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.