Saturday, September 12, 2009

Reflections and Confessions



Legal Warning: This post contains personal reflection which is in part self-congratulatory. It is understood and acknowledged that this is ordinarily not permitted in our society and is often misunderstood. The writer takes full responsibility for any distress that this may cause. Moreover this post reveals errors in the process of creating the above picture and therefore will serve to destroy any illusion, however ill-founded, that art is infallible and that every stroke of the pen of this blogger is intentional.

Confession no. 1: I believe that this picture, with its great many flaws, shows that I am progressing. Since I started this blog with the aim of improving, this makes me happy.

When I started this blog six months ago and for several months thereafter, those of you who followed saw a lot of "floating heads" scattered around my pages (pictures drawn in public of people's faces and nothing else). There were three reasons that I drew floating heads: (1) It has always been the face I was most interested in and because of this, it was what I knew best how to draw. (2) People move. (3) I just couldn't figure out how to draw a body in public - the face would always end up disproportionately bigger than the body, like a cartoon. (I drew many cartoons as a kid).

You can see that I still made this mistake on one of the figures in this drawing. The face on the man facing the viewer is too big. This is because when I drew him I forgot what I have learned: Whenever I intend to draw a figure, I must never draw the face first. I must have the torso completed before I draw the face. Then I can mentally measure how big the face must be, as compared to the rest of the body. I always have a tendency to draw the face first because it is virtually always the character of the face that attracts me to the individual.

Actually, in this drawing I made this same mistake twice. I will get to that in a minute. First, back to the floating heads. When I first began drawing in public, I would never have been able to cohere all of the miscellaneous heads into a whole scene. I am pleased that in this instance I was able to take various figures in proper perspective, and add elements to the drawing to convey a sense of place. This is new to me.

I am also pleased that I didn't let reality get in the way of this. The guy holding the paper is sitting at half a floating table, and the guy in the front is at another half of a floating table. Bet you didn't notice this 'till I told you (let me know if you did). This is because it does not matter (at least in a sketch) and I am just beginning to understand this.

Confession no. 2: The reason the two sitting figures are sitting at half floating tables is because I drew the face of the closest figure before I drew his body, and it ended up too big, so he had to be closer. I was too infatuated with the character of the face. I am actually happy that this happened since I believe it is a more interesting picture because of the placement: there is more perspective, and a fuller sketch of the surroundings was made possible. And, again, nothing appears to be missing. There are no accidents if I can create a final drawing - only serendipity.

Confession no. 3: I am rather pleased with the coloring though I know I have much to learn. What I find interesting is that I will start rather timidly with rather traditional shading, but as time goes on I seem to go into a zone and operate on instinct and throw blotches of color here or there where I think it will look good. Watercolor allows for layering, and that's pretty neat. I'm starting to intentionally optically mix by laying down subsequent dry washes (although I have to admit I am still more comfortable premixing).

But here's the foolish thing I am pleased about that no one but me would even care about, I think. If you look at the pant leg on the middle character and that blotch of blue. That is what I am happy about. I can't tell you how much I have wanted to create that kind of wet-on-wet effect and it has been elusive.

So I confess to being happy with my progress and being happy about the long road ahead because I know - in large part from viewing the blogs I've listed on this site, and others - that I have a long, long way to go. And I'm excited about making the trip.

19 comments:

  1. Dan
    Your ability to capture Florida scenes is terrific, and I feel I'm there with you in the last few (I'm a 2nd generation native). Your excitement inspires, and shows in your work. Well done.

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  2. I read it all, and loved the reflections on your drawing. I think it is charming and has lots of personality. And I never noticed the floating tables because the whole scene worked well together.

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  3. I love the colors, too--especially the floor tiles--the floatng tables really "work" and add a mysterious element--overall, I like this whole page as it has a personal point of view---yours--and has not become predictable as can be the case in this type of work--and I don't feel the artist must become invisable---love your style

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  4. I thoroughly enjoyed your drawing/painting as well as the commentary that goes along with it. And I've enjoyed watching your progress. The blue "blotch" is perfect, and I was too intrigued by the profile of the front figure to notice the floating tables! Nice!

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  5. Great page Dan - sounds like you are making the kind of headway that we all aspire to - well done.

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  6. I DO know what you mean about that blotch of blue! Watercolors have always been so difficult for me. And the half table is fine. You don't have to include every detail in the picture. The lower right corner is perfect for leading the eye into the main part of the drawing. The angles, the open area, the half table. Maybe your instincts are better than you realized!

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  7. I love this post, Dan. Your work has definitely gone through some improvements! And the colors are fantastic. Everyone scolds me for being so hard on myself...this is a good example of how I SHOULD be thinking. ;)

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  8. I did wonder about that "floating table" of the guy at the front, but I agree, in this sketch the missing parts don't really matter. Your posts always make me grin. Keep up the good work.

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  9. Yay. Congrats on the blue blotch. I don't add color much with water colors because I can't be loose so I know how exciting this is. Your whole scene worked and I did not notice the floating tables till you mentioned them. Toot your horn nice and loud. This is great - especially for public drawing. I think you should give two toots on your own horn!

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  10. This is what art is all about! Love your interpretation and don't need to see a photo with all of the "details". Art leaves room for the mind to work. The presence of table legs was not as important as the character of the people in the room. And that's what you captured. The pants are great, but you should also love the mix of colors and "light" in his shirt! Great job!

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  11. You are super cool! I love the technical writing about your art and progress - I gobble it up. And I'm glad to read your happiness about your progress...that is inspiration to me and gives me hope that if I keep up my drawing, I will improve and be happy too. Great sketch, and the splotch rocks.

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  12. I think you've really progressed Dan. Your latest entries are brilliant and this one, with all your insights really make it.

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  13. Confessions accepted and congratulations offered. What great progress you have made and it is really wonderful to see you acknowledge that to yourslef and everyone else. The EDM and other online art communities are such a good source of inspiration and motivation

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  14. Dan, I saw the picture, and then I started reading... after a few lines and I stopped because I know what you're gonna say... same thing I'd always say and ask myself and then looking for explanation for everything I did... But Dan, I believe(and trust me this is what I solely believe) that art shouldn't have an explanation... it's an expression, you do it because you want to, it looks the way it is because that's how you see it. Regardless of what people say or tell you how it should look like, that's just their opinion... to me, you've already won the grand price, because you made it happy. :)
    Progress, no progress... it's a great path afterall, and a path taken without regret, that's the beauty in art, and to me... Life is an art(been saying that since I was 16) ;)

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  15. did I say you made it HAPPY?? I meant you made it HAPPENED! :Þ

    next lesson for Alex:- Typing Class 101 >.<

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  16. Thank you all so much for encouraging response. I really wasn't sure about this post - for me this post was a bit different. But Alex, don't worry, I plan on letting my art speak for itself from now on..until it is time to for some self-assessment once again (maybe at my blog's one year? Nah, pure celebration then!)

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  17. Yeah Dan, I agree that self-assessment is inevitable, most of the time it is quite harsh. My motto is simple "Do what makes you happy(by not breaking any law that is)"
    Oh yeah, I just read about our little get-together plan. Don't worry about you being 14 hours away from Baton Rouge, it wouldn't be fair if we keep meeting at a single point. It'd sometimes be in Texas or Miami too, great annual trip plan if you ask me :)
    And thanks for your comments again Dan, no I have not taken any art course, and I did think about being a stylist but I am an engineer at heart(eventhough I keep denying that, claiming that I hate doing it), but drawing remains as my passion as it allows me to be a child again every once in a while ^^

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