Monday, January 30, 2012

A lurking Muse

For many years even as a small child I always played with sketches. I struggled and struggled, gave up, tried again then gave up and this went on for well til now.  I remember one time seeing the TV Guide and they had those sketches you were to attempt to draw, send it in and they would basically tell you if you had potential. Well there was this dog and I sketched it and sent it in...and...I got a reply back saying I did have potential but that was that. I never went any further with it and being a child you never keep  things for encouragement late in life. And I never took an art class in high school or years later...hmmmm
Since getting my wireless I have been visiting YouTube quite a bit and I see some very good and creative people out there. I think my problem, and many of us say to ourselves negative things, which prevent ourselves from going any further with whatever we are tackling. I always love a challenge and as I get older I seem to be less " afraid" and I have a more I don't care what anyone else thinks attitude....good or bad that is the way I have become. So.... recently I dug out my sketchbook that I purchased months ago. I  just started with eyes first, I always think eyes are truly the window to the soul and I am becoming quite, well, good at them. But, you can't just draw eyes and that be it...you have to do a face...yikes...did I say that??? a face??? the whole thing??? well it was rather late, after midnight, and was having a bit of a time getting to sleep so I got out a regular HB pencil and my sketchbook and started just randomly drawing, letting go of negative thoughts, forgetting the challenges of the past and just being free with the pencil and this is the sketch I finished in about an hour or less. I was actually shocked that it looked as good as it does. Even the next morning when I showed hubs he asked me " Did you draw that"? you didn't draw that did you? I said yeah....now who else would be in bed drawing at that time of night (he fell asleep on the couch btw). So I realize I have a huge way to go, but, I must say for my very first attempt at a face and not really knowing what was going to turn out, I have to say, I think I did pretty good. I won't win any awards and I don't plan on doing any portraits of anyone but they say the face or human body is the hardest thing to draw. I think I had a little divine intervention as well because I felt so free and so uninhibited.
So here are 3 sketches for you to look at...if you don't mind and tell me honestly what you think? I now look at them and see things I could do different but I wont' change them as these are definitely depicting a mood I had set for myself.
Thanks for taking a look and I can't wait to show my mixed media faces I have been working on, they are whimsical and I am mastering the watercolours with white acrylic paint. I am now so excited to be able to do some of these faces that are popping up everywhere around the Internet.

Charcoal eye, I love charcoal but it takes a bit getting used to.....
 Pencil sketch first face , I have a lot of work to do on face shape as I look on here.....but at least you can tell it is a person. LOL
 2nd pencil sketch, not sure what is going on here, is the hair too big or the face too wide
♥♥♥

12 comments:

  1. it is a lot of fun to just play and not be worried whether its good or not and thats what sketchbooks are for...i stuffed up a tag yesterday and once i had done that it was the best thing... i just kept painting and drawing and i love it now....i love the eye les, i can feel it peering at me....:) great attempts and have fun playing....

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  2. LEs, these are really good! Wow, I'm impressed. Keep up the good work! I think you need to draw a curly girl next!
    Becky

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  3. Lovely to see you sketching Les... you have some great shading going on there... and I really love your eye in the first pic... that is soooo good... so much fun isn't it :)) Can't wait to see your mixed media faces...

    Hugs
    Jenny x

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  4. Les.....your faces are just awesome. Keep up the good work and keep drawing. That old saying practice makes perfect really is true!
    Hugs

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  5. I like the eye best! Keep at it! Hugs, Valerie

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  6. Morning Les... wow that charcoal eye is gorgeous... very detailed... I find that faces are sooo hard.. but these look pretty good for your first attempts..and yup they look like peeps... lol I think that the long necks make the faces look more elongated though. Can hardly wait to see what your whimsical ones look like..what is this watercolor with white acrylic technique?
    Love them.. glad you gave it a try..
    Kath
    xx

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  7. Les what are you worried about? Your sketches of cows look fine to me LOL!!! But what would I know I can't even draw. The eyes have it.

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  8. Loving the glint in your charcoal eye!...faces are sooooo hard to draw ..you did a fabulous job for your first attempts...keep sketching and enjoy being free..
    Looking forward too seeing your whimsical mixed media faces :)
    Jan x

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  9. Hi Lesley,
    I am usually a bit of a lurker, but seeing your sketching, I felt the need to comment. I have also been working in my sketchbook of late and I know what you mean about that feeling of self doubt, it is very liberating to be able to just let go and try to draw. I recently found out about zentangles and have enjoyed drawing them, they certainly seem to free up the hand and mind. I loved your eye, it was beautiful, I also love to shade with charcoal. I think that the face that you asked about the size of the hair or the face that the hair was a little too wide, I am no expert, but that was my impression. I love your blog, keep up the great work and do lots more sketching!

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  10. Hi again Les...

    Just sharing some bloggy love with an award for you and your gorgeous blog my friend... the details are here...
    http://onevintageday.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/lovely-bloggy-award.html

    Enjoy...
    Jenny x

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  11. Keep it up! Your doing great!!!! I paint more than I sketch but I noticed that the more I do the better I get , so keep it up! (and faces are the hardest thing to draw!!!)

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  12. Your "eye" had me! I knew your face would be great and it is for a first go. Yes, faces are everywhere and I have seen many that aren't as good as your first one. Absolutely I understand about being less afraid...though I still freak a bit about letting out too much personal on line.

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