Tuesday 26th August - Art Books I used

 I promised I would blog a list of the various places which I have found most encouraging in learning to paint and draw convincing myself that I'm not as rubbish as I thought at art.

After all, I knew I was 'no good', hadn't several art teachers told me so? Of course I know now that drawing and painting, like playing and instrument, or singing, aren't just 'talents you are born with, or born without'. They are learned skills. Taking it to genuis levels, making a professional living as an artist, or musician other creative person is a mixture of exceptional talent, hare work and luck. 

I decided to ignore my 'inner critic' and just pretend that I was 'okay, even reasonably good' at art, and do it anyway. As a teacher I was always telling students not to be hard on themselves over mistakes, but treat them as learning opportunities. It was high time to take my own advice.

So;

'Drawing with Children' by Mona Brookes was a good starting point; especially the observation (copying) exercises and the way she shows how to break down simple objects into combinations of The Alphabet of shapes

I guess this is when I started to think 'this might be possible for me'. Plus I found the copying exercises strangely calming...

The next big drawing influence was Mark Kistler's book 'You can learn to draw in 30 days'. It ABSOLUTELY did what it said it would do! 

Lesson 1. I drew an apple. Just like that. Astonishing. If I can, you can!

I don't think I have really studied a proper drawing book since; apart from a 'Learn to Draw Faces' book on my kindle scribe which I try out from time to time;

Now for the painting side;

I started off with the Collins Gem Watercolour series - really!

Hazel Soan 10 Minute Watercolours and Ian King Watercolour Tips. I just picked out pictures in the books and copied the hints and instructions. I used decent-ish watercolour paints; the sets we used in school as children are really disappointing and discouraging to use. I remember a piano pupil's reaction to trying my watercolours (she hadn't done and piano practice and was studying for her GCSE art, so why not!). She instantly noticed how much better and easier mine were to use.

I had a book of terrible paper, it was some kind of journal I had been given with really simplistic foliage illustrations. I called it 'my book of mistakes', and even though the paper soaked up water like blotting paper I was still surprised at my results from following the Collins Gems books worked.

After that it was just a case of finding youtube videos that looked interesting, and following them. Once I had got the idea of how they did a certain thing, I just carried on in my own way. 

I'm a scribbly sort of sketcher. I think this is because I like using a waterproof fine liner which means I can't erase any dud lines. I just keep drawing until it comes out about right (or becomes completely clear that it will never be right) and then add colour on top (which is when I discover if I used the right kind of pen...)

Here's a random selection of sketches from years gone by.

I'm not sure what happened to the shape of the cat below...

A random selection of sketches from years gone by.

Even if a drawing/sketch/painting doesn't work, I try not to be mean to myself... just take a moment to consider what went wrong and then move on.

Finally; I refrained from drawing stick men and really 'kiddy' pictures, but tried to give whatever I was drawing a decent amount of attention, and I set the bar for 'success' very, very low. I count it a 'win' if I don't actually have to label every item, or write a full description! After all, if you look at the tree above (copied from somewhere or other, no doubt) it's hardly a Leonardo da Vinci, but I love the colours (Prussian Blue and a sort of olive green all blurring into each other, while attempting to avoid the middle of the tree). The tree is just a bundle of scribbly lines until the tree shape emerged.

It's a bit like improvising jazz (which I'm very unpractised in!) 

Miles Davies famously said 'Do not fear mistakes. There are none'.

Music

Miles Davies; Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

  

The link to the Schumann Papillons that I shared yesterday didn't work. Here's another version; *(fingers crossed!)