Wednesday, January 27, 2010

A Pencil, Paper and Curiosity...

It has been years and years, too many years, since I've sat down and tried to draw or sketch.

Photo above...My attempt at art...please don't laugh...or at least don't laugh too loudly.

My mother was the artist in the family, she studied and majored art in Italy. Of course having been born and raised in Italy where else would she have studied? She had an opportunity that many budding artist could only dream about.

I wish I had inherited her talent, she was gifted while I, in comparison, am scarcely mediocre. Yet mediocre or just plain bad, I had dabbled in art throughout my life, so I'm not sure why I laid it aside nor do I fully understand what motivated me to pick up my pencils again and push them around on a piece of pristine white paper. Perhaps it was curiosity ?

Faces have always been difficult for me and I would never attempt to do a portrait drawing of a living person and certainly never of anyone I know. The girl in my sketch is of my own imagination and does not exist; thankfully so, as she has a number of facial abnormalities which would be rather unattractive on a living human face and a prime candidate for facial reconstructive surgery.

Photo above...Yep, I really need more practice...lots and lots of practice!

22 comments:

  1. You have a lot more talent than you give yourself credit for! You should persue drawing and sketching based on what I see! :)

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  2. My goodness! You need to take some pride girl! Your sketch is wonderful and while art in terms of paper and pencils might not be your first love..sometimes practicing in one art form, helps the creative juices flow in another..something to consider? :)

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  3. You certainly do have talent. This sketch is great! Keep sketching is what I say.

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  4. Hey Anna, we definitely were in tune today :)

    I love your work :) The hair has great movement and I wish I had those eyelashes.

    Don't be too hard on yourselves (but of course we are our own worst critic) you should see what I produce sometimes when I sit down after a break from drawing, you would think I had never drawn in my life.

    Draw everyday for a week, it will make you feel very proud of yourself.

    Have a great Day, regards, T.

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  5. Annette - Thank you for the encouragement. I tend to browse the shops on etsy and there are so many very talented artist on etsy that I can't help but feel like an wee little ant among giants.

    Jenni - You are so very kind. Yes it was something that I used to enjoy doing and you may be very correct in saying that by doing my drawings it might help me be more creative in another area. A very good philosophy !

    French Revelation - I am overwhelmed by all this lovely encouragement. This may all go to my head and I might actually sign up for some art classes...which I've never taken in my life...maybe that's why my girl's face is out of proportion ? :)

    T - Thank you, a compliment coming from a real artist carries a lot of validity. I loved the sketch you had on your blog, the flow of the fabric was so realistic and the shading was perfection. I would love to sit and sketch like I used to eons ago, but most days I can't seem to find the time.

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  6. You have talent--you need to get it in gear! That's a lot better than my primitive attempts at drawing!

    Blue was put to sleep on Monday--he was in bad, bad shape and only had a few days left. I haven't the heart to take his picture down yet--maybe later when the grief isn't so fresh. Thank you for inquiring about him. He's very special.

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  7. Cathryn - I can't begin to express my sorrow for your loss. In the English language the only word we have that is remotely sufficient is "sorry". I am so sorry to hear that Blue wasn't getting better. He was such a handsome cat and held a very special place in your heart. You did all you could do and he was very fortunate to have come into your lives. I know you will miss him and I'm terribly sorry for your loss.

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  8. That's beautiful! I love the eyes (eye). :)

    God Bless
    Alice

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  9. I think it's great! I have always been horrible at drawing people. ;)

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  10. I think you hardly give yourself enough credit! I think your sketch is beautiful. Faces are SOOOO hard...and I could draw you one to laugh at. You'd feel a lot better about your skills!!!

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  11. {clapping!} Good for you!!! I have been away from drawing and painting for so long. It is so nice to see you doing it. You are much better than me. Someday. Italy? My husband's grandparents were born in Italy.

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  12. sketching is soooo hard, keep at it , it is definitely something you have to practice. xx great beginnings tho

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  13. I think its beautiful. And if it makes you happy, keep sketching. That's what art is supposed to do - make us happy!

    Thanks for the comment on my blog and for becoming a follower! I'll be following yours now too. I want to see what you sketch next!

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  14. U-R-2 tough! Seems to me that you picked up a pencil and sketched a lovely young woman who looks like a young woman. I've been wanting to do some sketching too, but this darn blogging just keeps grabbing me... :)
    About 20 yrs ago I took a weekend or couple of weekends course based on "Drawing on the rt side of the brain" - it worked so well, I actually ended up with a sketch that was a likeness of me. I'd love to be able to sketch buildings & streets & people on them...

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  15. I like it! Drawing or painting is a talent I adore but I do not have this talent.
    Lovely blog!

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  16. I think it's pretty good, actually! Much better than I could do. Faces are really hard to draw - I've always struggled with them.

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  17. I am in complete agreement with what everyone has told you -- don't sell yourself short, you are definitely very talented! I am extremely envious in fact, drawing, even when looking directly at the subject, has never been something I could do without hours (read: weeks) of time to get it right. Lines & contours just escape me. This is a gorgeous sketch, just add some shading and no reconstructive "surgery" is needed! Love her wide eye, she looks happy :-)

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  18. After years of not trying to draw, and then to pull this out of thin air? It's a fine attempt! Don't knock it... it takes time to get in the groove, and you're already off to a fine start. :) I'm a follower now!

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  19. wow! you can draw! don't be so hard on yourself --- you got the talent! enjoy :)
    btw, I'm a follower now.

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  20. mm, I started the blog yesterday in fact!
    (sorry, all comments are screened on the advice blog for now. Doesn't mean don't comment, I still read them. :) )

    I like the drawing. :)

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  21. I think you draw great! From what I remember from art classes, it's all in the shadowing. My downfall was always lips and teeth.

    Oh, and thanks for stopping by my blog!

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