Experiment #1: Abstract Scribbling

Today I got the urge to experiment with scribbling. I had in my head sort of what I wanted to do, but I was unsure what I would end up with. I knew I wanted a somewhat controlled scribble, to design what would be thought of as a mess of lines with no plan behind them. And I knew I wanted to add color in some way. So bristol board, india ink, and acrylic inks were the materials I dug out from the plastic drawers in my room that have yet to be organized.

As I held my first blank sheet, ready to go, I couldn't help but hesitate. What should I draw? With that, an internal dialouge began. I could define an object or figure with loose, scribbling lines. Or I could layer different gestural drawings on top of each other an go from there. Or maybe... Those are all good ideas, but how about you stop over thinking it and just draw. Just start putting lines down and see what you come up with. It doesn't have to be anything. Be you. Experiment.

Still being unsure of the advice from my "get out of your comfort zone" self, I decided to at least start in pencil. I realized the light pencil lines weren't going to cut it when it came to adding color. That's when I ventured to use india ink, sloppily tracing over my lines with a brush.

I tried a second piece, leaving the first in black and white in the meantime. This time, I went straight to ink. I started out giving myself guidelines. For example, "Draw a line that starts and ends off the page" or "Start your next line on top of another" or "Draw a closed shape that touches a line." Etc. Eventually, I got to a point where I was making compositional decisions based on what I already had down. Finally, I added color to it. Then I went back to the first and added color to that one, too.

While I don't normally lean toward this kind of thing, I had fun. I guess I'm broadening my horizons. Maybe...

Ya Just Gotta Doodle Sometimes

My goal was to draw something everyday. So far, I haven't been as successful with that as I'd like to be. But the last couple of nights I made a point to doodle my guts out. Here are a couple of the sketchbook pages that I filled with whatever came to mind.

The first started with a study of the bones making up the shoulder area. I did end up digging out my anatomy book so that I could draw from it. I'd planned on doing more skeletal studies, until I realized I was to exhausted to focus. I continued the next night with a book of houses I bought from the music library's art book sale. I landed on some kind of English interior, and mimicked the fancy arched door in the room. Sketched Adam while he was falling asleep, his hand, and popped in some out-of-head doodles.

The second page was my attempt to be as loose and gestural and quick as possible. Some was out of my head, some was from life. I enjoyed myself, and I think I might look into this approach a little further.

Figure Sketch

Sunning Figure

Another sketch from Thursday afternoon. It feels good to draw the figure again. I can already tell how much I need to get back into this kind of thing. I need to do more drawing from life and less from pictures. Pictures are convenient, but there's nothing quite like capturing something that is right in front of you. Just by this one figure study I am able to tell what areas of anatomy I desperately need to revisit. Like hands and feet, to name a couple. Once I sort through the mess that is my room, I will be able to crack open my anatomy books and start studying.

A New Beginning

Patio Chairs

Sometimes I like to start fresh when new ideas arise. I didn't really want to start a third blog, but after thinking over it a long while, I decided it was time. It made sense, I suppose, because I am officially out of school now. I am on my way into a new stage of life. The "real" world as most of us call it. Along with finding a job and trying to establish my career as an artist, comes the new world of marriage. In the midst of planning a wedding and getting more professionally organized, I must make time to breathe and to draw. To pray and to paint. To work hard, yet take the time to be inspired.

With that, I start this blog. To mark a new point in my life. Hence the title, which I also found other meanings in, which made it that much more appropriate to what it is intended for. It will be a recording of all my sketches and studies, and anything else I'm doing in between what major pieces I end up working on. Those pieces will more than likely end up in my portfolio, which can be found on my website. alyssajoyart.com

I will be sketching as much as I can, for fear that I will get rusty. Constantly drawing I hope will keep my skills sharp. And to start things off right, the sketch above is one I did today sitting on my patio in the backyard.