I spent the morning preparing half sheets of watercolor paper with gesso texture and collage etc. Tomorrow is the Drawing Marathon at the Palo Alto Cultural Center and I wanted to try some different ideas for the 20 minute poses. I missed the water aerobics class at the JCC, so I decided to take a walk and do some suburban sketching for the day's exercise. The day was gorgeous and I had my new touch iPod warmed up, so I set out. I am so jealous of those fantastic artists on Urban Sketchers who do these near perfect architectural drawings. I think the rule on their site is no working from photographs. I am just in awe of their ability. It is very humbling to stumble through my attempts at on sight sketching. Practice, Practice, Practice! I am getting better at evaluating the perspective angles but I have a long way to go. My windows in this building are all different sizes!! It is a puzzlement how I can draw a face so accurately and the figure, as well, but buildings and mechanical things, et al are so darn hard. Drawing should be drawing, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Well, I did enjoy the fresh air and the challenge. Anyway, Life isn't any fun if you have mastered everything. It's always good to have something to aim for that is just out of reach. If it is too easy, it's boring for me and I'm ready to move on to the next thing. I think that's why I like watercolor so much. It's always a challenge and a genuine sense of accomplishment when it comes out they way you wanted. None of these watercolors rates a gold star, but tomorrow is another day.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
FOSTER CITY SKETCH CRAWL FOR ONE!
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4 comments:
Hi Myrna,
You are amazing - always ready for a new experience and challenge. I love visiting here. Wondering if your love of organic shapes, including the human form and face, makes it easier for you to draw them so well. Seems an artist naturally leans either toward organic shapes or more linear, graphic shapes. Maybe those architectural artists would struggle mightily with faces??? Keep charging forward. Love it.
Hi Myrna, It's funny how the brain needs to "change gears" sometimes. That's what it sounds like to me when you describe the difference between drawing and painting portraits and landscapes. I find it inspiring to see the range of subjects you embrace.
I find buiding hard to draw also. I always blamed it on my astigmatism. All my building seem to lean and all my horizon lines are at an angle. Maybe if I could tip my head just right, my lines would not lean.
I fully relate. I go nuts trying to sketch linear shapes or render the landscape, or do repetitive windows. I think it's easier to paint something that really speaks to me and has a story. And buildings, well... they don't speak. at least not to me.
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