When I was little, before I could write, I would pretend to write in cursive. I’d take a pencil and paper and draw repeated double loops like cursive f’s, and scrawl graceful wavy lumpy lines. That’s what cursive looked like. I’d pretend to write a doctoral dissertation. My parents were in grad school in Claremont at the time, and I was surrounded by kind academics and their rumpled papers, so in order to make it authentic I’d crumple up the paper as if I was experiencing frustration, then press it all out again, erasing and adding notations in the margins. I would repeat this over and over, with perfect seriousness. I thought it was a beautiful process. I didn’t grow up to write a dissertation, but I did grow up to be a writer, and I am sorry they no longer teach cursive in schools. I still love the look of cursive, and of rumpled paper.
Today, I propose an asemic writing project. Draw lines that resemble words, but without writing anything of meaning.
“Asemic writing is a wordless open semantic form of writing. The word asemic means “having no specific semantic content,” or “without the smallest unit of meaning.” With the non-specificity of asemic writing there comes a vacuum of meaning, which is left for the reader to fill in and interpret.” – Wikipedia
Thank you to the hauntingly mysterious League painter Siobhan Wilder for this idea. [image_with_animation image_url=”7858″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”]
This is a man who became an artist because he missed a train. He was walking in a Manchester suburb, and as he took in the scene he was overcome by an urge to paint it. He then decided to become an artist. “I don’t know why I paint these scenes, I just paint them.” What …
Rodin’s hands feel more real: …If you’re wondering, yes I was the crazy lady of the day that became all verklempt over the Rodins. I’m told it’s a thing. Interested in hearing more thoughts like this? Take my figure drawing class, or the more sculptural Planes of the Face. I am also teaching drawing camps …
I tell you Leaguers, it’s tough being the sole guardian of high culture, but someone’s gotta do it. [image_with_animation image_url=”6039″ alignment=”” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Trouble reading the tiny text? Here’s the script: Calvin – “How unoriginal! How jejune! Stupid kid. If you don’t have anything to say, just keep quiet! Well, this is certainly shocking! Face …
I asked Claire Putney to name some of the inspirational watercolor painters for her upcoming workshop Watercolor Landscapes. She listed: Sunga Park Maria Ginzburg Walton Ford Z L Feng A few days ago I shared artwork by Z L Feng. I had the intention of making a V. Note about the other three on each sequential day…. First, …
SAL Challenge Day 26: Asemic Writing
[image_with_animation image_url=”7856″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”]
Siobhan Wilder, painting in progress
When I was little, before I could write, I would pretend to write in cursive. I’d take a pencil and paper and draw repeated double loops like cursive f’s, and scrawl graceful wavy lumpy lines. That’s what cursive looked like. I’d pretend to write a doctoral dissertation. My parents were in grad school in Claremont at the time, and I was surrounded by kind academics and their rumpled papers, so in order to make it authentic I’d crumple up the paper as if I was experiencing frustration, then press it all out again, erasing and adding notations in the margins. I would repeat this over and over, with perfect seriousness. I thought it was a beautiful process. I didn’t grow up to write a dissertation, but I did grow up to be a writer, and I am sorry they no longer teach cursive in schools. I still love the look of cursive, and of rumpled paper.
Today, I propose an asemic writing project. Draw lines that resemble words, but without writing anything of meaning.
Thank you to the hauntingly mysterious League painter Siobhan Wilder for this idea. [image_with_animation image_url=”7858″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”]
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Rodin’s hands feel more real: …If you’re wondering, yes I was the crazy lady of the day that became all verklempt over the Rodins. I’m told it’s a thing. Interested in hearing more thoughts like this? Take my figure drawing class, or the more sculptural Planes of the Face. I am also teaching drawing camps …
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