These two peppers are the result of a quick exercise I got out of Keys to Drawing: "draw a vegetable from memory; then, find the same one out of your refrigerator and draw it from observation". I have to say, this was a revelation.
When I would attempt to draw in the past, I would end up with drawings like the pepper on the right-which is borderline okay...but not a real enthusiasm producer. Consequently, I would quickly lose interest and another ten years would pass by.
Very recently, I picked up Danny Gregory's book: The Creative License (after happening across his blog on the 'net). The pepper on the left I attribute to what I 'got' from his book; and, all the drawings I have publish here in this blog are also after this spontaneous discovery.
For some reason, I have apparently given myself permission to stop working from preconceptions and to penetrate to something richer. As the EDM group can attest (and as I have witnessed), the mundane holds treasures.
When I would attempt to draw in the past, I would end up with drawings like the pepper on the right-which is borderline okay...but not a real enthusiasm producer. Consequently, I would quickly lose interest and another ten years would pass by.
Very recently, I picked up Danny Gregory's book: The Creative License (after happening across his blog on the 'net). The pepper on the left I attribute to what I 'got' from his book; and, all the drawings I have publish here in this blog are also after this spontaneous discovery.
For some reason, I have apparently given myself permission to stop working from preconceptions and to penetrate to something richer. As the EDM group can attest (and as I have witnessed), the mundane holds treasures.
2 comments:
I know exactly what you mean. After getting out of school, for the longest time I would try to draw stuff from imagination (why I thought this was vitally important I don't know) - which I'm not good at. I would get frustrated and not draw for a while. Like you, something just happened and I gave myself permission to draw what I see.
Thank you for posting the two versions of your pepper. They're a really good illustration of the importance of direct observation. I did a pen and ink of a green pepper last summer; I'll h ave to post it one of these days. I'm enjoying your sketches!
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