I was going to say this - you can tell what Holly is completely comfortable drawing. This is true of every artist - no matter the skill level. A really comical example of this in the art world is how many paintings exist where the fabric is amazing but the faces are stunted and weird; or the old masters who apparently didn't know that children have different proportions than adults.
I don't see lack of skill in the lamp, just a bit of timidity, which is fixable. If I were telling you how to fix it I'd say draw it again a few times. But also look - look at why it looks like it pops out from the background. Why does it have shape and dimension? What lines are you seeing that contribute to that? Drawing is about seeing more than anything else.
Do a ten-minute drawing every day, and throw out reference photos for those. Drawing from memory will allow you to see more, and allow your brain to work out problems with how things relate to each other. Even if you just start with shapes - that's how we started in art class. Every day, another gesture drawing. Get the shapes right.
Thanks for this post, will refer to it for reference.
Here is what has worked for me, especially when creatively 'stuck'. What all of these do (for me) is stimulate the imagination, suspend self-judgment, and force me to create the lines, shades, and moods with limited tools in a space and time that doesn't overwhelm me.
- Drawing (or painting) with the non-dominant hand (for me, the left hand) only.
- Not starting with an endpoint or subject in mind, just seeing where the drawing takes me.
- Working in small sizes (even postcard size or smaller) to force a time limit .
- Limiting my choice of pen, pencil, marker or ink to 1 type of thickness.
- Limiting my stroke to lines or curves or dots.
- Limiting choice of colors to only primary red / yellow / blue and mixing to get other variations, or limiting to white and black and mixing to get grayscale.
That you’re tackling a subjective subject that has objective criteria and with so much room for legitimate criticism is enormous. Certainly you want to do good work, but I also hope you enjoy the process. It can be devastating to get worked up on process and forget why you started in the first place. I’m not a bassist by any means but when I pick up mine and noodle around, I’m in a pretty happy place. Peace.
I loved this post, Holly. It makes me want to take out the drawing book (I have the one you mentioned, but I did more exercises from an older one with short exercises by an artist who worked with Disney way back when) and pencils. I've been in a bad mood lately watching what's going on in our country. Maybe it's time to draw. (I mean, I collect hobbies so I'll have to fit this in with the quilt I'm working on with my daughters, and my very first knitted sock which will take ages... but drawing is fairly quick!).
You draw people SO WELL!
Of all of the accounts I follow on Substack, yours is consistently the most mind and soul nourishing.
When I was a kid I’d get lost in my drawings, probably took me to an alpha wave brain state. I need to get back to some kind of art, find that time and place… it’s been too long.
There’s a TV show Nathan For You - Season 1, Ep. 4. The Caricature Artist part of that episode is a must see. If you can please watch and let me know what you think.
When I shared your drawing of the oil lamp, people remarked especially on how much they liked the grain in the wainscoting.
I was going to say this - you can tell what Holly is completely comfortable drawing. This is true of every artist - no matter the skill level. A really comical example of this in the art world is how many paintings exist where the fabric is amazing but the faces are stunted and weird; or the old masters who apparently didn't know that children have different proportions than adults.
I don't see lack of skill in the lamp, just a bit of timidity, which is fixable. If I were telling you how to fix it I'd say draw it again a few times. But also look - look at why it looks like it pops out from the background. Why does it have shape and dimension? What lines are you seeing that contribute to that? Drawing is about seeing more than anything else.
Do a ten-minute drawing every day, and throw out reference photos for those. Drawing from memory will allow you to see more, and allow your brain to work out problems with how things relate to each other. Even if you just start with shapes - that's how we started in art class. Every day, another gesture drawing. Get the shapes right.
Thanks for the article - loved seeing your work.
Also: a fun book - just a notebook, but makes you think - is grids & guides / A notebook for visual thinkers. Highly recommend.
Thanks for this post, will refer to it for reference.
Here is what has worked for me, especially when creatively 'stuck'. What all of these do (for me) is stimulate the imagination, suspend self-judgment, and force me to create the lines, shades, and moods with limited tools in a space and time that doesn't overwhelm me.
- Drawing (or painting) with the non-dominant hand (for me, the left hand) only.
- Not starting with an endpoint or subject in mind, just seeing where the drawing takes me.
- Working in small sizes (even postcard size or smaller) to force a time limit .
- Limiting my choice of pen, pencil, marker or ink to 1 type of thickness.
- Limiting my stroke to lines or curves or dots.
- Limiting choice of colors to only primary red / yellow / blue and mixing to get other variations, or limiting to white and black and mixing to get grayscale.
That you’re tackling a subjective subject that has objective criteria and with so much room for legitimate criticism is enormous. Certainly you want to do good work, but I also hope you enjoy the process. It can be devastating to get worked up on process and forget why you started in the first place. I’m not a bassist by any means but when I pick up mine and noodle around, I’m in a pretty happy place. Peace.
I loved this post, Holly. It makes me want to take out the drawing book (I have the one you mentioned, but I did more exercises from an older one with short exercises by an artist who worked with Disney way back when) and pencils. I've been in a bad mood lately watching what's going on in our country. Maybe it's time to draw. (I mean, I collect hobbies so I'll have to fit this in with the quilt I'm working on with my daughters, and my very first knitted sock which will take ages... but drawing is fairly quick!).
You draw people SO WELL!
Of all of the accounts I follow on Substack, yours is consistently the most mind and soul nourishing.
https://a.co/d/85yLOuH
Thank you!
When I was a kid, I loved to draw. This encourages me to take it up again. Thanks.
I have a new favorite drawing. The baby. That’s because I am a sucker for a baby in any context. I love love love babies❗️
I probably should qualify my comment by saying that it is because you drew the baby to be so lifelike that I appreciate it so much.
If it didn’t look like a real baby I might not like it too much.
As someone constantly inspired by nature and wanting to capture it, yet also self limiting with the I can't draw narrative, I feel imspired!
When I was a kid I’d get lost in my drawings, probably took me to an alpha wave brain state. I need to get back to some kind of art, find that time and place… it’s been too long.
There’s a TV show Nathan For You - Season 1, Ep. 4. The Caricature Artist part of that episode is a must see. If you can please watch and let me know what you think.
Found it https://youtu.be/wUY_i5Tco68?si=LJ5n1X_A2WSqC5hJ