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Sunday, June 19, 2016

Listen to Your Drawing

Sydney Sketch Club, we sketched a pretty house and I drew one member, too. Another member so much inspired us at lunch. "Listen to your drawing. What does your drawing need to put in?" I've realised that I tried so hard to apply new approaches to a subject and did not work well. Apart from an experiment of a new methods, I need to well listen to what my drawing needs. Otherwise, I will mess up the work. His say sounds like upside down though, it convinced me so much. I want to feel what my drawing wants for. What do you think, Friends? 
But it is certain that we cannot grow without stepping out of a comfortable zone and try something new or different. Experiments are fun and pain, which depend on outcomes. I'm interested in a background for a portrait. This is the portrait of a sketch club member. I felt a blank background was empty. I wondered if the portrait wanting for a background and added a simple background. It seems I like bright colours, hahaha!? Any feedback is welcome. Sometimes, an image of a background's colour comes up from the beginning of live portraits on spot. Sometimes, not. Or I might be a deaf and cannot listen to my own work's cry. Or that work does not want anything more and enough. I should leave it alone. Technically, it's hard to resume watercolour in my style, because of edges and washes. I prefer to finishing up work in a short time on a same day.  
The member who enlightened me was a former architecture teacher at an art school and an artist. He always gives me something interesting and generously helps us in need. That's the beauty of group activities and Sydney Sketch Club. 

The pretty house was on Queen St. We had fun on Queen's birthday. Another member commented, "Nice painting, Sadami. I see that yours is a lot more accurate." Until his say came, I did not realise my architecture drawing was precise. I always start from accurate "dessin" in a traditional drawing learning methods. Then, I can loose up or other techniques in watercolour painting. Ultimately, -- another artist taught me -- a person's techniques cannot go beyond her drawing ability/skills. "So, Sadami, draw!" he said. I've kept that advice for ages. Btw, I used a hake brush in this work to create a background. It was fun. Not completely satisfied with a result though, an interesting and good lesson. I'll try it more to enjoy hake.  
How do you interpret this "Listen to your drawing"? I've got that it means in a more profound and general way. It could mean "Look at your work objectively," in my interpretation. I hope I will grow as an artist. 
Friends, let's enjoy our art journeys. It's wonderful to have company in journeys. Thank you for your friendship. 
Happy Painting!!    











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16 comments:

  1. Sadami, thank you for your wonderful post today. Your drawing is always so special, you must have a good ear for what it is telling you. :)

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    1. Thank you, Carol. And you, too, have ears to listen to work. Best wishes, Sadami

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  2. Hi Sadami ... 'I think listening to your drawing' can be ever so important. Those of us with experience have stored a great deal of knowledge that sometimes we can only feel. Somehow I know when my inner self is talking to me and I should step out of my safe / comfort zone and go farther. It doesn't always work, but sometimes I surprise myself. And if I goof up the painting in the process, I remind myself that my growth as an artist was ever so much slower when I was always careful.

    I think the background on your portrait give a lovely richness to the whole painting. Your subject is much the better for it.

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    1. Thank you very much, thoughtful Elva. Like you say, growing as an artist is the process of encountering what I am/become what I am fully/what I will be most, I feel. Our process of growth is very varied, individual and private.
      Thank you for your encouragement. Best wishes, Sadami

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  3. Oh, I like these - it's interesting how the green fades away when you put the pink background in and it stands out more without a background :) So many things we artists have to think about in a painting! Your house is beautiful and I like the loose hake brush background :)

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    1. Thank you, sweet Rhonda! I hope you and I will enjoy drawing and painting more than ever! Best wishes, Sadami

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  4. Listen to your drawing is a great thougth, I think you are right. I've been experimenting with backgrounds too, and it is always a hard decision. Experimenting is learning. I love the choice of pink for this lady's background.

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    1. Thank you, Judy. A background depends on an artist's emotion and inspiration, I feel. Above all, I want to just have fun in drawings like a little child, apart from projects/job. I hope you will enjoy experiments and background. Best wishes, Sadami

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    1. Thank you, Carol! You, too, make wonderful works. Best wishes, Sadami

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  6. Stepping out of our comfort zone is difficult for all of us. But then that is the only way to grow. Your work and posts are always so inspiring.

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    1. Oh, brave and kind AK! You always encourage me. Best wishes, Sadami

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  7. You do listen to your drawings ! and they sing for you :) I like how different things are highlighted with no background and and the bright one. Normally I like bright backgrounds but somehow here I seem to be drawn to the one with no background --it draws out the subject's concentration and intensity! and the architectural one is excellent . wishing you wonderful painting days!

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    1. Oh, that's what we, all artists want to do --- listen to works singing. I hope I will enjoy both figures and architecture. I need a bit more time to loose up landscapes. I'm getting the feeling. You, too, have a creative week! Best wishes, Sadami

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  8. the pink bg works really well esp with the greens as rhonda said ...it is very bold

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    1. Sweet Jane, thank you! Take care and enjoy watecolour painting. Best wishes, Sadami

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