carry a selection in the school supplies section. It provides support for your drawing paper and accepts many different mediums (Ink,pencil,charcoal,crayon etc.) most state these facts on the cover.  

Now we have two pencils, a sharpener, paper and ruler. We all make mistakes or create helpful marks as guidelines. A great eraser is needed to negate these from the finished picture. Erasers are erasers right? Wrong, a good plastic eraser, found in art stores and some stores in the school supplies or office section (it will have plastic eraser written on it), is a good all purpose erasure that removes unwanted marks better with less chance of destroying the paper. I prefer the Mars plastic erasure. Of course you can use a basic soft school eraser carefully to start. The eraser on a pencil is a definite no.

My picture shows a strange shape in the left hand corner. What is that, a snail? It is my kneaded rubber eraser,not to be confused with a gum rubber eraser, it will say "kneaded" on the package. The kneaded erasure is very helpful. Ever try to remove a small mistake with a fat eraser and find that half of the material is missing? The pliable kneaded eraser can be formed to any shape to clean small areas or to touch up highlights in your shading. Here is a link that shows a picture of some common erasures and tests them http://www.penciltalk.org/2008/03/erasers-the-pink-pearl-the-staedtler-mars-plastic-and-others

In conclusion, the supplies consist of two pencils, a HB and a 2B. A ruler, pencil sharpener, paper, and two erasers (plastic and kneaded rubber). I drew this picture with the basic supplies mentioned on a standard grade of school supplies paper (except the lettering). Finally, an art book (from the store or library) or search on the Internet will present much information on the different types of art paper (weight, tooth,cold-press, hot-press,etc.) and other supplies (pencils,paints, brushes,etc.). Quality and attributes do differ between products. It is well worth the time to know, especially later, but for now, Let's draw!!!                  

Inspiration to draw

Learning to Draw

In the last post I promised myself to focus my blog content. I started some articles on different subjects, but could not make a decision. Recently something happened that inspired me, a picture drawn by a Fourth Grader.

I had the usual basic public school art classes and remember when I saved money from my paper route to buy my first art book. There was a farm picture in there that I drew 200 + times. To this day I could probably draw it with my eyes closed. In high school I took an art course and a drafting course. Trust me when I say that drafting will teach you strict discipline in drawing. It wasn’t until a few years later when I enrolled in an Art School that I developed further as an artist. There I was, part time, building a portfolio, a couple of submissions to neighborhood art festivals and some work for friends. I enjoyed it off and on for years, then I wandered astray and when I came back, I realized that art is like many things in life; use it or lose it. It is somewhat like riding a bike, some things remain. However, when I tried to draw, I noticed that certain things where eluding me and I had lost the edge. So, I decided to review the basics, and relearn to draw.

I went through my collection of art and school books and searched the Internet. Nothing moved me and a voice inside my head kept repeating to go to the library. I went and started sorting through the titles. “Yes, I own this one and oh, I have already read that.” Then suddenly a book on light and shadow caught my eye. I have never had any major problems with tones and shadows, but I grabbed it anyway. Pulling it from the shelf, two papers fell from the back of the book folded neatly together. One was a report card from a fourth grader and the other a drawing. The picture had mistakes, but was actually very, very good. I used the picture as an inspiration for my drawing. I should have taken a picture of the work to publish on my blog for comparison. Was it the fourth grader’s picture? I do not know for sure, but it is very possible.

A page from my sketchbook

People have approached me in restaurants, the  park etc. because they noticed I was drawing and were interested. Many times I heard "You can draw? I have always wanted to." When I tried to explain that it was actually simple they would reply; "I can't draw anything but a stick man." I would show them some of my simple sketchbook art. They would then mention the cost of all the stuff needed.

As a result, I started thinking that there are many mistaken beliefs about basic art, one being that it is some special gift given to a few. As children we created art in one form or another automatically. Later it seems we just pushed this gift back deep into our minds and forgot about it. Humankind has had the gift of art for centuries. Even the caveman created cave art. There are great professional resources and information on art (books, schools, Internet) available, presenting valuable knowledge, techniques and tips (for example; the art of perspective drawing was unknown for centuries). Yet few have presented it from a student’s (beginner's) personal perspective. Starting out takes little time and money.

Do not get me wrong; a strong knowledgeable understanding of the basics will help immensely. Practice and experience are the key. I have a couple of self-taught artist friends who are great artists and are discovering some previously unknown information (tips, techniques) that they wish they had known sooner. However, starting out on the journey does not have to begin with a multitude of information and homework. It can be a fulfilling and fun learning experience.

The hardest part is starting , building self-confidence, developing that childhood gift, the rest will come later. Okay, some seem to be better at art than others, but isn't this something that happens with most things in life. It does not mean you can not be great.You just may have to take a bit more time. Hopefully, sharing my experiences and mistakes will make this easier and more enjoyable, so you will not have to learn the hard way. I will leave the major knowledge to the professionals, but correlate that information to my real world experiences. This is a basic beginner’s resource to help begin the journey. After you start to enjoy art, you may want to expand your horizons and learn more from professional resources.