One of the goals I'd set this year was to draw more in public and to become more comfortable doing it. This was important for some projects I'm working on---but also, and chiefly, for my sense of myself as an artist always at the ready. A large component of this plan was drawing people, but this was not the only focus. Meals, buildings, landscape elements were all part of the public drawing project. For now, though, I'll concentrate on the drawings OF the public.
As a point of comparison, here's a sketch from late 2004, made in the British Museum cafe. My lines are timid, the faces are very quickly drawn---anxiety at work!
This page comes from my yellow sketchbook, in late April. The sketches are somewhat stronger here.
Working in the green sketchbook made for some unusual colors on faces and heads!
When blue rolled around, in late summer, I was getting more specificity in face and figure.
This was done in my purple phase. By then, I'd dropped the idea that I had to draw people in the color I was working on!
By the trip to France in October, I was completely comfortable drawing in public.
And even when I couldn't use color, I loved the careful looking, the losing myself in the act of putting lines on paper, the creation of a small thing that connected me to that moment, that place, those strangers.
I have MUCH more to do on this front in 2006. I want to concentrate more on figures in context, on the composition of these sketches, too.
Tomorrow: public drawing, part 2
It's interesting to see the progression here. But even the first drawings are interesting because they go right to what you saw as the defining shapes of each of the people.
Posted by: Dr. Research | December 28, 2005 at 08:30 AM
many thanks Laura for sharing your creative explorations, you have given me so much new to think about and try, new ways to see and draw, I'm so looking forward to more of your inspiration in 2006!
Posted by: Cin | December 28, 2005 at 12:19 AM
I love see other people's progressions. And your's are always so interesting (I do love the color studies). Each drawing is just practice for the next one isn't it?
Posted by: janey | December 27, 2005 at 09:05 PM
You're so welcome---and if sharing my efforts has been of any help to anyone (thank you for your kind comments in that regard, Linda and others), I'm humbled and grateful.
Posted by: Laura | December 27, 2005 at 08:31 PM
Ah yes, the elbow grease! :o) You've shown the importance of that with your retrospective look through your year's work. Thanks for sharing Laura.
Posted by: Terri | December 27, 2005 at 08:14 PM
Terri, I believe that to be true. Absolutely. As for the rest, it is amazing what lack of anxiety will do for your creativity, isn't it? And elbow grease--let's not forget that.
Posted by: Laura | December 27, 2005 at 08:06 PM