One day, while trying to draw a person, I had this inner dialogue.
“You really suck at drawing people.”
“I know. I’ll never be able to do illustrations if I can’t draw people.”
Pregnant pause.
“Well, you better practice a lot, then.”
Bright light.
“Oh! I guess I can do something about sucking. I can work at it.”
So I do. I sketch people as much as I can. Sketching people on the métro in Paris makes the time go quickly, helps me see people in new ways and gives me lots of practice. I have learned to target people at the other end of the car so they don’t know I’m drawing them. The people who are easiest to draw are engrossed in a book, a magazine or in their phone. I also have to sketch quickly because the subject may get off at the next stop.
The great benefit of doing this is seeing a lot of images that suck interspersed with a few that I actually love. I am slowly learning what works and what doesn’t.
Here’s a peek into my sketchbook, a couple of days’ worth of people sketching on the métro.
What do you stink at that you’re working to improve? Dish in a comment below.
Ah, BRAVE SOUL!!! What do I suck at, so many things…but some of them I don’t care if I suck…golf, for example…who cares. But your post struck a chord with me, because I WANT TO DRAW!!! Once, in a psychology class, I had the teacher evaluate my drawing, which indicated I was mentally stunted (I didn’t draw “buttons” on the subject). Little things stick in my mind and make me not want to try. But you have bravely opened your sketch book and declared your intention to get better. All of February I will draw everyday and keep trying and, hopefully, keep improving. Thanks for the nudge, Cynthia!!!
Michelle,
I’m so happy to read this! I have to say I laughed out loud when I read the part about you being mentally stunted. Oh man.
I started drawing by looking at Frederick Franck’s work…Zen Seeing, Zen Drawing, The Zen of Seeing..he has several wonderful books. It was about drawing as meditation and really seeing what’s in front of you…not about being a good artist. Check those books out, also check out Everyday Matters by Danny Gregory. It’s really fun to draw what’s in front of you.
Go for it…let your exuberance lead you.
You are such an inspiration! Thanks for sharing your fun sketches.
Thanks, Lisa! I really like them, even though some are monstrous. I like the process. I’m glad this is inspiring to you!
Cynthia, I love your sketches! I think they are all beautiful, even the “unfinished” ones. Your line quality, the freshness of it – these are the things that make me feel a drawing. I find them much more moving than a “perfect” drawing. I know you want to improve, but I just want to let you know that I am enjoying where you are right now
As for something I stink at: I’ve always wanted to play a musical instrument well. I’ve tried guitar and piano but couldn’t stick to it long enough to learn to play actual songs. I’ve been playing the ukulele for over almost a year now and I love it. It’s fun to practice. I’m not where I want to be musically yet, but I’m striving to improve.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much, Jody! I love your encouraging note.
I like the faces better than when this voice told me they sucked…probably 2-3 years ago. I see the result of practice and I see my own ‘style’ coming out.
I love what you say about the quality of my line. I heard Danny Gregory mention that recently and was thinking, hmmmm, what makes for a good quality of line? It’s interesting to me to think of the energy of a person being revealed in their art.
I’m glad to hear you found the right instrument for you! I think the main point is to love it. You may never be a musical virtuoso – not the point – but you will get to have a lot of fun. I think that’s the same energy I feel about art – not where I want to be but eager to keep practicing.
Hi again Cynthia – hooray for putting yourself out there. You’re my hero and thanks for the encouragement!
I really suck at drawing/sketching anything realistic, ie what’s in front of me.
My cranky pants voice tells me to give up whenever I try to actually draw what I see. She slings zingers like “Frances your perspective is totally warped, that building and street sign looks like s**t!” etc etc.
I started keeping my pen and journal handy in earnest after reading Danny Gregory’s Creative License about 5 years ago..and to this day I continue to make my marks.
When I ignore the critic(s) in my head, I lose myself in the process of making marks and really noticing all the details of what’s in front of me. I love this part the best, and also being able to flip back through my journals to see my life through my sketches.
And someday, with practice, I shall find that my buildings are (more) proportional and the people I draw don’t (all) look like martians!
Hugs from yes and yay HQ
FcF
Frances,
Thanks for your exuberant comment! I love that you are drawing after reading Danny Gregory’s book. That book is very inspiring to me, too, along with all his other books.
I think if you get something from doing it – getting lost in the process – keep going. If not, forget it. I’m the opposite – drawing something from my imagination or not in front of me, or something abstract – not for me. People have told me to do it but it’s just not my thing. Why do it then?
But for you it sounds like it’s fun and engaging, when you’re able to ditch the critic. The cool thing is you will see progress if you keep going. That’s so satisfying.
And also, I bet you’ve started to simply enjoy seeing those memories without the need for the renderings to be perfect. There’s nothing like a visual capture of your life. Priceless.
Thanks for commenting and for your encouragement. You’re my hero too!
Just read this. I finished my latest “not that good” quilt last night. I really suck at free motion quilting and have avoided it for years. As part of a project for a challenge group I’m in, I did my first free motion quilting on this small quilt. It’s titled “9998 to go” based on the idea of 10K hours to mastery, and I spent about two hours on this one.
I’m not necessarily going for mastery, and I would like to become moderately proficient at it, so I have that skill in my toolbox.
And actually, what really makes me feel good about this quilt is that a couple years ago, I would have tossed the quilt top into the box of unfinished projects (because I’m not that crazy about it in the first place). Instead, I took the opportunity to practice this new technique and finish it.
Moira,
Good for you! I hope you feel a positive impact from sticking with it, even though it doesn’t feel great. I think there’s great reward in following through on things to completion instead of abandoning them. This totally counters the inner critic who often loves to say ‘you never finish anything’. There’s great value in completing the arc of the creative process even for projects that aren’t our best or ‘going anywhere’.
I’m so glad you’re quilting and learning! Thanks for sharing your experience here with us.
Hi,
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What a great subject. I’m happy to see I’m not the only one out here in the wide world who feels I BIG Time Suck at drawing. I just got home from a tropical island where I was on vacation for a heavenly week, with no internet or cell reception. As my entire being calmed down and became silenced by so much beauty, out came the pencils, the little pad, the water colors crayons and I just started drawing whatever I saw with very little self judgement. It just felt so good, and so right to shift into my right brain.
Despite the, well, lousiness of the drawings themselves (there’s that voice back again), I had the biggest of brain waves. I want to improve my drawing skills, even as an abstract painter I can feel the lack of confidence there, is really a fundamental problem I need to stop avoiding. AND I realize, to work on this, I will drastically cut down on my internet, email time, and use the freedom from that over stimulation and, yes, stress, to draw every day – or as often as I can. I’ve always been told the best way to improve your drawing skills is to just keep it up, regularly, daily is best. Am all set to give it a shot.
And you, wonderful creative muse that you are Cynthia, got me all inspired when I saw you with your journals, just drawing whatever, whenever. Thanks ! Looking forward to seeing you in Denver
Andrea,
I’m so glad you had that experience of getting away and making time to slow down with your notebook and pencils. It’s very, very cool to see how it can make an immediate difference on your mood.
I think anyone in the arts can benefit from drawing as a way to have a foundation and also as a way to build in space for ideas to be generated and to germinate.
SO glad you’ve got your journal in hand…have fun with it!