Why Does Art Take So Much Time?

So. . .Why Does Art Take So Much Time?

1. It's fun

2.  It's creative

3.  There's a learning curve

Lot's of people want to draw, paint, sculpt, carve, design,

in short - Create something.

Enter the learning curve.

I started out painting without learning how to draw, at all.

People ask, how can you paint if you can't draw?

I get it on there with a brush is always my answer.

But several years ago,

something woke up inside of me

 and I wanted to learn to draw. 

I still don't draw much on a painting,

but I have spent hours learning how to draw

and becoming technically more correct.
Not perfect, by any stretch, but more correct.

The one thing I've learned about drawing,

like any other endeavor is you have to work at it,

I know I've written about that on this blog about 100 times.

But it's so true and I can't change that.

Last week I was sort of stuck and wanted to do something,

but couldn't quite decide on what. 

I have a shelf or two full of vases and bottles and other props I use for painting.

I randomly selected several and set them up to draw.

Some are clear glass and others are china.

Lots of shapes, heights, sizes,

all good for improving perspective.

 These were all similar in size and I just set them up to draw,

not in any order or configuration.

As you can see, perspective is not something I'm great at.

There are parts of each drawing that are good,

and other parts, not so much.

This attempt was interesting and I learned a lot.

But you can see on the tall bottle drawing the sides should go straight up and they don't,

but the perspective one to another is pretty good,

and I learned it's really important that the floor of the bottles needs to have a lot of shading in order to make the center of it go up.  

Getting the bottles correctly seated on the table with shadows was also another thing "I saw" and had to work on.

I know I've said this many times also.

Seeing is critical to drawing or painting.

You can't paint what you don't see.

That short bottle was my constant and I keep adding to and taking away other props from it.

I don't know why, but I love the feel and the shape of that bottle.

I've painted that tall vase before, but I've never drawn it.

You can see in the drawing, I don't have it flaring out at the top as much as the vase itself flares out.

The sides of the tall bottle are better than the previous drawing, but are still not perfect.

But that short bottle,

I'm really happy with it.

It only took three tries.

And that's the point!

Don't expect to get it immediately!

There is a learning curve,

and it's called a curve for a reason.

It's not a straight line from point A to point B.

If you want to learn to draw you have to draw, a lot.
You will make some pretty pathetic looking stuff,
but do it again,
and then do it again,
and then go at it again.

Look at all your work and you will see improvement.
I'm hoping you can see the notes I made on each drawing.
Just little things I learned and wanted to remember.
I'll go back to those drawings again
and I'll re-read what I wrote and I'll remember
what I learned. 
I'll put it to use.

Don't think you have to have the perfect paper,
the best pencils or anything akin to professional tools.

Copy paper, cheap copy paper, and a pencil
and a good eraser, because you will use it a lot.

Set out your favorite coffee mug, spoon, cereal bowl, or anything and draw it.  
Sketch it quickly,
look at it again,
where are the shadows, the highlights,
what does the elipse look like?
How is the handle attached to the mug?
Is there a shadow under it where it connected with the table.

Draw it a second time with a little more detail.
Look at it next to the mug.
What did you get right,
what did you get wrong.

Draw it again.

Is it round looking or
 does it look more like a rectangle with a handle?
If so look at your shading again.
After 4 or 5 tries, line them up in order,
and you will see improvement.
Once you are happy with the mug,
draw a piece of fruit
and so on and so on.

It takes some time,
but it feels so great when you get it
 and can see your improvement.

Keep at it if you want to get better.
Don't listen to that little voice that will tell you,
"You can't do this"
"This is terrible"
"You have no talent"
"Don't waste your time".

Listen to the voice that says
"I really want to learn how to do this"
"I'm going to try this again"
"I can see improvement"
"I see things now I didn't notice before".

Happy drawing or painting

or whatever you're creating!

Click HERE to see another post about seeing results.

Click HERE for info on 2017 summer art camps. 

 

 Click HERE for info on my online art course and my FREE daisy painting class.  When you get there, scroll all the way to the bottom to my list of classes and click on the FREE daisy class and put in your email and you will nearly instant access to this free class.