PRELUDE: • Join us tomorrow, December 15 at 2 p.m. Eastern for our December LIVE CHAT on YouTube. For this one, I'll be drawing while you ask questions.• Our 50% off SALE on Courses and Lessons continues through December.This is the sixth issue of my eight-part series that I'm calling Unlocking Eight Mysteries of Painting. This series began with exploring why we artists paint. Within that question we are also addressing evidence from master painters throughout time. Wherever we look in time the act of drawing is foundational. But for a long time now drawing has been given a bad
rap. Zillions of coloring books have created an embedded notion that drawing is outlining and painting is filling in the outlines. That is pure rubbish! Real drawing is moving the hand while holding a drawing tool and following what the physical eye is seeing or what the inner eye is imagining. It has nothing to do with learning rules or stiffly outlining an image. It has everything to do with discovering the
life in what we are seeing and recording it. From Dianne's sketchbooks, capturing an Atlanta Braves game. Michaelangelo Sketches for Two Separate Projects WHAT WE ARE DOING WHEN WE DRAW Drawing not into trying to make an image look right or correct. Instead, it is searching out the life of the image. It's following the gestural changes or searching how the light is hitting internal parts of a shape or exploring textures of surfaces--whatever
captures our attention and curiosity. Real drawing is invigorating. It gives the artists energy that drives right through fears and hesitations. And most of all, drawing serves to feed the artist. Not only does it inform the artist about how the eye sees an image, but it explores the essence of
the image. Knowing this, every master artist in history has used drawing to prepare for every painting. It is, without doubt, the single most important skill an artist can learn. Dianne's again: Two quick value studies of Susie More studies from Michelangelo Whether you are seeing/drawing or whether you are shying away from drawing, Zen Seeing, Zen Drawing by Frederick Frank can transform your life. It's out of print now, but used copies are available. Treat yourself and get a copy. (click on the image
below). We are discovering, aren't we, that these mysteries are not mysterious at all, although they are filled with wonder! Enjoy an exhilarating weekend!
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Happy Painting,
Dianne
dianne@diannemize.com
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