As I mentioned yesterday, I picked 3 objects for Analytical Drawing, and I started working on them yesterday. See below:
I chose a troll thingy, given to me for Christmas many years ago by my dear friend Sarah; a piece of rock from a Roman settlement in Tongeren (the oldest town in Belgium), and an African statue. Oh, and the girl in the picture is Suz, one of my friends from class. She sneaked into the shot, and I had to put it up here!
The idea was to take objects that you have a personal affinity with. I collect tribal ornamentation, and objects from early civilisations. I have many ancient artefacts such as an earthenware jug from China c. 2000BC; a Tolita culture head from the pre-Columbian era – roughly 500BC-300AD; an elephant bell from the Khmer Samrong Sen region c.1200-1500 AD; bronze age arrowheads; mammoth teeth; and fossilised fish. I also collect ancient books. The items above aren’t old, except for the rock from the Roman settlement. I didn’t want to carry my artefacts around with me in case of damage, but these give an idea of the type of things I like.
I wish I hadn’t bothered! I should have taken much easier items to draw. The problem is that I am now being taught to draw using certain methods of measurement. Of course, I understand completely why I’m taught to measure using these methods but they are so alien to me, that it is taking me hours to measure pieces. It has really slowed down my drawing, to such an extent that I cannot complete a drawing in 2 hours in class, and it is agony to draw. It is making me more tense, because I’m standing with arm stretched rigid. It doesn’t help that I have shaky hands, so it takes me a bit of time to get the measurement just right. No doubt I will get quicker, but just now it is hellish! This is making it very difficult to draw these items as there is so much going on – well for me as a beginner it is. I spent all afternoon just trying to get this sketched outline in:
It just feels so mechanical, and has absolutely no soul to it. So I reiterate, analytical drawing is a bitch!
Tomorrow, I have more analytical drawing. Fun, fun, fun, but I also have a new class: Sculpture! I’m soooo excited! I can’t wait to get my hands messy. I’ve said before that, for me, the visual aspect is the first response to art, and that the tactile aspect should be the second. It’s just a personal thing, but something I truly believe. I want to touch art – not be made to stand at a distance from it. Sculpture should be exactly that. There’s a saying here: You see with your eyes and not with your hands. It would be said, usually one child to another, when you wanted to look at something that the other had. I disagree completely with that sentiment. I get really excited when I run my hands over a piece of art that is full of texture. Am I weird? To some, probably! Anyway, I’ll let you know how I get on with that tomorrow! Peace out.
