learn to draw

Well, my drawing class is done. I have loved it. I will be doing many more classes and courses I am sure of it. I have done some other drawing at home and love just sitting down with paper and pencil.

This is a life long task. I will probably never be good enough and never stop learning, however I have decided to tick this off my list as I am well on my way.

So far I have been to 3 drawing classes. Each one is that little bit better than the last as the repertoire of techniques I am learning grows and the skills I am learning are beginning to be put into practice. We have been mainly doing exercises to learn the techniques, with a small drawing of some description at the end of the class.

Week One

The first week we did line work and ellipses using compressed charcoal and willow charcoal. It was mainly about putting marks on the paper and getting the feel of the medium. We also talked some about perspective and how to draw what is actually there. We finished by doing some boxes and a still life – lines only, no shading.

Week Two

This week was that bit better. We learned different methods of shading and how to work out tones etc. Again we used compressed charcoal and willow charcoal, but also added graphite sticks and charcoal pencils. We finished with a drawing of a piece of fruit, concentrating on the tones we were seeing. I did a capsicum and decided to do it from the end rather than the side, which made it distinctly harder. But it was fun.

Week Three.

My favorite so far. This week we used the compressed charcoal, willow charcoal, charcoal pencils, and graphite sticks again, but also included soft pastels, mainly greys and white. We started with techniques again. Just ways of making marks and making different patterns/textures etc. We learnt the “draw & rub” technique where you put down some marks/shading etc in whatever technique you are using, then using either a kneadable eraser or plastic eraser taking some off to make the required effect. Then layering to get depth etc. Doing the techniques was a lot of fun this week, cos we really just got to go crazy. :o) Then we started doing a landscape drawing. I did not get a lot of it done, but my goal for this weekend is to get it at least half finished so that I can get Elizabeth to have a look next week. Ideally I will get it done, but we will see how I go.

This weekend I am also going to go to the Art Gallery and have a look. I have never been there – believe it or not – and am looking forward to seeing some of the truly amazing pieces that are there.

I only have 2 weeks left of this class which is a bit sad, but I am really inspired to do another class once I have had time to practice all of this a lot more.

so i wanna

Am taking a sketching class. I love it! Very beginning, but Im wanting to practice what Ive learned in class all week long!!

Well, last night was my first drawing class. Started off a bit slow, but it is a beginners class so I need to expect that. We used charcoals, and graphite sticks, and willow sticks. I had never even touched any of those mediums before, so it was an interesting experience. At first it was kinda boring, just drawing lines, then boxes. Then we did some still life drawing of some bottles which was better. Just line work this week, shading and tone is next week.

I can already see the areas I need to really start to concentrate on, which is a good thing. I am enjoying it so far, adn am excited about using different mediums and learning more down the track.

hmm. I fell back with my realistic drawing training a lot, but I’ve done some quite interesting imaginary works instead. Accidentally, my mother (which is quite an objective critic for a mother!;) ) saw one of these and she liked it a lot ^^. So, I’ve shown her other pictures and I think I have her support from now on ;)

I am still really enjoying my drawing, and although I have nearly 2 weeks until my first class I am practising and I think I am doing okay. I am now really excited to see how I go at my class when I learn more about what I am actually doing, rather than just doing whatever.

No, I haven’t started my drawing class, but I have started drawing. I was too impatient to wait another couple of weeks.

Yesterday I scoured the local bookshop for Learn to Draw Books. I narrowed it down to a few then my husband – who is an extremely good sketcher – picked the one he thought would be best for me.

Last night I sat down in front of my little wooden artist man – Woody – and reached into my memory banks back to my Year 8 art classes (well over 20 years ago) and started trying to draw. I was actually pretty pleased with the result. First time I have picked up a pencil in over 20 years and I think it resmbles what it is meant to.

This morning I had another shot and tried drawing a lamp. It didn’t work out as well as Woody, but it is okay. I am really enjoying this and can’t wait until my class starts. And I am now feeling more confident. I will be going into the class still as an absolute rank beginner, but as someone who has picked up a pencil recently and is capable of making approximate shapes.

I made a resolution to draw something every day, but it’s not that easy. It’s more of a drawing each two days, which is still quite nice, but
it’s really frustrating not to be able to draw well, look at all these outstanding pictures on deviantart and then see your childish sketches :(

hah, I start to fear blank sheets of paper ;)

I want learn to draw well. I already draw but its crude amateurish. I would want to gain this as an art and not a way of life ofcourse.