“Which road do I take?” asked Alice. “Where do you want to go?” asked the Cheshire Cat. “I don’t know” said Alice. “Then it doesn’t matter”, said the cat. [Lewis Caroll]
Today I’m 44 and still full of doubts, not knowing where I want to go… Looking for my Perfect Line in my drawings, striving to find “My Style”. I still feel like a beginner…
But this is no problem, I discovered lately. It keeps your work fresh and your mind engaged: keep thinking like a beginner!
When I started painting and drawing again after about 20 years of doing “nothing” (but working to make a living…) it felt terrible, like starting from zero. I felt my art looked like a four year old made it! But at least four year old kids don’t feel shame about their art and are having fun making it. I did feel ashamed and had no fun at all. I was just suffering! It felt like muscles you stop using, or languages you stop speaking: they kind of disappear, but with exercise they do come back!
A book that helped me get over this period was Danny Gregory’s book “Everyday Matters”. It’s a memoir about a part of his life, where he learns himself how to draw. The beautiful text and the drawing process is very inspiring.
He explains very well that drawing is about seeing: stop seeing the world in symbols (a nose like a triangle, an eye like a circle with another circle in it,…), but really look at the shapes, the curves, the bumps, the contours and the shadows. Looking at people and things like that make you see beauty and love everywhere. Slow down your life and draw… There’s beauty in everything when you look this way: everything is unique, special, interesting and beautiful.
But then, when that first line that you have imagined in your head is finally on paper, you find it flat and ugly, and the monkeys in your head will tell you to stop: “You don’t have to keep doing this, you’re not talented enough, it’s not really your fault: nobody in your family is artistic, you will get hurt by people laughing at you and make a fool of yourselves,” These monkeys want to bring you into safety, away from the risks of the critics, but they also take you away from new experiences, from growing, from joy… So don’t listen to the critics and the monkeys and get back to the pen and paper and paint and draw, draw, draw more!
And by continuing to draw, you suddenly will feel a shift. You will look down at your sweaty paper and a part of of the drawing will look good! You can do it!
Don’t listen to the critics, don’t let them prevent you from having fun and showing up. Giving critique is easy, to make a thing isn’t.
And by drawing regularly, you can find “Your Line”. It will not be perfect. (Perfection is boring! Perfection has no personality!) No, Your Line will show your truth and your personality. Did I find my line? I think so, but there are different kinds of lines, depending on my mood and because I am like that: I like to do many different things… Be who You are: it’s about Your truth.
And especially: have fun!
Here are some interesting questions I found in “Sketchbookskool” , in Danny Gregory’s online class (great place by the way if you like sketchbooks: http://sketchbookskool.com/)
Why are you here? What’s the story of your creativity, lost, frustrated or not fully formed? What do you want from making art? What’s been getting in your way? How far have you come, what’s blocking the road, and what lies on the other side?
Tell me in the comments below!
Barbara, am so glad I have met you in Sketcbook skool couple days ago. I have already suscribed in your mailing list and I enjoye a lot your posts in your blog!!! thank you so much for all the so great insights!!! my warmest regards, Christina
Barbara, am so glad I have met you in Sketcbook skool couple days ago. I have already suscribed in your mailing list and I enjoye a lot your posts in your blog!!! thank you so much for all the so great insights!!! my warmest regards, Christina
(I forgot to put my fb page before…)
Thank you so much Christina! This comment means a lot to me ❤️
The Ira Glass piece was beautifully cultivated and spot-on perfect for inspiration. I loved the rolling moving text current that matched his speech.
Thank you for sharing Barbara!
thank you so much dear Pamela !
Thank you for your email and for this lovely post. I’m looking forward to reading Danny’s book – and to hearing more from you.
btw: Love the watercolor on top here – so lively and joyous!
Thank you so much dear Mary !
Barbara, I enjoy your posts. Perfectionism is poison to good art. Been there; done that. It doesn’t work. Much happier being my imperfect self. Thanks.
Hi Ray!
Thank you so much!!! I appreciate your comment very much!
Barbara
Barbara, thank you for your encouraging words. Interestingly I had a breakthrough yesterday! I went downtown at lunch to enjoy the sunshine and sketch a section of the city skyline. Somehow my mind connected with my pen that connected with my paper and everything happening seemed “right”. Was it a masterpiece? No, but I got a vision for the direction I would like to see my style develop. After years of mark-making, this is a happy place to be! Thanks for letting me share
Wow Wendy‼️ that’s a wonderful story to read! It sounds like you were in a real flow there, drawing from the right side of your brain, the emotional part of you!
I hope you share the rest of your creative journey as well . Have a great day !
Hi Barbra,
Danny Gregory is who got me in to sketch-booking about 8 years ago. I read his books, looked at the pictures for a long time and tried some drawing. Ugh! Not good generally, but then… I started looking/seeing different parts of the pictures and liking some parts. I knew i wasn’t drawing for anyone else so i just put pen to paper. I have filled quite a few sketch books which generally don’t see the light of day for anyone else (maybe family). Our local art society had an exhibition that we could put anything in so i put my sketchbooks. Wow! Lots of validation there but it has pushed me through to putting a daily practice in. Just do it. Some lines i don’t like but some lines i love!! Enjoying it more. The more you do the better you get.
Yesssss Lisa, that’s right !!!
Dear Barbara, I feel fortunate to have met you (going to Tours &Taxus with Urban Sketching). I didn’t realise than how special you are. Your newsletter wand links are wonderful! Thank you so much!!
I really hope we can sketch or paint together again soon!
Have a great weekend!
Kind regards,
Chris De Coninck
@art.cri.cri
Thank you so much ☺️♥️♥️♥️