When I was in high school, I could not imagine drawing the same thing over and over. I would have perished. I just wanted to be done when I supposed to be, so I could move on and do the next thing. But recently that has changed. These last 9 days of drawing have shown that drawing the same object from different perspectives – and several times – has many benefits. Several artists recommend this. And I took their advice.
Not only am I looser when approaching the next iteration of the drawing, but also I’m more curious. I shift from drawing what I think is there to what is actually in front of me. I identify my anchor (point of reference for proportions) and draw what I see in relation to that point. The picture below is where I started with drawing two objects next to each other. The bear’s nose was my anchor.
I kept drawing and incorporated a brilliant piece of advice from artist Kesh that immediately improved my experience. He advices to take 30 seconds after drawing to give yourself feedback. I made the notes and kept at it.
It wasn’t until the last drawing that I realized I was drawing the elephant larger than it is in proportion to the bear.
A few days later, I tried another angle of the bear and the elephant. It was very satisfying to draw with more ease, better proportions, and fun lighting.
Giving myself the feedback is so much fun. It’s a great way to acknowledge myself in the process. The self-acknowledgment is also retraining my turbo-stressed adolescent artist to relax and enjoy the experience. I can feel her delight within me.
How are you acknowledging yourself at the start of the year with your creativity? Do you feel that spark radiating with more joy? Or are you feeling other emotions. Leave me a comment below. And don’t forget to share your learning experiences with the young people you care for. It can really shape them for brighter possibilities.
Ashley M. Blanco 