'An artist is only as big as his mind'. This stroke of genius came from the lips of Jack Shadbolt. Interestingly, though many perceive art as a non-cognitive process the quality of what I draw is permeated by my own understanding. The more I 'know' an object the better I can draw it, and ironically the more it becomes mine. Let's face it, I can't shut off my knowing any more than I can walk around with my eyes closed, and I've got some bruised shins to prove that I'm not very good at that. Short of lapsing into a prolonged slumber and never waking up again, the solution I have come to is draw draw draw! I wanted to share the following items that I read on the teeteringbulb blog. I am recording these for me to re-read again and again, but I thought you might find them useful too:
• You learn to draw by drawing.
• People that are better than you are just better than you because they’ve had more practice.
• Draw VERBS, not nouns. – Walt Stanchfield
• Turn everything you paint to greyscale (digitally). If it looks like a grey soup, you messed up.
• If you’re not sure what good values look like, look at screen stills from B/W movies, like Citizen Kane.
• You learn to draw by drawing.
• 50 bad illustrations might yield one good one. You learn to draw by drawing.
• Sometimes you gotta draw it 6 or 7 times.
• Use sharp edges for only important things, practice hierarchy and contrast. Have a focal point.
• If you’re going to give someone a jewel, don’t surround it with shiny things. – Paul Hudson
• Saturate your eyes and brain with work that is better than what you can do. Then put it all away and start working.
• Progress, not Perfection.
• Schedule time to utterly fail. – Iain McCaig
• Take reference, it’s easier that way. Don’t make stuff up if you don’t have to. If it doesn’t exist, figure out how to take a picture of it anyway. Use cardboard, clay, macaroni… doesn’t matter.
• Doubt can only be removed by ACTION. – Goethe
• Use the best materials you can possibly afford. You’re already fighting a battle. Don’t fight the materials. Find pencils/brushes/paper that feel good.
• Does it work in greyscale? Does it work at postage-stamp size? Does it work reversed? Upside down?
• Do what you love, other people will love it too.