Determination, Imagination, Foundation

As I have been reading blogs and seeing some of the amazing artwork of my friends out there in blog land, I have begun to realize I REALLY need to practice the discipline of drawing more! For some people drawing comes so natural for them. They breathe and they draw a beautiful masterpiece. Can you hear the envy?


I learn so much from them. I observe their passion, their steadfast hard work and discipline to their art work. Their dedication inspires me.

What I lack in skill, I make up for in imagination and determination. However, I need to DRAW more! Drawing is the foundation. I wrestle with this because drawing just doesn't come easy for me and I don't particularly enjoy it as much as I LOVE to paint. I see detail, color and a whole host of images in my minds eye but it doesn't do me much good if I can't translate it well, onto the paper or canvas. SIGH.


To start this discipline, I took an art class from my friend Karen Cain-Smith. (You can see her amazing work by going to the links listed) She is an fabulous artist, very patient and encouraging with those of us that are novices. Her challenge for the class was to take a photograph or an object, then do 7 or 8 quick sketches of it from different perspectives and angles.


I could feel the blood drain from my face. I am totally intimidated by this!! Give me the paint, the textures, the creative brainstorming but make me draw and my confidence level, crawls out of the room like a slug avoiding salt!


I am a bit embarrassed to share my "caveman" like drawings in this post. My goal is to encourage those of you who are novices or those that have struggles with drawing or other aspects of art. Don't give up!! Drawing isn't my strength but I can learn to do this better and get stronger in this area. It will make my paintings have more impact and help me not hide behind the paint and color.





This was a photograph I took about 10 years ago with a terrible camera. But I love the mood and mystery in this shot.

Okay, I misunderstood my friends instructions a little bit and my imagination took over. There is no mouse in the picture but I thought there should be one! LOL

Caveman drawing exhibit "A"
I realized after sketching this, the shadows on the columns and the floor were all wrong. That is WHY you are supposed to look at what your drawing instead of making it up as you go! My poor art instructor.

Back to my over active imagination.......No this wasn't in the picture either.

Well, this sort of WAS in the picture. I just added a little something.

Different angles, I heard that at least?

So there you have it. Caveman drawings but practicing drawing nonetheless!

Hope you are encouraged. Keep learning and have fun being creative!!!

I leave you with one of my favorite quotes.

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." Theodore Roosevelt