Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Fundamentals of Art - Drawing

For me, one of the fundamentals of art is drawing.  For the most part not a day goes by that I do not draw.  I have heard many times from many people, "if only I could draw....then".  Well, you can draw - IF you are willing to pay the price required to learn.  I think this is true for most things.  Drawing for me is as fundamental as scales are for a musician, or writing is for a writer.  The best approach I have found for learning how to draw was developed by Betty Edwards.  Her book "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" is exceptional and if followed will give you the ability to 'see.'  The discipline to continue drawing after completing her course is essential to develop in order to truly master line.
Here are some examples of my daily drawings:


"What is a drawing?  How does one learn it?  It is working through an invisible iron wall that seems to stand between what one feels and what one can do.  How is one to get through that wall - since pounding against it is of no use?  One must undermine the wall and drill through it slowly and patiently, in my opinion.  And, look here, how can one continue to work assiduously without being disturbed or distracted from it - unless one reflects and regulates one's life according to principles?  And it is the same with other things as it is with art."  Vincent Van Gogh

1 comment:

  1. you have learned well. beautiful drawings. i read betty edward's book many, many years ago and did the exercises but never continued.

    ReplyDelete