So about this drawing thing...

I've been thinking about this for a while and I think it probably will motivate me to keep working so here are a few pages from one of my sketch books. I am using several books and the web site drawspace.com to try and improve my skills. I am also lucky enough to have a couple of friends who can draw who can offer suggestions. I think this multi pronged approach is good for me. I get bored and frustrated very easily but this way I always have something else I could try. When something isn't working I can give up and do something else.

The first picture is the kind of sketch I usually use. It is enough to remind me of an idea of something simple I have seen. At the moment it I see something more complex I have to find a camera, and that is something I would like to reduce. I would live to be able to capture the essence of what I see with just a pencil and a piece of paper. This sketch will probably become a quilt at some point, but it hasn't entirely settled as an idea yet.

The second picture is the result of someone (or something) telling me to just draw what I have to hand. I always have plenty of spools of thread to hand so that is what I chose. It also didn't look too scary. I enjoyed actually looking at how the thread was wound onto it and I think that was the crucial feature of it. Piles of fabric had also been suggested as a good thing to draw, so while I was in bed with a cold I drew the dressing gown hung on the door. I see now how fabric does have very clear light and dark areas but I am not too sure about drawing the light places. I suppose I have to leave the light bits but draw the medium and dark?

Finally the face is from the drawing lessons at drawingspace.com. If you are interested bug me and I will dig out the proper URL. You have to join up (free) to access the lessons and you can only view them online unless you pay money, but I think they are pretty good. There are some I don't really get but I seem to be finding harder lessons easier than the easy ones so I guess I must be learning something. I am hoping that having put these up I will be encouraged to practice some more and draw better things so I can show you how it goes, so feel free to bug me if I don't put anything up for a while. I would also appreciate any feedback and tips from those out there who can draw or are in the process of learning.

Oh, and of course I got round to it today to avoid clearing up my desk. It is all a case of what you are not doing.