When I'm done with a drawing session, I always feel that it was worth it if I find that one of the many drawings I did, was able to communicate what I was observing. Many times it doesn't even have to be one whole drawing, but a moment in a drawing. If I'm able to see that little bit of a drawing, and understand why it worked, I'm content with that whole session. And sometimes, it's not even a drawing session, but a whole sketchbook that produces that one little drawing. Now, other people may look at the sketchbook and feel that all the pages are consistent (I wish!), but I find that there's almost always one specific drawing that catched my attention and makes me feel that all those other drawings aided me in making that particular one.
So I drew this the other day, and I guess, for me, this is that little drawing... may be nothing specialto you folks, but to me it reminds me that when you're drawing and things come out well, it just feels like everything just falls into place. A line becomes a little puzzle piece that helps you do another line, and another and another, and when you're done, it was almost effortless. I wish this would happen ALL the time, but the truth is for every good drawing there are tens of bad ones.
I've always felt that while great artists are considered great because they're consistent, sometimes I wonder how many crappy drawings and paintings they did that are hidden from the publications and museums. Because, lets face it, we don't want to see a bad portrait when we open a Sargent book, and god bless him he's Sargent but he did plenty of, granted lets not say bad (that's blasphemy), not so good portraits. They were all human, some of us are more human than they were, but they had good days and bad. The important thing to remember is that the bad days always turn into something good in the future... may not be the next day, but if you feed enough of those crappy ass days into your system, something good comes out of them.
Btw, here's a painting I showed a WIP pic, but never showed the finished version...
6 comments:
Excelente ensayo, yo me encuentro pensando lo mismo de los grandes artistas que admiro. Y tu siendo uno de ellos escucharlo como dicen los americanos "straight from the horses mouth" le da esperanza a un principiante como yo.
That's how I like to think of things as well. It keeps me a bit more optimistic and happy while drawing. I used to stress out about every bad drawing I made but that's why I am drawing; to get better (and because I love it).
Anyways, beautiful work! I love the flesh tones you used in the painting.
Great.
Great post. Well said. I agree with everything you said... articulated simply and acutely. I also think simple drawings and sketchbooks are "art for artist". When a simple sketch delights me, I get a different response when shown to a non-artist vs a fellow artist. I also want to add a personal observation... I like to think of drawing from life (either models or in the street) as more 'sport'. Painting is very calculated but drawing from life has a bit of spontaneity and a high hand-eye coordination level. It's like basketball! Each drawing is a shot attempt. Some drawing sessions, the ball just won't go in, other times I am on fire. Even star athletes have good and bad days. Maybe soccer is a better analogy since the goal to attempt ratio is so huge. Wow, I thought I would never be that guy that makes sports analogies to other things. And I hope this isn't seen as a shameless plug but here's a quick studies drawing along the same vein. This is a very simple drawing, but it just feels right to me: http://preview.tinyurl.com/4mp9qdp
Nicolas, I think that we're in agreement that Cubism has not be explored to its fullest potentiality. The Polaroid collages of the scholarly David Hockney explored one of the many potentialities. In this, as well as some of your high Chroma punk pieces, you have been examining and expanding the lexicon inherent in Cubism. This is brave work and unlikely to be understood by the hoi polloi past your obviously well-honed technical skills.
Brainy stuff, my young colleague. Know that there will be a few who have a clue of your direction(always a very few) who see deeper than your facility and hard-won ease (we know that's never easy and just a result of inborn talent).
I've seen you repeatedly move away from elegant styles guaranteed to make your fortune and explore the unexplored aspects of content and intent in painting. For that, you have my respect.
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