My 1/2 hour drawing sessions recording 'small treasures' has worked well getting me back into good habits ( along with the kickstart of City Lit drawing class and sketching Tuesdays in Museums). As with when I started making Journal Quilts in 2003, the appeal is fitting something creative in when life is very hectic and larger projects are impossible. They provide opportunities to explore new materials and techniques and if they don't work, well you've learnt from it. I like that they don't need to be for anything, just themselves, and my observational skills , have improved no end. I'm also currently in love with the 5 1/2 inch square Seawhite sketchbook I'm using.
So while away for the weekend on Portland, besides studies of some of the wonderful pebbles on Chesil Beach ( which I carefully rehomed after I drew them - you're not allowed, quite rightly, to take them away ) , I moved on to recording larger views, while still sticking to the half hour rule.
The views from 'The Heights' over Chesil were wonderful, especially in late afternoon, drawing from the restaurant after a cream tea (me) and a beer(Ian)
"They provide opportunities to explore new materials and techniques and if they don't work, well you've learnt from it. I like that they don't need to be for anything, just themselves, and my observational skills , have improved no end."
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you included this thought. From the time I started learning to play piano up until just a few years ago, I have always chafed at practicing, doing samples, just trying something out with no purpose in mind. I wanted to get to the real thing and not "waste" my time on scales or repetitive exercises, the list goes on and on. It is only since I've started dabbling in art journaling, and particularly getting back into sketching that I've become comfortable with spending my time on things that "don't need to be for anything". I guess I've always felt the need to justify how I am spending my time, in the good old fashioned Puritan Work Ethic Way of producing something useful. But as you say, these sorts of things have so much value to my own growth. It is liberating to know I can sketch whatever I want, poorly or well, just for the sake of using those particular "muscles" that need toning. I don't have to produce something for a larger public, something perfect. I can just engross myself in the doing, not worry about the ending.