Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Buggy

The arrival of the West Coast Seeds catalogue is a big deal for many of the gardeners I know. They get all excited and are inspired to start garden plans for the upcoming year. I, on the other hand, took a look at the cover of the new catalogue and was inspired to draw. How very odd.

I wasn't even drawn to draw any of the amazing plants pictured within. Nope, not I. I chose to draw a bug. 

I don't know what made me look at the photograph of the lacewing and say "I think I can draw that". Up until that point I had been working from drawings and illustrations. It hadn't occurred to me to try to draw something from a photograph. 

It was difficult. I was way beyond my comfort level. You can see eraser shavings on the original below. There were a lot of eraser shavings. Still, I'm glad I tried. I learned quite a bit. Like I have no idea how to convey translucent wings. Yet. It also prompted me to try shading, which led to further attempts later in my sketchbook.


The inspiration
My re-creation
I feel like I've learned quite a bit since I drew my lacewing. I now see things I'd like to change and do differently. My little lacewing might have to undergo further metamorphosis. Or maybe I'll create a sibling for it, particularly since the one pictured above has winged its way to Brooklyn and is awaiting its summer tour. 

3 comments:

  1. Sweet little bug! I've been looking over your recent drawing posts. Good for you for drawing. Copy away... no one who knows anything about drawing would think anything amiss with your copying as learning! It's a time honored tradition. Students spent years copying in ataliers and museums of 19th century Europe. Are you taking formal (or informal) drawing classes?

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Jan! It's good to hear from someone with experience in this area, because I'm definitely making things up as I go along. I'm not taking classes, though the thought has started to cross my mind. Right now I'm just happy mucking about with my Crayola coloured pencils and wondering over that fact that I can draw. It's quite the feeling. Middle school art classes had convinced me that I couldn't. This year's Sketchbook Project was certainly full of challenges and discoveries for me.

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  2. You have all the basic skills ... really you do ... time to step it up and take classes. Go find a good life drawing class, or basic drawing at a local college or other venue. Nothing feels better than drawing, and I don't do it enough any more. Go. Do!!!
    Additionally, here's a Golden Blog Award ... it's an easy one! Find the info at;

    http://fortsmithstylista.blogspot.com/2014/02/dining-in-my-pajamas-and-golden-blog.html

    Don't feel pressed if you don't want to mess with it, but I am always interested to hear more of what you have to say about "stuff."

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