There is nothing like attempting a self-portrait for unleashing the monster that is The Inner Critic. The last time I tried to draw myself, it was in the pre-selfie years of the 90's and I was in my 20's. My fascination with how to portray myself lost it's shine long ago, but after watching Sky Arts Portrait Artist of The Year I decided to have a play.
TIC will always manage to make you feel bad about anything you create, but with an image of you, made by you it can feast and feast...and leave you with the feeling that you never again want to p-p-p-pick up a pencil.
One of the best things about time at art college was the chance to spend all day everyday with a bunch of people who were not only passionate about being creative, but pretty good at it too. Both my Art Foundation and Degree courses were heavily weighted towards drawing, so it was not surprising that there were a lot of very good 'draughtspersons' in my year, and that we spent a lot of both college time, and evenings, hunched over a drawing.
I had a sketchbook in my hands most of the time, and like anything you practise a lot, I got quite good. Drawing is a bit like riding a bike, so you do not forget...but if you do not regularly pump up the tyres and treat the frame for rust, (not to mention taking said velocipede out for a spin regularly), you're going to be going nowhere fast.
As I put some old photos in an album earlier this year, it hit me like a bolt of lightening, how much I had gained just from watching other artists work. Yes, the college projects had stretched me (and 'some' of the tutors comments were helpful...others are etched onto my ego with indelible marker pen), but I learnt a lot from watching.
HERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT HAVE HELPED ME FEEL INSPIRED:
Sky Portrait Artist of the Year
Sky Landscape Artist of the Year
THE NATIONAL GALLERY has its' own channel on YouTube, and has filmed it's curators giving gallery talks. I have watched several and they have all been fascinating.
THE ART CHANNEL you can find mini exhibition tours of all the latest shows in London. Your down-to-earth guides keep it pithy and give you all the background, as well as picking out favourite pieces. Almost as good as seeing a show yourself.
BBC ART DOCUMENTARIES YouTube provides a good supply of films on any artist or art movement you can think of. It is interesting to see how many great artists lived with significant physical or mental health problems- can you express something about your situation in art? The limitations and frustrations? The pain? The benefit system? If you feel strongly see what inspires you.
If you are stuck in bed or at home, it is well worth asking all your art-loving friends to send you any old art postcards or greetings cards, or to bring back some art postcards from their travels. You can get so much from one painting, or drawing.
Magazines on any subject- you can collage or just look out for colour combinations or subjects that appeal to you.
Equipment:
FOR DRAWING :
AND... HOW TO GET DRAWING...and make lots of mistakes.
WHEN YOU'RE TOO SICK TO DRAW ( Which is very often how I am ) you can still give your inner artist time to play.
There are 2 parts to doing any drawing: Looking, and mark- making.
I hope you can find your own source of inspiration and get on that bike, kick off the stabilizers, and see how just a very little effort can bring a lot of result. Oh...and don't forget to be kind to your own work. Imagine you are looking at something a little child has put their heart and soul into...when you think of it that way you really have to appreciate and honour everything that you create.
You are not going to draw like Picasso, you are going to do something even more special. The world already has Picasso's creativity- it is still in need of yours.
HAPPY CREATING!
THANKS FOR READING AND SUPPORTING THE CHRONIC ELEPHANT. PLEASE SHARE ON YOUR FAVOURITE SOCIAL MEDIA.
TIC will always manage to make you feel bad about anything you create, but with an image of you, made by you it can feast and feast...and leave you with the feeling that you never again want to p-p-p-pick up a pencil.
One of the best things about time at art college was the chance to spend all day everyday with a bunch of people who were not only passionate about being creative, but pretty good at it too. Both my Art Foundation and Degree courses were heavily weighted towards drawing, so it was not surprising that there were a lot of very good 'draughtspersons' in my year, and that we spent a lot of both college time, and evenings, hunched over a drawing.
I had a sketchbook in my hands most of the time, and like anything you practise a lot, I got quite good. Drawing is a bit like riding a bike, so you do not forget...but if you do not regularly pump up the tyres and treat the frame for rust, (not to mention taking said velocipede out for a spin regularly), you're going to be going nowhere fast.
As I put some old photos in an album earlier this year, it hit me like a bolt of lightening, how much I had gained just from watching other artists work. Yes, the college projects had stretched me (and 'some' of the tutors comments were helpful...others are etched onto my ego with indelible marker pen), but I learnt a lot from watching.
How the heck could I get more inspiration, when I am stuck in bed and can't get to shows, classes or hang out with artists...?!
HERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT HAVE HELPED ME FEEL INSPIRED:
Sky Portrait Artist of the Year
Sky Landscape Artist of the Year
THE NATIONAL GALLERY has its' own channel on YouTube, and has filmed it's curators giving gallery talks. I have watched several and they have all been fascinating.
THE ART CHANNEL you can find mini exhibition tours of all the latest shows in London. Your down-to-earth guides keep it pithy and give you all the background, as well as picking out favourite pieces. Almost as good as seeing a show yourself.
BBC ART DOCUMENTARIES YouTube provides a good supply of films on any artist or art movement you can think of. It is interesting to see how many great artists lived with significant physical or mental health problems- can you express something about your situation in art? The limitations and frustrations? The pain? The benefit system? If you feel strongly see what inspires you.
If you are stuck in bed or at home, it is well worth asking all your art-loving friends to send you any old art postcards or greetings cards, or to bring back some art postcards from their travels. You can get so much from one painting, or drawing.
Magazines on any subject- you can collage or just look out for colour combinations or subjects that appeal to you.
Equipment:
FOR DRAWING :
- A hard surface to lean on.
- Choose a size of sketchbook or paper that you can work on comfortably.
- A drawing implement- pens mean you can't correct, but re-sharpening pencils and rubbing out can be too tiring. Ditto crayons.
- A biro is cheap and will do hard and soft lines and doesn't make a mess.
FOR COLLAGE :
- Small, light scissors,
- A large sheet of paper (folded in half then opened out flat), placed under your work so when you are tired so you can lift the under-sheet and let the scraps slide down the central crease and into a large envelope.
- Pritt stick ( it's washable, cheap and won't stain things)
FOR COLOUR WORK :
- High Energy: Crayons, paints, inks etc
- Low Energy: felt tips, coloured pencils
AND... HOW TO GET DRAWING...and make lots of mistakes.
- Put a pen/pencil in your hand everyday even if just to doodle, or write down how you are feeling
- Trace a photo
- Sketch from the telly
- Buy a pack of blank postcards and write a word a day on a card.
- Select 2 colours and do some free drawing
- Take a pencil and see how many different types of marks you can make.
- Copy a postcard by drawing cm grid across it, each square 1cm. Repeat the grid with each square being 1cm and simply copy what you see in each square. This is an exercise in training your eye to look hard, so keep correcting each line. (You can do this as a line-drawing or use colours ).
WHEN YOU'RE TOO SICK TO DRAW ( Which is very often how I am ) you can still give your inner artist time to play.
There are 2 parts to doing any drawing: Looking, and mark- making.
- Look- REALLY LOOK! You can allow your brain to be creative even when you can't physically do anything.
- Play with some blu-tack or tin foil and see where your fingers take you.
- Or make some shapes with string, thread or ribbon, or trace around your hand to create shapes to colour. You are never to old to play.
I hope you can find your own source of inspiration and get on that bike, kick off the stabilizers, and see how just a very little effort can bring a lot of result. Oh...and don't forget to be kind to your own work. Imagine you are looking at something a little child has put their heart and soul into...when you think of it that way you really have to appreciate and honour everything that you create.
You are not going to draw like Picasso, you are going to do something even more special. The world already has Picasso's creativity- it is still in need of yours.
HAPPY CREATING!
THANKS FOR READING AND SUPPORTING THE CHRONIC ELEPHANT. PLEASE SHARE ON YOUR FAVOURITE SOCIAL MEDIA.
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