My sister set up a 'secret' Facebook group, i.e. one with closed membership. This was great as it meant that people like me who live some distance from the main group, could still share in what was happening. Of course one or two people were not on Facebook or did not know how to upload photos but that did not matter. I found it reassuring that plenty of people were no better than me at this sort of thing!
It was interesting having to choose something to draw each day, especially as I am somewhat limited as to where I can draw. Now that I can no longer drive or walk very far, working 'on location' is not really possible. I also have to remember that I cannot sit down to draw because of the problems of getting up again so, particularly at this time of year, so that ruled out the garden. It mostly had to be still life but one day I was able to draw our wisteria through the dining room window.
The cats are always available as a subject but they spend most of their time in the winter asleep in one or other of their two 'doughnut' beds. They sleep very tangled up in each other which makes for boring pictures so I only used them on one day.
They started on the sofa but then got into the doughnut. I managed to catch them with one arm out but by the time I had sketched it in, the arm had disappeared inside!
I decided that this week was a good opportunity to get out all my different materials and try them out. I have a vast array of pencils, pens, pastels and paints although I also found that some things had died, and that my supply of paint brushes is very small. I also have a book called: One Drawing a Day by Veronica Lawlor which says it is a six week 'course'. I have not really used it but when I read through it, I realised that I could dip in and out of the suggestions rather then working through them.
So I tried using dip pens with Caran d'Ache water soluble coloured pencils
and combining coloured pencils, water colour and oil pastels.
It is interesting how we can avoid techniques and subjects that we do not enjoy or do not feel confident with so one day I forced myself to draw a person. As we do not have spare people round the house I had to use a photo but I made sure it was one I had taken myself. I used colour pencils for this drawing but I also tried out pencil and dry pastel. I soon realised that I would need to practise a lot to master pastel. The rules for drawing people began to come back from the depths of my brain because I honestly don't think I have done any portraiture or figure drawing for over thirty years.
What did I learn from the week? Finding something to draw and half an hour to do it is not that difficult (I can be a great procrastinator in my textile work - I spend hours thinking about the design before actually doing anything). Knowing what to include and what to simplify is difficult (the wisteria). The week confirmed that I am more of a designer that an artist as I kept seeing the potential for design using techniques other than drawing and painting.
But all in all it was a good experience and helped me to get my eye back in as they say. I think a week was about right for the length of the project but I will try and do some form of art work two or three times a week now. I brought all my drawing materials into the house from the studio and I realise that this sort of thing is better done at the dining room table so I plan to find a cupboard where I can keep them. Some of the images, e.g. this last one which was a photo of pumpkins I took at a farmers' market, shout 'printing' at me so now I just need to revise all those techniques I have learnt down the years and create some new work. As I now put myself in the category of people who do not go to workshops because they are too technique focused, I realise practice is what it is all about.
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