Before I begin, a word for the non artists, even if you haven't
a thing for drawing, or may be even if you think you are terrible at
it, I strongly suggest you try this. You might still not be anywhere
with drawing, but the experience is what stays and counts.(cos seriously i'm one of you! )
Today's lesson was all about gesture drawing and complete bliss. And by complete bliss i mean really, pure unadulterated happiness. Let me not take any credit away from Mr. Kimon Nicolaides , who's book " The Natural Way to Draw " i'm currently reading, which is responsible for it.
So here's how it begins. I took up reading the above mentioned book, and started drawing as per the exercises given. On reading the instructions for gesture drawing though, I was left somewhat puzzled in disbelief. Why? Cause this is how the instructions ran : You are to look at the model ( or any moving subject ) and to draw incessantly, and furiously, their gesture. Yes. Don't draw who they are, even how they LOOK, just draw what they are DOING. Confusing, right? But it doesn't stop here, it went: you are to draw without lifting your pencil .You must try to feel your subject's movements as yours. If the person is stooping to lift something, imagine the same movement in your muscles and try to let your pencil roam on the paper trying to capture that feeling.Try to capture the action, even though it might just look like a mindless scribble.And oh yes, do not take more than 2-3 minutes to draw each drawing, draw about 50 in an hour!!
Craaaazzzyyyyyy!!!!!1111!!! How can one possibly do that?? Is that what comes to mind? Then you and I are in agreement. But it sounded so crazy i actually thought lets try it! So off I went to a nearby park, took seat on one of the rocks on the side walk, and out came my 4B drawing pencil and the sketch pad.
And what happened next was pure ecstacy! Just looking at people, trying to feel their movements and letting your pencil roam about trying to describe it! It made me realise I had stopped "seeing" people.Of course you look at them, but you never pause for a moment and appreciate how beautiful each and every minute movement we make is. And this is really no exaggeration! Once in a while you'd see an old fellow walking past in a wobbly manner, probably , having gone through so many walks in life. You'd see a father driving his kid around on a bike, going round and round in circles, only to see the kid smile.Far off towards the "less well off" ground you'd see a bunch of little boys and girls playing soccer.The fact that the boys had no shirts on their backs, or the girls could but manage old wrinkled salwar didn't seem to hinder their joy in chasing a weathered ball.You'd see a young adventurous boy trying to master cycling without hands or a little girl taking her kid sister home at the end of a long playful day, holding her hands tightly in hers.And you realise how wonderfully innocent the movements can be. Better yet, you are trying to feel the same movements within you ! Wouldn't that make for an awesome feeling? You are sure to be transported in a different world altogether,and time would fly by.
Moreover, the drawings that result help you loosen up, relax, and respond to gesture better than ever!I guess i have ranted long enough, and i'll let you make a move.But I do urge you to step out once in a while from the busy schedules and take time to appreciate the little gestures all around us, and experience bliss materials can't offer.
Signing off, IlluminArtist.
Today's lesson was all about gesture drawing and complete bliss. And by complete bliss i mean really, pure unadulterated happiness. Let me not take any credit away from Mr. Kimon Nicolaides , who's book " The Natural Way to Draw " i'm currently reading, which is responsible for it.
So here's how it begins. I took up reading the above mentioned book, and started drawing as per the exercises given. On reading the instructions for gesture drawing though, I was left somewhat puzzled in disbelief. Why? Cause this is how the instructions ran : You are to look at the model ( or any moving subject ) and to draw incessantly, and furiously, their gesture. Yes. Don't draw who they are, even how they LOOK, just draw what they are DOING. Confusing, right? But it doesn't stop here, it went: you are to draw without lifting your pencil .You must try to feel your subject's movements as yours. If the person is stooping to lift something, imagine the same movement in your muscles and try to let your pencil roam on the paper trying to capture that feeling.Try to capture the action, even though it might just look like a mindless scribble.And oh yes, do not take more than 2-3 minutes to draw each drawing, draw about 50 in an hour!!
Craaaazzzyyyyyy!!!!!1111!!! How can one possibly do that?? Is that what comes to mind? Then you and I are in agreement. But it sounded so crazy i actually thought lets try it! So off I went to a nearby park, took seat on one of the rocks on the side walk, and out came my 4B drawing pencil and the sketch pad.
And what happened next was pure ecstacy! Just looking at people, trying to feel their movements and letting your pencil roam about trying to describe it! It made me realise I had stopped "seeing" people.Of course you look at them, but you never pause for a moment and appreciate how beautiful each and every minute movement we make is. And this is really no exaggeration! Once in a while you'd see an old fellow walking past in a wobbly manner, probably , having gone through so many walks in life. You'd see a father driving his kid around on a bike, going round and round in circles, only to see the kid smile.Far off towards the "less well off" ground you'd see a bunch of little boys and girls playing soccer.The fact that the boys had no shirts on their backs, or the girls could but manage old wrinkled salwar didn't seem to hinder their joy in chasing a weathered ball.You'd see a young adventurous boy trying to master cycling without hands or a little girl taking her kid sister home at the end of a long playful day, holding her hands tightly in hers.And you realise how wonderfully innocent the movements can be. Better yet, you are trying to feel the same movements within you ! Wouldn't that make for an awesome feeling? You are sure to be transported in a different world altogether,and time would fly by.
Moreover, the drawings that result help you loosen up, relax, and respond to gesture better than ever!I guess i have ranted long enough, and i'll let you make a move.But I do urge you to step out once in a while from the busy schedules and take time to appreciate the little gestures all around us, and experience bliss materials can't offer.
Signing off, IlluminArtist.
(This is an old post from last year that never got shared, finally putting it out there :) )
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