Wednesday, 9/22/10 - Sketching!

I decided one day that I wanted to paint...real things that looked like themselves once placed on the canvas. I wasn't expecting a lot.  If the thing even remotely looked like what it was supposed to...then I think I would have been happy with the outcome, (at that time.)  I went to a 'sort of' oil painting class...I say sort of because there wasn't much real direction to it.  Part of the small direction I did get though, was that I didn't have to 'draw' out the picture before starting to paint it, or I at least didn't have to make some intricate sketch first.  We were painting a still life of vegetables, so the 'instructor' came over and lightly -with the brush and a tiny bit of thinned out paint,- he laid in the most basic edges of the veggies...very simple. Then he handed me the brush and told me to paint what I saw.  This was most terrific for me because I'm afraid that if anyone had ever told me I would have to draw or sketch out the painting first---I might have just said forget about it right then and there.

But I cannot express enough how important drawing is!  I have come to see this for myself, but must admit I still do not sketch enough.  I have been pretty good at jotting down ideas...but have failed to keep them all together in one notebook, and then much gets lost.  So, with organizing, I am committing to keeping these ideas together in a special sketchbook, and carrying it everywhere!  Then when I'm out and see something that sparks an idea I can capture the idea right then and there.

Now that I am more willing to sketch, so much comes out that I would never have had before....so many fun little people, faces, creatures etc...it just happens when you least expect it, when you are just fooling around.  I have also seen the benefit in my painting.  I like to paint faces a lot, and if you do not get a light sketch on there first and have a good idea as to if the eyes match etc...then when you go to paint, you will spend a whole lot of time drying the paint and re correcting.  After a while, no matter how stubborn you might be, you come to understand the immense benefit of correcting a light mark of hard charcoal versus half a painted face!

Here are some light sketches on canvas board.  The sketches are from the photos shown of our friend's child....she's a beautiful girl, and quite an inspirational subject.  I'll get them painted eventually, and post them again.

What's really amazing and wonderful, is when you're sketching and all the sudden ---there they are....the person is looking right back at you, and WOW!!!

Go do a sketch and have some fun with it! Let me know how it goes???!!!

Til Tomorrow, Cynthia