Sketching

I am wanting to be more spontaneous in my art, I will draw straight on the page when its my sketchbook, but I will so often be afraid of the page when it comes to doing a complete piece. I sketch and erase and fiddle and diddle about till I get it right, or if I want to be very precise I will grid up.

Talking to Jeanne Grant (her blog is listed to the side here - check her out), I realised how rigid I can be.........so I have decided that while I know I can draw and sketch, what I am lacking is confidence in my own ability. I mean here is a sketch of a folding shopping bag of mine that I did some time ago.

So I can do it - its the belief that is the problem. I just have to refine and practice to make sure I get more confidence in the lines I put on the paper.

In order to do this I got myself a copy of Bert Dodson's "Keys to Drawing". It is amazing that while he is mostly saying a lot of what I have heard or read before, but its the way he says it just "clicks" with me. I will be working my way through the exercises in his book.

I would recommend it to anyone to at least have a look at this book, even if you don't add it to your own library. With pride it has joined my instructive books.

I will add pics periodically to the blog as I work my way through the exercises. I hope it will do as much for my quick sketches and initial drawings for projects as I think it will.