Hands and Feet: Direct response

You’d think I drew the left foot first, wouldn’t you – but no, it was the right. I had diffculty because I started with the little toe instead of the big.

Having realised this I did another – this time starting with the big toes on both feet and voila:

Why beginning with the big toes should help with getting lines in the right places I have no idea – it’s not how I would start if I was looking at the paper. I then drew my right hand, but this was a bit tricky – I had my sketchbook on my knee and nothing to hold it with. Not a bad result however, but I don’t know why it’s so huge!

I have tried doing these drawings from photographs but as with any other drawing, I find it much harder and less enjoyable. I do draw from photographs, but I really don’t understand those people who seem to prefer it.- I’d pick drawing from life any day.

People

Another sketch from the barbecue, done again. without looking at the paper.. This is done with watercolour pencils but unfortunately the scanner doesn’t pick up the tones where I added water.

Barbeque

Went to a barbeque last night and did a few sketches. I ‘modified’ them – I did look at the paper occasionally.

Gardeners

Sat in my local park, drawing the gardeners.

Direct response

Red Pepper

Blind contour/direct response. I was pleased with how this one came out and I think it’s about time I began tackling more demanding subjects.

Drawing with my eyes closed

How I feel

Self portrait with eyes closed & vertical lines

Circles

In order to liberate his drawing  from representational marks, Cy Twombly began drawing in the dark shortly after he left art school. I love Twombly’s work, it is so enigmatic and I feel, if I study it for long enough, I might be able to decipher his personal code. His huge, mysterious canvases really draw me in and move me – they seem to be strange communications from his soul directly to mine. He is the only abstract expressionist  I really relate to and I think it’s because his work is as much about drawing as painting,

I thought that I would try drawing in the dark – but I’m usually asleep, so I did  the next best thing and drew with my eyes closed. It was liberating and fun – definitely something else I want to explore further.

Weighing out: Direct Response

I did some sketching at my local food co-op the other day, after I had done my shopping. This is one of the sketches I did, again looking only at the subject and responding.

Continuous tone

Click for a better view.

No lines, just continuous tone. No plan – I did not know what I would draw I just let the marks be my guide. I started in the middle of the paper and worked out. I don’t think I’m going to analyse what I’ve drawn though!

Apples – direct response

Click for a better view

Another drawing without looking at the paper at all. The British artist Rob Pepper spent a year or so drawing like this – he called it ‘conscious reflex  drawing’. I’m not sure that describes what I’m doing, nor are they strictly speaking blind contour drawings as the subjects are at a small distance and I’m not trying to describe every detail. I think ‘direct response’ drawing is the most accurate description.

Not looking at the paper

Blind contour drawing of a pepper in coloured pencil. Looks a bit strange as I had to increase the levels so you could see the drawing. I think I’ll be doing quite a lot of these.