09.05.10 charcoal cloth

Charcoal cloth

Originally uploaded by lightspeedchick

I once dated a windsurfing instructor for 5 years, and over 5 summers of frustrating, hard training and personal instruction, I never managed to learn to windsurf. That’s when I realized that mastery can never come from just training. You need training AND potential.

I’ve always thought I could draw if taught, but my drawings have always been technical-looking outlines, with shading and color my nemeses. I’ve been taking some lessons over the past few weeks, and the instructor had me do this charcoal exercise to overcome some of my shading demons. It’s been fun but exhausting getting over my normal style.

Here’s hoping drawing doesn’t become another futile exercise in windsurfing.

2 comments on 'charcoal cloth'

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1. Comment by the milliner on 10.05.10 at 9:45 am

   “It’s been fun but exhausting getting over my normal style.”

   If I had a nickel…

   I’ve spent so much of my time/life trying to get over my normal style (girlie and beautiful looking things), and then I finally realised that maybe I should be embracing my normal style.

   However, I think explorations in trying out other styles & techniques always bring another layer to your natural style, and definitely make your work (whatever it is) more complex and more rounded. I like to think my girlie and beautiful things do have an edge to them thanks to my love of the weird, and the dark.

   Are you doing private drawing lessons? So awesome. And I’m completely impressed with the results, BTW.
2. Comment by David on 01.02.12 at 6:42 am

   Well, that drawing actually seems extremely good… Hope all’s well

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