Portrait of a Woman oil on canvas 20x16 inches 2011 |
Portrait Figure Sketch oil on canvas 20x16 inches 2011 |
I also finally got my copy of Lessons in Classical Drawing by the great Juliette Aristides. I haven't gotten too far into the reading yet, but I have watched the dvd and it is a great resource for those interested in drawing. She makes a great point in it by saying that ANYONE can learn to draw. Like writing or playing an instrument, it's just a skill that takes a lot of work as opposed to a gift that only certain people are born with.
I will be the first to admit that sometimes my drawings and paintings truly suck (I'm not that particularly fond of the two paintings I posted above). The problem is that I, like other artists, have typically waited for inspiration to hit me before I start to work on a drawing or a painting. But if inspiration is even that important, then it needs to be sought out by the artist. If we simply wait for it to come to us, then we won't ever get anywhere. Art is not meant to ever be a passive task in any way whatsoever. The best way to be inspired is to simply work. The best way to become a master at drawing and painting is to consistently keep drawing and painting. So if you are an artist that depends on inspiration in order to work, allow me to share with you my greatest artistic revelation this year: Forget about inspiration. Just gather your materials together and get to work. The act of creating will itself become all the inspiration you need.