Kathy can draw! (all by herself!)

[Kathy]

Hello! You all seem like such kind creative people so I thought I’d leap off the cliff and share my very 1st drawing, like ever.

I’ve been trying SO hard to “learn how to draw” for 2 years when I recently stumbled onto Matt & the Virtual Instructor.

I can’t tell you the hours I’ve sat and stared at things desperate to “see” something to draw, to then somehow (obviously I keep buying the wrong pencils as yours all seem to contain magic wands…) make marks on the paper that represent the form I’m seeing.

I can’t tell you how thrilling is was for me to draw this rock from a picture I took yesterday. I honestly believed “drawing” was something my brain could now, would not learn, but now I’ve taken my first step and I can feel, see, sense how everything is now possible.

And I thought maybe some of you would enjoy high-5ing me for my masterpiece.

[Ginny]

[Maki]

[sterlingsiam]

High five Kathy! I, like you, thought I couldnt draw a thing. Then, just like you, I took the plunge 2 years ago. I followed one of Matts live lesson (marbles on grey paper with graphite). At first, I thought I would never get the hang of it but I decided to trust and simply go with the flow. Now, I see that I just need to trust myself. So, keep at it, you will surprise yourself.

[tomee43]

Hi Kathy: Im about 2 years in too and posting my first drawing here last week ,well i had my finger on the send key forever before i posted. And, I got the help i needed to do a little more work on my drawing and best of all feel a part of a artist community . So all of us here can keep on creating our art.
I’m just fascinated by subjects everyone picks ,it is getting easier for me to see things in my surrounding now that i look differently at the world .
Nice work and glad to meet you
tom

[Kathy]

Hello sterlingsiam, I’m comforted knowing I’m not the only one! I just saw that marble class today and will be doing in it soon. And such a good point about trust - I keep hearing Matt say; “everything you need is right in front of you”. It’s on the form. A feeling of peace and calm come over me.

Thank you for your response!

[Kathy]

Hi Tom,

Oh what a great experience! I look forward to being part of this artistic community. I’m amazed at what everyone can do! It’s a treat to see.

I like being reminded my problem (I don’t know how to do it) is only in my head - the “problem” is one of perception - I’m not seeing…yet. Thanks for your encouragement,

[Frankie]

Art is a blessing… it’s as the world goes away while your hand with your mind create new beginnings… keep it up.
Art is for your enjoyment… practice will always promote progress

[Denise]

This is great for your first drawing. I look forward to seeing more of your work.

[Kathy]

What a beautiful sentiment Frankie, thank you.

[Kathy]

Thank you Denise. I’m excited to do more!

[Maki]

Hi Kathy,

Well done, your work reminds me of some Giorgio Morandi’s works. I have seen his originals in a gallery in Tokyo before and they were so fascinating.

I share a photo which I took years ago at a friend of mine’s exhibition. This could be a good material for your practice to grasp the shape of the things and subtle changes of the values. You don’t necessarily need to draw everything in the scene. My recommendation is to pick up one or two bottles in the front line and practice drawing them as precisely as possible, and once you’re happy with the result, move on the bottles in the back to see if you can express the correct distance between them.
I am well aware that I’m being hell of a busybody, but I am not forcing you anything. Looking at your work, I just thought you would create something interesting based on this photo.
I attach both a colour picture and the B&W version.

[Kathy]

Maki,
Thank you so much. All I’ve wanted for the past 2 weeks is for someone to give me drawing assignments. Honest. I want to practice, but am too overwhelmed to pick subjects. Your post is incredibly welcome and helpful. I’m already freaking out about the angle the bottles are on! But I know that everything I need is right in front of me in the picture. So much gratitude to you.

[christinwood]

I love “the world goes away.” That is exactly what happens to me the minute I pick up my pencils my sketch book!!

[Biddy]

Lovely start Kathy. I am 3/4 way through Matts course “25 Days to better drawing”, which teaches all the basics to the art of drawing which you will need before getting too adventurous all by yourself. Matt is an excellent teacher. It is advisable to get this good grounding in drawing before progressing to other mediums because good art starts with good drawing.

[tgp]

Late as it IS
I offer you a High Five!

as a fellow N00b myself I think its interesting to note that part of the great difficulty when drawing is Simply Believing that it can be done! and maybe even more importantly; believing that ONE can draw more accurately and better then one did in the past.

keep drawing and believing in yourself!