“I cannot overcome anyone’s fear of drawing. A fear that was probably fixed in the first instance by a combination of exercises in telegraph-pole perspective and enforced periods of sitting in front of a bowl of fruit waiting for it to transmogrify itself onto paper. Instead, I’m going to try to stimulate those who want to play a little.
“… There are so many different way to draw. Some require a facility for rendering, but others almost work better without it.”
Nick Bantock, “Urgent Second Class: Creating Curious Collage, Dubious Documents, and Other Art from Ephemera“, p91
Whether it’s the echo of the derision of a teacher/relative/your inner critic from however long ago, or the fear of failure/looking stupid, or of wasting your time/money, the overwhelming expectations of those who regard you as “the creative one in the family”, the first step to overcoming your fear of drawing is to tell those voices to shut the **** up, and then do it to spite despite them.
That you want to give it a go is enough reason. You don’t need any other. You don’t need to set expectations of the results, but you ought to have hopes to enjoy yourself. What you will need though is some courage and persistence, because it’s not a straight road from putting pencil to paper and a masterpiece you’re delighted with. However, there’s a lot to discover and play with along the way, so give yourself permission.
Where do you start? I think it’s with feeling what something does. How fast does paint squeeze from the tube, how soft or stiff is it, what happens when you put a brush into it. What’s the result if you move that brush across a piece of paper, how much paint is left on the brush (and did you check the ‘other’ side of the brush hairs for how much paint is on there)? The small things that will become familiar but are all new when you first encounter them. Play, explore, feel, and “waste” the time/material in order to get to know it and become friends.
I do find it more interesting doing this with a subject in mind, be it a landscape or flowers, but it’s crucial to remember that my focus is on the material(s) I’m using, not getting a pretty picture. And to keep going, not give up too early.
I have a huge fear of drawing Marian your post has inspired me. I love to paint
but not adventurous enough. Happy Christmas.
Happy Christmas to you too! Becoming more adventurous can happen one step at a time, it doesn’t have to be a bungi jump… You might try adding line to a painting with paint markers or oil pastel for instance, redefining a few edges or textures.
Wow, this is so beautifull!
Thank you.