30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 27- Draw a Chair

30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 27- Draw a Chair

©Rebecca Zdybel

Today's subject is just sitting around waiting for us to draw. Get it?  I hope I hear you smiling.  ;-)

What makes a chair challenging is that it may require you to really look carefully, because they don't look like you might think they look.  Why?  Because they are adhering to laws of PERSPECTIVE.  We all know those legs are all the same length, but they NEVER look that way.  Would you ever think a chair could stand on 2 legs?  Would you ever draw it that way? Would you ever even imagine it that way?  But look at the photo on the left...

You see...it's all a matter of perspective! Think of the chair as as a 3D Cube of sorts.  As such, the bottom of parallel chair legs will generally recede to a disappearing point on the horizon (or at the same height as the viewer's eyeline).  Similarly, the edges of square seats, and chair arms may also recede according to lines of perspective. In fact, drawing a cube around the seat of a chair as a guide of sorts can be a good idea.

Food for thought-  If an object is below the horizon line, all horizontal lines of perspective will recede UP to the horizon.  If the chair is viewed from below (with a low horizon), all horizontal lines of perspective would appear as if they are receding DOWN to the horizon.  It may sound confusing if you haven't practiced drawing your cubes, but for those of you who have, I hope this will be a helpful bit of information.  For more complete instructions on this concept follow this link: 30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 18- How to Draw a Cube

The chairs above have 3 ½ legs and 3 legs...hmmm.  Who'da thunk?

Ahhh, finally a chair with 4 legs, but look!  None of them are the same length!

Another Hint:  Sometimes drawing a chair by drawing the negative spaces can make everything fit together a bit easier.  This is a tried and true technique from Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards.  You may want to try it with these chair photos, or you may draw your own if you prefer.  If you wish to draw the negative spaces, taking a photograph is the easiest way to frame your shot and flatten the image.  Send it to your printer and you're ready to draw!  For more instructions on this way to draw follow this link:   30 Day Drawing Challenge day 6- Complex Negative Image and 30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 5- Think positively about drawing Negatively

Good luck drawing your chairs!  Only 3 more days till you cross the finish line and can pat yourself on the back and say you completed 30 Days of Drawing! I'll be back tomorrow with yet another free lesson, and I hope you'll meet me here.

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Rebecca Zdybel

Artist, Instructor, Art-Travel Instructor

Art Lessons: Drawing, Watercolor, Acrylic, Collage, Mixed Media

Myrtle Beach, SC

rebecca@artmyrtlebeach.com

Spread Light, Share Love, DO Art!

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Rebecca Zdybel is an artist and instructor in Myrtle Beach, SC.  Follow her and see her work at http://www.artmyrtlebeach.com/

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30 Day drawing challenge Day 4- Blind Contour figure

Ok, so he may not be an artist, but he does SEE differently ;-)

Here we are on Day 4 of our Drawing challenge already!  We are learning to draw, but we are really learning to SEE.  How ironic is it that we are learning to see like artists by putting the blinders on?  Seeing differently than everyone else is what can help make an artist great.

Today our Blind Contour Drawing subject will be a person.  That's not you whining is it?  Contour drawing AGAIN?!  I'm not being mean...I promise. Blind Contour drawing deserves reinforcement and this is why...  

The best drawing book I know is "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards. I really love the book and taught a class on it.  In that book, after over 40 years of teaching drawing, the author emphasized that whenever they skipped Blind Contour drawing in her courses, the students didn't make as much overall progress.  We want progress, so I am going to trust her experience and we are going to put the blinders on, and try this again with the figure!

Drawing people is something which scares most of us, yet it's a universally interesting subject for everyone...viewers and artists alike.  Probably because the figure has infinitely variable form. I think the figure is intimidating, because everyone knows what a face looks like, whether or not they are an artist.  Because everyone is familiar with faces and human form, everyone feels qualified to tell you when something is off in a portrait.  

How can we render the figure effectively?  Notice that I did not say "perfectly"...I said "effectively".  An effective portrait or figure study is not always perfect.  One way, is to create contour drawings.  The way we will draw the figure today is not meant to be perfect, but it can be one means to  convey an effective artistic impression.

Materials: 
Sketch paper and either a pen or a pencil (I'm not in a bossy mood today, so you get to choose =)  I like the quality of the line in pen drawings, so I'm going to use my Micron 05 Sepia (dark brown) pen with archival ink.  I'm drawing my image in my Aquabee Super Deluxe sketchbook and I'd suggest you do your series of drawings in a sketchbook.  It will provide a great record of this 30 day adventure. =)
You will also need to find a photo of a person in motion or action.  A photo with a gesture will work really well for this.  I am going to use a Greek folk dancer, because I have wanted to do a drawing of them since I went to Greece. You could use a sports figure, dancer, fashion photo, or a kids magazine.  The best thing to do is find a photo you like.

What is a Gesture? A gesture is a pose that implies some kind of movement. These poses often appear frozen in time or caught in action.  Once you find your image (you could use mine if you like) proceed to Step 1.

Step 1:
Look first and survey the edges of the figure.  Decide which area you feel is the most important area in your figure.  With the figure, it's often the head. Make sure this part of your subject will be in a good location on your paper, perhaps ⅓ of the way down from the top edge and ⅓ of the way over .  Avoid the dead center of your paper for the focal area.  Place your pen where you think the focal area will be. This way, the most important part of our drawing will be well located.  

Step 2: 
Begin moving your eyes and your pen or pencil together to create the edge.  Be sure to turn away so you can't see the paper.  Peeking is allowed, but only to replace your pen if it goes astray.  Follow those edges slowly with your eyes.  Your pen should move with your eyes.  This is a slow process, so don't move your eyes ahead of your pen or pencil.  Feel your pencil move.

Notes and hints: 

Gaps in the drawing are OK so don't feel the need to connect every edge.  This can allow for some "lost edges" later if you decide to take the drawing a little further.

Talking to yourself is allowed.  I find it helps me when I do this.  When you talk, there are some words to avoid.  If your kids or grandkids are around, try to avoid any expletives, haha, but more importantly avoid naming what you are drawing (like noses or hands for example).  Instead, say things like, "Up and then over to the right a little, now down and to the left...etc. "See if it makes it any easier, but be sure to avoid labeling the parts of the body, just tell yourself which direction to move in and then try to make your hand connect with your eye.  Remember we are training our brains and our eyes and our hands to all work more closely.  If we do this more, they will become a better drawing team.

Here is my drawing for today. Yours may look like a crazy cousin to my guy, or it may be more restrained.  Remember that BLIND contour drawings even at their best, will always look "wonky".  They are not supposed to look right.  That's the beauty of them.  It's not about the drawing, it's about enjoying the process and training our eyes and hand...

Whatever you end up with will be perfect.  It's the best you can do, so what more can we ask, right?  The more you do, the better you will get. Ur already well on your way to becoming better at drawing simply by committing to this challenge. Mad skills, that's what we want! Thanks for hanging in there and subscribing to this blog.  

Have fun and Happy Drawing!!!  

Check out my Facebook page to see some of your fellow challengers' drawings.You can share the challenge or any of my blogs with your Facebook friends if you want to encourage others to join us.  While you're there, please "Like" my facebook page: Rebecca Zdybel- Artist

See you tomorrow!

I read every comment and it means a lot to know you are out there reading.  Post your photos on my Facebook or instagram page with the #30daydrawingchallenge, #learntodraw and we can follow one another's progress...

Rebecca Zdybel

Artist, Instructor, Art-Travel Instructor

Art Lessons in all media

Myrtle Beach, SC

rebecca@artmyrtlebeach.com

Spread Light, Share Love, DO Art!

Feel free to share any of this blog post on your own blog or website, but I ask that you you include:

Rebecca Zdybel is an artist and instructor in Myrtle Beach, SC.  Follow her and see her work at http://www.artmyrtlebeach.com/

Join me on Google+ Rebecca Zdybel Google+ 

Out of My Mind Again! Art- My Favorite Drug of Choice

Have you ever had an out of body experience?  I just did.  I passed a very long 9 hour flight without the need to sleep despite getting up at 3 AM in Athens.  I'm a little fatigued, but during the flight I completed a few small watercolor sketches in my travel journal, and did some writing.  So fun! I was really "in the zone".  Either that, or once again,  I was out of my mind!

Athens

Octopus on the line...Scala Sykaminia

Remembering Manh Manh Restaurant in Athens...OHPAH!!

Note to self: sketching is probably best done on smooth paper...

this one done on rough paper is an illustration of why =)

Windmills of Chios- a must see!  You can eat dinner there as the sun sets...just lovely!

If you're as old as I am, you may remember that old Calgon Bath commercial.  The catch phrase was,  "Calgon, take me away....!" Good old Calgon Bath products never had that effect on me, though if I had enjoyed them this way, perhaps they might have!  

If you're old enough to remember that commercial, you may also remember the natural child-birth technique called Lamaze.  Breathing was at the heart of the Lamaze method and I relied on for all 4 of our children's births.  It really worked.  

That was the first time I remember being transported mentally in a remarkable way without chemical assistance.  I always thought of Lamaze as self-hypnosis, and a way of going "somewhere else" in your head while all hell was breaking loose with your body.  

That feeling is not just available through chemicals or hypnosis.  Music can also transport me.  Playing music can be a quick way to lose a few hours once I settle in and get engaged.  

Sports can also take me there.  Being an athlete all my life, I've had times when I've played "out of my mind".  My hand and eye were incredibly connected.  When this happened my entire being was on fire and I was doing things I could not believe possible.  Everything worked and was in sync. I was in the zone.  It was the best!  If you're an athlete, you may have also experienced something similar.  I don't think I'm that special...I just think it's part of the human experience.  

Those times are incredible, and sometimes I feel myself in that same kind of head space while "in the zone" doing art.  Every artist who has seriously spent time focused on their artwork has felt some version of this phenomena.  Time slips away, you're focused and ideas are flowing.  You see more and more clearly, perceive more and more discerningly.  Associations come, ideas flow, and you may even forget to eat, drink, or sleep.  Concentration is keen, and yet you are not on edge.  It's a calm and centered mental place to dwell.  In her book, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, Betty Edwards calls this mental state, Right-Brain Mode.

Having grown up in the generation before the "just say No" era, I confess to having personally had a motto of "just say Yes" to a whole lot of things that would prevent me from running for political office.  Having sampled a few wares of the legal and illegal sort,  I can report to those of you who may have made other choices, that nothing compares to the "high" I feel from art. ART is my new drug of choice.  


I have had conversations with a few of my friends who write as their means of expression.  They report a similar feeling when they are focused and feeling especially creative.  Betty Edwards encourages writers to do a sketch prior to writing as a means of focusing their creative centers and starting up that sense of flow.  The idea is, that once you begin the Right-Brain Mode, you can transition to writing and ride the wave of creativity a little more easily. 

Have any of you had this feeling?  I'd love to hear about your experiences..comment here if you would like to share.

Rebecca Zdybel

Artist, Instructor, Art-Travel Instructor

Art Lessons in all media

Myrtle Beach, SC

rebecca@artmyrtlebeach.com

Spread Light, Share Love, DO Art!

Feel free to share this blog post on your own blog or website, but I ask that you you include:

Rebecca Zdybel is an artist and instructor in Myrtle Beach, SC.  Follow her and see her work at http://www.artmyrtlebeach.com/

Seeing It Like It Is: Getting In Touch with Our Right Brains

Strengthening our connection to our Right-Brains: a fun foundation for Watercolor!

How can we improve our ability to render our subjects more accurately and more artistically?

Our stored images of things get in the way of our capacity to truly see that which is right in front of us.  Sometimes this can be a good thing...like when my husband continues to see me as the adorable 18 year old girl he once met, and as a result, he glosses over the little things that have changed over the years (like sagging body parts and crows feet.  =)  This same phenomenon of glossing over reality is not quite as positive when you try to see something as an artist...really see it, as it is in the moment.  Our stored images and our symbols for things will often be substituted by our pushy left-brains for the real appearance of something.  Our left-brains get in the way of really spending time and dwelling on the details of our subjects.  Our left-brains are used to being in charge in the modern world- they keep us on schedule by processing time, store symbols, process speech, and allow us to quickly sort through the chaotic information that crowds our senses on a daily basis.  Bottom line:  our left-brains are used to being in charge and don't move out of the way to let our right-brains take over without a fight.  

Promoting the connection with your right-brain is something I think is worth your time as an artist.  Our right-brains are essential in artistic pursuits. Raising your consciousness of how that right-brain connection feels can take practice.  Have you ever felt as if you completely lost track of time while doing something artistic?  Have you ever had trouble carrying on a conversation or keeping track of conversation as you've been engrossed in writing or some other task you loved?  These are symptoms of being in a "right-brain dominant" mode of thinking.  It can be a state which very much resembles a high...and which is associated with a feeling of contentment or bliss.  I've found that art is a wonderful substitute for that blissful state, and it's a whole lot healthier than some of the other ways of seeking that condition!  It can even be a facilitator for meditation.  Try playing inspirational music or inspirational books while working on your art, and you might find a wonderful way to inject content into your art and meditation into your process. 

One quick and easy exercise for moving your left brain aside and developing some right-brain muscle is doing contour drawing.  This term simply refers to the process of drawing without looking at the paper on which you are making your marks, and keeping your eyes focused on the subject you are trying to render.  Blind contour drawing is done without looking at your paper at all.   You can modify that slightly, by only periodically looking at your paper in order to reorient yourself when you get lost.  Both are really good ways to make yourself slow down and SEE your subject. It's incredible how hard it can be!  When I do this, I invariably feel my left brain's impatience with the process.  I begin to think of all the things I should be doing, all the time that is passing, all the reasons why I should hurry up and just get it over with already!  Then as I continue the process, I feel a relaxation of awareness and an unveiling of details that were previously missed when I looked before.  Nuanced shapes and contour changes become apparent.  It is really cool!! 

One of my favorite new techniques of late is using a pen called the Elegant Writer.  It's a calligraphy marker.  Karlyn Holman referenced this in one of her books, and so I tried it and LOVED it!!  I brought the pens into class the other day and shared them with my students, and it was so gratifying to see their reactions and witness the cool paintings that resulted from their usage!!  They used contour drawings of images as the foundations for their watercolors, and here are some of the incredible examples of what resulted in that class period...a couple of these have been developed even further since this class, but I don't have photos yet.  Perhaps I'll post them in a another blog.  I hope the photos below can inspire you!  If you've never given contour drawing a try, I encourage you to spend a little time with it and let me know how it goes.  I'd love to hear from you about your experiences...

If you're interested in reading more on subjects of this sort I would recommend Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards.  link to purchase Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

Rebecca Zdybel
Artist, Instructor, Art Lessons
Spread Light, Share Love, DO Art!

Feel free to share this blog post on your own blog or website, but I ask that you you include:

Rebecca Zdybel is an artist and instructor in Myrtle Beach, SC.  Follow her and see her work at http://www.artmyrtlebeach.com/