Artwala Road

So, if in learning to draw or teaching a drawing class, we begin by simply scribbling on a large piece of paper, what next? First, let me emphasize that the paper should be large—we need space in which to explore and to let ourselves go. So much of being an artist is breaking through social and mental constraints. Right away we’re going to give ourselves space to do whatever we want.

Now we’ve covered a few pieces of paper with scribbles let’s hang them on the wall to look at them. This is where a class is invaluable; this is something that you can’t do alone in quite the same way. When the drawings are on the wall let’s look to see what’s actually there. The fantastic thing is that no two people’s drawings will be alike. Even in such a simple exercise we each have our own way of scribbling.

But, in looking at the drawings, we get an opportunity to see the infinite possibilities of line and expression. Looking at other work gives us ideas. One drawing has heavy dark lines, another has lines that swirl upwards. One has short stabbing jabs that dance across the page. One has dark smudges on the outer edges, another confines the lines to the center of the page. In one the lines fly off the page, in another the lines are organized in a quiet, stately line.

It’s important to see what each of these things might express—the dark smudge, the short jab, the swirl. What feelings are evoked? Ultimately we want to include all manner of mood and mark in our own drawing lexicon. We need the whole language in order to make art. So after we’ve done one exercise with scribbling; it’s good to do another and another. It’s essential to experiment with some part of the language we haven’t yet played with in order to learn what it can do.

So, back to scribbling with a little consciousness thrown in.

September 24th, 2006 | Category: Drawing Life | Subscribe to comments | Leave a comment | Trackback URL