Mia Dix, Memory of an Object “The loss of a tangible object, that was dropped and broken.
It was a glass bird. This ink painting is what I remember of it.”
—–
For today’s challenge, you will need a timer, drawing/painting tools, and 2 pieces of paper.
Choose a simple object that you see every day, something that brings you some happiness. Without looking at the object, sit and spend a minute or so trying to draw it from memory. What are your associations around the object? How does it feel? What do you remember about it, and from what angles? Sketch as much as you can. Notice all the things you can’t recall, but draw what you can anyway. It doesn’t have to be realistic. When you are ready to move on, this first drawing is done. Leave your paper, and turn your attention to the object or scene. Set your timer for one minute. Look at the object. DO NOT DRAW. What are the proportions? What are the angles? What is the weight, the rhythm or patterning? Squint down to see the basic shapes in value. See the large mass before you focus in on the details so you can take in the whole object. What are all the elements you could not recall when you first sat down to draw? Focus on the object for one minute. After your minute, then get out of your chair and pretend you are the object. Try to mimic it’s shape with your body. Ask yourself again: Where is the balance? Where is the weight? What are the angles? Imitate it as best as you can, and hold that for 30 seconds. Now it’s time to draw. WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE OBJECT AGAIN, draw it! Draw as much as you can.
Add both drawings to this post on our Facebook page. (#salchallenge)
The January Creative Challenge: 15 minutes, once a day, for 30 days.
[image_with_animation image_url=”7670″ alignment=”” animation=”Fade In” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Find a stone you can comfortably hold in your hand. Without looking at it, spend a few minutes exploring it with your hands. Close your eyes. Feel the weight of the stone, the shape and balance and texture of it. Get to know it as well as you …
One year ago in March, to protect our students and teachers from a new coronavirus, the Seattle Artist League moved our classes online. The virus was declared a national emergency, and we went into quarantine. We have now been in quarantine for thirteen months. Through this year, we have met each other online to draw, …
[image_with_animation image_url=”7736″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Piet Mondrian The first part of this challenge was to draw a tree from observation. The second was to draw the same tree, editing to emphasize the patterns within the branches. Today, draw the same tree again, editing even more. Look at the spaces between the branches, remove the …
The chicken paintings featured in this V-Note are by Endre Penovác. The chicken letter that follows was written in 1870, sent to the Poultry Society. The title proclaims it’s a manual about how to raise fine poultry. The content, however, renders itself informational for how to steal birds from your neighbor (or yourself, if you’re an idiot). It was signed by …
SAL Challenge Day 14: Memory of an Ordinary Object
[image_with_animation image_url=”7673″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”]
Mia Dix, Memory of an Object
“The loss of a tangible object, that was dropped and broken.
It was a glass bird. This ink painting is what I remember of it.”
—–
For today’s challenge, you will need a timer, drawing/painting tools, and 2 pieces of paper.
Choose a simple object that you see every day, something that brings you some happiness. Without looking at the object, sit and spend a minute or so trying to draw it from memory. What are your associations around the object? How does it feel? What do you remember about it, and from what angles? Sketch as much as you can. Notice all the things you can’t recall, but draw what you can anyway. It doesn’t have to be realistic. When you are ready to move on, this first drawing is done. Leave your paper, and turn your attention to the object or scene. Set your timer for one minute. Look at the object. DO NOT DRAW. What are the proportions? What are the angles? What is the weight, the rhythm or patterning? Squint down to see the basic shapes in value. See the large mass before you focus in on the details so you can take in the whole object. What are all the elements you could not recall when you first sat down to draw? Focus on the object for one minute. After your minute, then get out of your chair and pretend you are the object. Try to mimic it’s shape with your body. Ask yourself again: Where is the balance? Where is the weight? What are the angles? Imitate it as best as you can, and hold that for 30 seconds. Now it’s time to draw. WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE OBJECT AGAIN, draw it! Draw as much as you can.
Add both drawings to this post on our Facebook page. (#salchallenge)
The January Creative Challenge: 15 minutes, once a day, for 30 days.
Below:
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