Tuesday, August 5, 2014

A Summer Sketching Slump

I've been in a sketching slump for much of this summer. It's always easy to be inspired to draw when I'm in a foreign place, but it's harder when I'm in familiar territory. 

I tried painting in a loose and carefree way,  starting with paint before line...



                                              but then I returned to my old favorite: line first.



                                          I decided to try the safety of  pencil--with an eraser,...



or  sketching things I've sketched before,...


Then I just let it all go...



Nothing seemed to make the sketching come easier.

Just slogging through sketch...


after sketch, ...


after sketch...


is finally leading to more frequent moments of pleasure.  

I wonder how many times I'll have to relearn this lesson. 

2 comments:

Dailysketches said...

Vicky this was a very honest post. We all have been 'there'! You just kept going as one should. I think the artichokes are my favorite.
What is it about foreign places that brings out the best in our sketching? I find that to be true also.

Vicky said...

Thanks, Linda. I think the novelty draws us in when we're in a foreign place--and we want to really look at everything. It takes more work when we're looking at the commonplace. Either one should be able to lead to a good drawing though, right?