Do you want to gain confidence in your drawing skills and be able to draw any natural subject?
There are so many different ways you can gain confidence in your drawing skills. We have already talked about making a commitment and finding time for your creative endeavors…………. so now…..
…….Let’s to talk about Fairy Dust!
Are you one of those people who believes some people are born with talent and others are not? Did the Good Fairy come down and sprinkle talent on a gifted talented few and forget to sprinkle some or not enough creative dust on you?
I have heard people on so many occasions say things like:
- “You are sooooo talented. I wish I could draw like that.”
- “I can’t even draw a straight line with a ruler.”
- “My Aunt Mildred got all the talent in the family. It skipped the rest of us.”
I am here to tell you that DRAWING IS A SKILL. It is not magic. It does require discipline, commitment and
About 20 years ago I studied with Betty Edwards, artist and author of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. I took a 5 day training course and was certified to teach her master class. It was AWESOME! Portraiture drawing has never been a favorite of mine. I was told at an early age by dad that I shouldn’t draw people because I wasn’t very good at it.
Thanks Dad for the mental block!
Yes, mental block. More often than not, there is a voice inside your head telling you can’t do it, you are not talented, it is too hard, you don’t have enough time etc. I could go on and on with one excuse after another…. yes, excuses. Here are some things to consider:
Most people can not draw. Why? Because they were never taught how to. Let’s look at learning to read:
In school one of the first things we learned was the alphabet. The letters in different arrangements formed words. Words placed together created sentences. Sentences created paragraphs. Paragraphs create stories. Viola, we were all taught to read and write. Did this make us Shakespeare? No, but it did give us the tools to be literate. Once we learned the skills of writing, it opened up a whole world of possibilities.
Did this happen for you in art class? I remember making clay ashtrays, popsicle stick houses and turkeys out of construction paper by tracing my hand for the tail feathers. In college a model was placed in front of me and I was told to draw her. Yikes. There was no instruction, no demonstrations, no tools to use besides paper, pencil and eraser. NO wonder I couldn’t draw people!
Are you getting the picture?
Like reading and writing, drawing is a skill which can be taught. It needs to be broken down into manageable lessons which develop into skills to get you to“see and think” like an artist. Will you wake up one day and be DaVinci, O’Keefe or Rembrandt? No…but guess what… You will wake up and be YOU! Devote the time and energy into learning skills like, contour and gesture drawing, measuring, perspective, surface contour, light on form, anatomy, color mixing and more. All of these things I listed are skills that with the right instruction and tools you can start creating the kind of art you have always wanted.
Are you ready to grab your paper and join me? Online Classes are available for you to learn how to draw in the comfort of your own studio and time frame or………………………… How would you like exploring the rainforest of Costa Rica to draw tree frogs, sloths and toucans…. oh my!
Mindy is an awesome teacher. I have taken all her online courses and had the privilege of traveling with her to Costa Rica. She’s the perfect combination of demanding and encouraging. If you want to learn to draw, she will get you there! And here I am now preparing a series of drawings for a juried art show!!
Thanks Cathy for your kind words. It is also a privilege to work with people who have a thirst for knowledge. It makes teaching easy and fun. Artists like you are inspiring to work with. It is great to see how far you have come with your art in just a short period of time. Can’t wait to see what you come up with for your new body of work. Draw on! ~Mindy
Thanks so much, Mindy! You’re such an inspiration to me to keep on going with my drawing!😘
You are more than welcomed Cathy. Can’t wait to see what you are doing. Happy drawing! ~ Mindy
Mindy, I agree that drawing or painting is a skill that comes with practice. I think that “spark” of talent that we all talk about having or not having, is that deep desire to do that art form. If we find what we truly have a passion for, and we have the commitment to stick with it, then we probably will find our talent niche. Its all about “What do you like enough to stick with?” I learned to play several musical instruments as I have gone thru my life… but they weren’t my passion. I didn’t have the drive to practice them like I do with drawing and painting. I love your class and I am having so much fun with it. Sometimes I almost forget to cook supper for the family because I get so involved with the art and I lose all track of time.
So glad to hear you are enjoying the classes! I totally understand about forgetting about time when I paint. I have a house full of cats….. at 5:00 they herd themselves to the studio door and let me know that it is SUPER TIME!! Enjoy!~Mindy