I'm not qualified to tell anyone what they should or should
not do, but if I was to give us--and by "us" I mean those artistically inclined
individuals who love painting, drawing, and mixed media art--a universal homework
assignment, it would be to sketch every day. Every. Single. Day.
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| Julie by Jon deMartin, 2007, chalk drawing, 20 x 18. |
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Why? Simply because we get good at the things we do every
single day. But I know it is a lot to ask. Responsibilities and work take up
the lion's share of our daily hours. Most of us do the things we love a few
times a week if we are lucky. But the rewards of finding a few minutes every
day for our art are tantamount to the weeks and months in the studio that we
may never get.
A quick mixed media portrait with pen and ink and watercolor
of a family member watching TV, taking your sketchbook outside for a quick drawing session of the landscape, or creating a charcoal sketch of your kitchen
table clutter are relatively quick and accessible ways to make sure you get to
practice your art once a day. So what if it isn't the greatest artwork you'll
ever create? I'm willing to bet that after a month has passed, you'll have a
stack of works--an impressive feat in itself--and a few of them will be pieces you
wouldn't mind showing around or taking into the studio to build upon.
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A pen and ink drawing of an abandoned house
by Claudia Nice. |
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Practicing my art in fits and starts--well, mostly in fits--is
what I do. And I know most of you do, too. But spending as little as 15 minutes
on drawing every day is a really substantial way of putting your art smack dab
in the middle of your life without putting too much pressure on yourself.
If
you are looking for strategies or inspirations to get you going, Discover Your
World in Pen, Ink & Watercolor is a popular resource by well-known
instructor Claudia Nice that can help put you on the right path. Enjoy!
