Staying Focused

Staying focused on your goals on a daily basis is difficult, but important!

Ask yourself, "Is what I'm doing right this moment serving my purpose...serving my ultimate goal?"

If at that moment your actions are not serving your goals, take a moment to assess the situation and proceed to the next action that will!

That being said...back to the drawing board! :)

Quote of the day - "Inspiration does exist, but it must find you working."
Pablo Picasso
Spanish Cubist painter (1881 - 1973)

Where does inspiration come from? Many times I have been inspired as I worked on a piece. Suddenly my muse comes along and beats me about the head and shoulders with a creativity stick! It is like "brainstorming". One thought leads to another and another and another and so on.

I keep a notebook in which I write my daily "to do's" and I also jot down any ideas that come to mind. My list grows almost on a daily basis. It grows all the time. I keep it for those times when I just don't know what I want to do next. At these times I open my list and read through my previous ideas. Some are good; some are bad, but I will never hit a wall as far as inspiration. Who knows...there could be a masterpiece in my list just waiting to be created.

Happy Drawing!
Laura

The Great Debate......

Rescently this topic was introduced in the Workshops Forum Moderated by Troy Rochfort at Artpapa.com Since this topic was a part of my previous article I decided to offer it for consideration. You can see the full thread here

This is my response to the age old debate regarding using alternate means of measurement vs free hand.


So first let me give a bit of history about how I came to be here. As some
of you know already I briefly attended AIP where all of these methods were
taught at one time or another in the Graphics Design classes. Graphing,
tracing and transfers were used to speed up the process. Tools of the trade to
be used accordingly. In commercial art... any business for that matter...
time is money.

Fast forward 25 years and I found myself offering to do simple sketches of
customers in a restaurant. Mind you, I had only done the occassional sketch
or pen and ink drawing for my own pleasure during those previous years.
I was quite rusty to say the least. My first drawings were done freehand
and not done well. The old adage...if you don't use it you lose it...in my
case was true. What to do...hmmm?

So recalling the tricks of the trade I had learned those many years ago I
tried graphing which requires some drawing skills...didn't turn out so well.
Then I tried tracing...one slip of the paper and everything becomes a mess.
My final resort enlarging the photograph and applying graphite to the back
of the computer printed image. Then applying the transfer directly to the
drawing surface.

After an attempt or two I learned to control the pressure used to apply
the transfer without ruining the drawing surface. I would then
proceed to a finished portrait. Transferring also allowed me to rearrange my
subjects as well as produce more work in less time. A blessing to a mother
of 4 growing daughters. The end result an accurate portrait with
recognizable likeness of the subject(s), and happy customers. Win / win situation.

On the other hand did I feel like a fraud...Yes, I did! I always explained my process
to anyone interested. I never presented my drawings as something they were not.
Could I bring life to them? Yes, in a way, but they were not mine from conception
to completion.

Did I consider these sketches and drawings to be fine art. For myself, no, I
considered them to be commercial art.

Do I still use these methods? Not unless I feel they are necessary. They are tooIs
available to the artist the same as a hammer and nails to a carpenter. I prefer
to draw free hand. It is challenging as well as expressive. I am very happy
with the results...most of the time.

Do I hold it against anyone else for using these methods? No, I do not!
In my honest opinion, freehand, gridding, tracing, and transfers are a
matter of choice. I'll finish up by saying... it is not the method that makes the art....
it is the Artist.

"Abandoned" finished!!!

Well it's finished!!! I have entered "Abandoned" into the SAA Spring Exhibit at Eastern Gateway Community College! The exhibit opens Saturday, May 7th and runs thru May 21st!!! There are many amazing artist exhibiting this year! You will be amazed...I know I am!

As technology advances industry goes through cycles. Some manufacturers go the way of the dinosaur as was the case of Kaul Clay. In it's day it was actually the largest manufacturer of clay sewage pipes in the world. The history of the site is quite colorful including a labor related riot resulting in the death of a local man.

Here is a link if you would like to read about it! Kaul Clay I hope you enjoy the work and the history of this piece!

Have an amazing day!
Laura

Small update....

I only have a week to finish this...cross your fingers! Here's an update to hopefully keep me on track!

Wish me luck!!!
Laura

"Abandoned" update

I only have a few weeks left to get this finished. I'm happy with the progress so far. Just have to keep chugging along! Stay tuned for the next update...should be in a day or two! Chug-a-chug-a-chug-a-chug! :)

Things I've learned in the past 8 years of drawing! Part 2

6. Practice! Practice! Practice!
Keep a sketchbook and draw everyday!!! Invest in a hardbound sketchbook
that you can carry everywhere. Observe people places and things and record them
in your sketchbook. The repetition of drawing everyday builds eye hand
coordination and muscle memory. A sketchbook allows you to instantly track
your progress!

7. Gridding Vs. Freehand
Many purists will tell you that gridding or transferring are cheating, but,
in my opinion, these are just tools of the trade. Just like any other tool they have
their place. I would use them only as needed. I personally work freehand. I enjoy
the challenge and I feel that I needed to strengthen my abillity to see and trans-
late what I see to paper. You must decide what works best for you!

8. References
If you are working from a photo reference, preferably your own, always use
the best . Good lighting and contrast as well as a wide range of values are a must.
If you can't see the details don't use the photo!!!

9. Slow Down!!!
Take your time! Rome wasn't built in a day! Our brains have the
wonderful abillity to catalog everything around us. We see a trunk, some
branches and leaves and we know it is a tree, however, in order to draw
realistically we must slow down and really "see" the details.

10. If at first you don't succeed...try...try again!!!
I can't say this enough (see number 6)... Practice! Practice! and when you're
sick of practicing, take a break and draw some more! Master Graphite Artist,
Linda Huber, calls this the 3 P's...Patience, Practice and Percerverience!
If you practice the 3 P's you will surpass even your own expecations.

These are only the tip of the iceburgh and there is so much more to learn.
Remember you are the best teacher you will ever have. Anyone can tell you how
to draw, but only by doing will you learn. I hope these tips will help you as you
continue on your artistic adventure. Check back with me as I will be expanding
on each of these topics as well as a few more I haven't mentioned in the weeks
to come.

Keep your eyes open and your pencils sharp!

Laura Thrasher
Graphite Artist