Dearest Alex,
Not much to write. I've been flitting around, doing this and doing that, some art, but mostly socializing. Got some orders for "Horsing Around" (of course when I needed the printer it decided to die, but the problem is fixed, so all is good).
Owls are coming along nicely, but I still need to do some studying.
Will write again soon!
M
Sunday 27 November 2011
Thursday 24 November 2011
Death To Creative Process
Dearest Alex,
Today has been one of those days...
Usually on weekdays I'm alone all day and can work in peace; well, do to certain circumstances that are too private to mention here (but I'm sure you being all-knowing know all about them anyway), a person I love dearly was with me today and she needed help.
It was nothing major, but still it was an interruption, then another interruption, then another... This is death to creative process. I can handle interruptions no problems when I'm cleaning-up, or painting, etc. However, when I am looking at a blank piece of paper, surrounded by bunch of reference photos, having to invent an entire scene out of my head (using those photos, but not copying them)--I NEED PEACE and I NEED QUIET--ABSOLUTE DEAD SILENCE.
Instead what I got was phones ringing, feet shuffling here and there, interruptions, interruptions, interruptions...
Why is it that non-artists can't seem to understand that drawing is work? Just because I work from home, dressed in my comfortable clothes, does not mean that I'm not "at work". If I worked in an office, no one would ever dream of interrupting me while I was working. During a break, sure, fine, but not while I was working!
So, all you non-artists out there, when an artist is drawing, or even when an artist is not drawing but has that blank look on their face (this means they are in another world and you should not try to call them back), DO NOT interrupt. Do not say hi, do not make your presence known, do not even step into their line of vision.
There I was, trying to figure out owl anatomy, tracing the scapula connection to the wing bone, wondering what the structure is under all those feathers when I hear: "Oh, Mili, can you come here for a second. I need your help ("HOLD ON" I yell, trying to place that line just right.) with this computer. Why is it not working? Do you know ("I SAID: HOLD ON!" Now if this is the chest area, and the head connects like...) what to do? It's the computer, there is something wrong. Why is (Ah, forget it. "I'M COMING!!!")...
Despite interruptions, I somehow managed to rough out my owls, but by the time I did that it was lunchtime.
(my "good" rough sketch of the owls: sketch # 5
I roughed out the drawing in col-erase pencil,
then I added details with a pen. I scanned the purple-
blue rough and turned it Grayscale, then I sized it
to 11 x 16--to fit my layout paper)
After lunch, I had to go out. I got some fresh air, which is always a bonus for an artist. However, by the time I got back it was 4 pm. By the time I had a snack and removed makeup from my face: 5 pm.
I'm one of those rare morning people. This means that as soon as the sun goes down my brain becomes foggy and I'm pretty much useless. After 5 pm all I can do is "monkey" work--work not requiring much effort--work a "monkey" can do. That's what I did. I took my "good" rough sketch and scanned and sized it, so that tomorrow when my mind is clear and creative juices are flowing again I can develop it into a good rough drawing.
Now, I think I'll go dance and do some bike riding to at least make an attempt at keeping fit, before turning in early.
Later!
M
Today has been one of those days...
Usually on weekdays I'm alone all day and can work in peace; well, do to certain circumstances that are too private to mention here (but I'm sure you being all-knowing know all about them anyway), a person I love dearly was with me today and she needed help.
It was nothing major, but still it was an interruption, then another interruption, then another... This is death to creative process. I can handle interruptions no problems when I'm cleaning-up, or painting, etc. However, when I am looking at a blank piece of paper, surrounded by bunch of reference photos, having to invent an entire scene out of my head (using those photos, but not copying them)--I NEED PEACE and I NEED QUIET--ABSOLUTE DEAD SILENCE.
Instead what I got was phones ringing, feet shuffling here and there, interruptions, interruptions, interruptions...
Why is it that non-artists can't seem to understand that drawing is work? Just because I work from home, dressed in my comfortable clothes, does not mean that I'm not "at work". If I worked in an office, no one would ever dream of interrupting me while I was working. During a break, sure, fine, but not while I was working!
So, all you non-artists out there, when an artist is drawing, or even when an artist is not drawing but has that blank look on their face (this means they are in another world and you should not try to call them back), DO NOT interrupt. Do not say hi, do not make your presence known, do not even step into their line of vision.
There I was, trying to figure out owl anatomy, tracing the scapula connection to the wing bone, wondering what the structure is under all those feathers when I hear: "Oh, Mili, can you come here for a second. I need your help ("HOLD ON" I yell, trying to place that line just right.) with this computer. Why is it not working? Do you know ("I SAID: HOLD ON!" Now if this is the chest area, and the head connects like...) what to do? It's the computer, there is something wrong. Why is (Ah, forget it. "I'M COMING!!!")...
Despite interruptions, I somehow managed to rough out my owls, but by the time I did that it was lunchtime.
I roughed out the drawing in col-erase pencil,
then I added details with a pen. I scanned the purple-
blue rough and turned it Grayscale, then I sized it
to 11 x 16--to fit my layout paper)
After lunch, I had to go out. I got some fresh air, which is always a bonus for an artist. However, by the time I got back it was 4 pm. By the time I had a snack and removed makeup from my face: 5 pm.
I'm one of those rare morning people. This means that as soon as the sun goes down my brain becomes foggy and I'm pretty much useless. After 5 pm all I can do is "monkey" work--work not requiring much effort--work a "monkey" can do. That's what I did. I took my "good" rough sketch and scanned and sized it, so that tomorrow when my mind is clear and creative juices are flowing again I can develop it into a good rough drawing.
Now, I think I'll go dance and do some bike riding to at least make an attempt at keeping fit, before turning in early.
Later!
M
Wednesday 23 November 2011
I Created A Blog!
Dearest Alex,
I have just spent most of my morning creating a blog.
"Why?" You ask.
Promotion. A way to force myself to stay on track and keep to my ever shifting deadlines. A way to share what I'm learning, as I'm learning. A way to vent my struggles...
There is something quite comforting about a blog. Even though no one may ever read a single post, as I'm writing this I feel connected to you, to the Universe, to my possible readers--or do they call them followers here?
They say it is easy to create a blog, and I suppose it is true, but I have just spent hours going through various templates and learning about features, hours that I could have spent working on my book. Finally, I chose one of the travel templates, even though technically this is not a travel blog (though I suppose any blog is a journey). I'm fairly happy with the result.
To keep true to the purpose of this blog, I need to inform you of the progress regarding my "live" projects.
WofV--The Fantasy Novel
After its 11th revision, it is currently being edited by friends. I hope they will send me the edits soon, so that I can start searching for a literary agent. I think the novel is brilliant, though I'm sure there are grammatical errors, and spelling mistakes--after all, English is not my first language. By moving to Canada, I have managed to miss out on most grammar instruction, and all I know about grammar is what I have absorbed by reading. I have struggled to no end to create a quire letter that will showcase the brilliance of my very complex novel in a page. I think I have succeeded, and I may post that letter here in the future.
"Horsing Around" Collectible Limited Edition Print Series
The series is ready for sale. However, most people seem frightened to purchase the images over the Internet through PayPal. I have made several sales to friends and friends of friends, but so far no one has purchased anything through my site. I need to up my advertising somehow, as well as establish the print sale in a physical location. I'm afraid Christmas Season will be a bust, but hopefully I can come up with a plan by Easter.
AIMH--The Picture Book
After two years, yesterday I have finally finished the two-page spread illustrating the above. I must have done a hundred sketches, but no matter what I did, the bear did no seem big enough!
The solution: loose the background. As soon as I removed the background and just left the characters, the bear looked much bigger.
Now, I'm moving on to spotted owls and pygmy short-horned lizards. Yesterday, my printer refused to print reference photos I found on Google, so I hope I have better luck today. I also hope I have the time to at leas sketch in a rough plan of the following two-page spreads.
As I was heaving breakfast, I read a bit more of "Drawn to Life: The Walt Stanchfield Lectures: Volume 2" edited by Don Hahn (a book I recommend to any artist out there) and I just have to share some words of wisdom:
"When you don't have a model to draw from, you have to visualize the pose or action. Visualization is in cahoots with kinesthetics, for when you visualize you are not using your eyes, but you are using every cell in your body. It's as if you create a whole 'nother world in your imagination -- one that can be translated to an audience through your drawings. But even with a model in front of you, the same process has to take place; otherwise it is just copying." (Stanchfield; page 266)
"Gestures are always performed for a reason. They are not just mere movements of body and limbs in some haphazard way, divorced from inner participation (motive); it is the visible manifestation of man's emotional or intellectual state." (Stanchfield; page 277)
His lectures area absolutely brilliant! I wish I had this book when I was studying Life-Drawing at Sheridan.
I'm dreadfully busy at the moment, but I hope that in January I may finally find some time to do more Life-Drawing. I really do miss it.
I guess, that's enough for today.
I'll write again tomorrow.
Always,
M
I have just spent most of my morning creating a blog.
"Why?" You ask.
Promotion. A way to force myself to stay on track and keep to my ever shifting deadlines. A way to share what I'm learning, as I'm learning. A way to vent my struggles...
There is something quite comforting about a blog. Even though no one may ever read a single post, as I'm writing this I feel connected to you, to the Universe, to my possible readers--or do they call them followers here?
They say it is easy to create a blog, and I suppose it is true, but I have just spent hours going through various templates and learning about features, hours that I could have spent working on my book. Finally, I chose one of the travel templates, even though technically this is not a travel blog (though I suppose any blog is a journey). I'm fairly happy with the result.
To keep true to the purpose of this blog, I need to inform you of the progress regarding my "live" projects.
WofV--The Fantasy Novel
After its 11th revision, it is currently being edited by friends. I hope they will send me the edits soon, so that I can start searching for a literary agent. I think the novel is brilliant, though I'm sure there are grammatical errors, and spelling mistakes--after all, English is not my first language. By moving to Canada, I have managed to miss out on most grammar instruction, and all I know about grammar is what I have absorbed by reading. I have struggled to no end to create a quire letter that will showcase the brilliance of my very complex novel in a page. I think I have succeeded, and I may post that letter here in the future.
"Horsing Around" Collectible Limited Edition Print Series
The series is ready for sale. However, most people seem frightened to purchase the images over the Internet through PayPal. I have made several sales to friends and friends of friends, but so far no one has purchased anything through my site. I need to up my advertising somehow, as well as establish the print sale in a physical location. I'm afraid Christmas Season will be a bust, but hopefully I can come up with a plan by Easter.
AIMH--The Picture Book
"...Fighting with tangles,
fighting with curls,
the poor barber yanked,
the poor barber pulled,
until with one last effort
(and to the wonder of us all)
(I'm including only half of the 2-page spread to protect my artwork.)
After two years, yesterday I have finally finished the two-page spread illustrating the above. I must have done a hundred sketches, but no matter what I did, the bear did no seem big enough!
The solution: loose the background. As soon as I removed the background and just left the characters, the bear looked much bigger.
Now, I'm moving on to spotted owls and pygmy short-horned lizards. Yesterday, my printer refused to print reference photos I found on Google, so I hope I have better luck today. I also hope I have the time to at leas sketch in a rough plan of the following two-page spreads.
As I was heaving breakfast, I read a bit more of "Drawn to Life: The Walt Stanchfield Lectures: Volume 2" edited by Don Hahn (a book I recommend to any artist out there) and I just have to share some words of wisdom:
"When you don't have a model to draw from, you have to visualize the pose or action. Visualization is in cahoots with kinesthetics, for when you visualize you are not using your eyes, but you are using every cell in your body. It's as if you create a whole 'nother world in your imagination -- one that can be translated to an audience through your drawings. But even with a model in front of you, the same process has to take place; otherwise it is just copying." (Stanchfield; page 266)
"Gestures are always performed for a reason. They are not just mere movements of body and limbs in some haphazard way, divorced from inner participation (motive); it is the visible manifestation of man's emotional or intellectual state." (Stanchfield; page 277)
His lectures area absolutely brilliant! I wish I had this book when I was studying Life-Drawing at Sheridan.
I'm dreadfully busy at the moment, but I hope that in January I may finally find some time to do more Life-Drawing. I really do miss it.
I guess, that's enough for today.
I'll write again tomorrow.
Always,
M
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