I had a short conversation with my daughter this week about the lost art of darning (socks). Strangely it lead me contemplate the lost art of drawing...and rather than go round the hamster wheel of the art debate, I decided to start improving on my particular lost set of drawing skills.
I have enlisted the help of two really excellent books. Here is the first one
Written by Mick Maslen and Jack Southern, it's a brilliant set of exercises and drawings to look at. However, rather like a good cookery book, it has sat on my shelf for a year. I have rarely actually DONE the exercises in it, thinking that looking at it would somehow make me a better cook (or artist). Anyhow, here goes....
This exercise is to position your paper in front of you (sitting or standing). Use any drawing instrument you like. Then shut your eyes (and don't open them at all). Draw with your dominant hand in response to feeling the contours and textures of your face with the other hand. I did three like this.
I think it's half an hour very well spent.
Plus, at the end I felt like I had had a facial (!)... which I can only explain by the fact I was touching my face with a sensitivity not usually afforded day to day. Another revelation.
By drawing three (below), my brain was frantically trying to beat the exercise and really concentrate on scale and placement - trying to map the exact distances my fingers had moved and scale it to the page. Well, this might be good if the sensitivity still remained, I was thinking to myslef. But then, with all that effort in the wrong direction (thinking, not feeling), I opened my eyes for a split second....(oh Maaan!). Resist looking and relax I told myself... but the charm had gone. Have a go.
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