A DRAWING PRACTICE

“GUS” pencil drawing in my sketch book

There are so many times I have read that in order to improve my paintings, I first need to know how to draw. And, to improve my drawing skills, I should have a drawing practice. So, in the last couple of months, I have begun to draw on a regular basis.
Have you ever wondered what the benefits of a practice are? Me too. Especially if I keep making the same errors over and over, without knowing how to fix them.  And that’s where resources, observation and perseverance walk into the picture. 
At first, it was difficult and time consuming to practice drawing on a regular basis. We are all busy people, trying to keep many “balls in the air”.  But my desire to improve was great enough to set aside time to draw, and gradually, it has become a peaceful and calming activity, a space of time where I can think and reflect without guilt or censure.   That’s worth a lot, even without any other benefit. 
Our time is valuable, but I have found unless I deliberately invest this resource of time in all aspects of my art, there is more frustration and less movement forward toward the things I want to achieve. That investment of time has also meant borrowing or purchasing good resources which I can read, which have suggestions and exercises which help me to see in ways that enable me to improve, and encourage me to keep on practicing. One such resource which has helped me greatly is this drawing course based on the Charles Bargue method.

This course taught me to see and pay attention to angles and proportion. It also helped me more accurately determine the value of my shading - whether the area needed to be dark, light or something in between - and how to achieve that.
Another book I recently bought is The Path of Drawing by Patricia Watwood. The exercises in this book give variety and encouragement to explore and experiment, like you might have as a child! And that has been fun. (Is drawing allowed to be fun??? LOL)

Another fun thing to try is drawing everyday items with instruments. Drawing with pens, markers, crayons and paint can all be different experiences on the road to developing your style and accuracy. If I were to wear this shoe, I would need very short toes! I was too close to the middle part of my sketch book which had another drawing on the facing page…so I did what I could to complete the drawing.  Nothing needs to be perfect!

And speaking of fun…here’s a book I think everyone can benefit from having and using…and it’s so true when Danny Gregory says “Aha! Bad drawings are the best teachers.”

I now believe that a practice of drawing has contributed to improvement in my paintings, and has added another facet to my artistic experience. It has freed me up to accept that perfection is not the goal. Practice, fun, restful activity, and gradual improvement are all benefits of drawing regularly. So buy yourself a cute little sketchbook, a pencil, pen, eraser, and just start. Don’t judge your work. Just keep practicing and you’ll fill up that little sketchbook and need another! When you look back on your drawings, you’ll have a record of your daily life, and you will see improvement. Develop a practice of drawing to be more creative - every day.