2016 has been a great year. Back in 2015, I started blogging for my classroom, and by spring of 2016 was doing great with it, and having quite a few views. I really enjoyed it, and felt that it helped me grow as a teacher. The other thing that spilled over into 2016 and started taking off in the spring, continuing to gain momentum even now, is my own artwork. With the start of a new teaching position, I stepped back from the blogging, but have really continued to get better about practicing my craft as an artist. Perhaps in another post I will recap the art I created this year. For now, I want to stay on topic. The topic of growth.
As an artist, and as an educator, I feel that growth is essential. I spend a lot of time learning not only through creating, but through studying the creations of others. As I have begun to do more of this over the internet, in an effort to know more about what is going on in the now, I have noticed that many people take on challenges. Perhaps because the new year is upon us I have been thinking about this a great deal. Asking, how will I challenge myself to grow this year. I have tried a few online art challenges, that I just didn't get behind, usually because I was not totally bought in, or unmotivated. One such challenge was Inktober. I think I only did it for 4 out of the 31 days.
I like the idea of challenges, and love seeing the results of others who have stuck with it. One friend of mine has been doing a daily photo challenge for several years now. One blog I followed for a while was from an artist who created a painting everyday of the year. Unable to find an art challenge that I feel I could really get into, I have decided to create my own. One that embodies something that I feel will truly benefit me as an artist. I have decided to spend a small amount of time drawing from observation each day for at least 365 days.
Over the past year I have read many articles, excerpts from books, quotes, and studies about the benefit of observational drawing. They made us do a ton of it in college, and I feel that kind of learning, or practicing, is something I need to get back to. I look at my students all of the time and think that they could really benefit from more observational drawing. If I want this for them, then I need to practice what I preach. Therefore, I am going to practice everyday.
I would love it if it caught on, and others wanted to join me. I make no promises, or even intentions of posting my drawings daily. However, at the end of the year I think I will do a sketchbook tour video of the journey. Maybe even some progress videos along the way. I know that I do not have the time to keep up with a social media angle of this. Other people who do things like instagram and so forth, attach hashtags to their challenges. I do not plan to do that either. I would rather prioritize that time with making the art. If this is something others want to do, I would love for them to share it with me. I will probably even try and coerce a friend or two into doing it.
My rules for my challenge for myself are these:
1. One drawing a day in a specified sketchbook. I am sure I will fill more than a couple.
2. A minimum of 5 minutes of drawing.
3. Observational drawing. A.K.A. drawing something that I am looking at, the way I see it.
4. Practice a variety of exercises such as, sketching, contour drawing, continuous line, blind contour, value, gestural, value drawing, negative space drawing, etc.
5.Continuously strive to get better, and perhaps faster.
6. Share the practice with others.
I bought a cheap, small sketchbook today to get started. I did not want to spend a lot of money, because I want this to be about practice, not about the finished drawings. Finished drawings have their own place, and I want this sketchbook to be about sustained practice. Also, I kept the book rather small so that the drawings will not take as much time. In a way, these drawings are intended as a daily workout, so to speak, and are not meant to take up a ton of time, though I am sure that occasionally they will. I do work in other books to plan for larger works, experiment with techniques, and occasionally create something finished, and will continue to do so. This new book is something outside of, or on top of what I currently am doing as an artist. I believe that this new adventure will strengthen what I currently do as an artist, not replace it.
If you read this and are interested in joining me, or even have something to share for motivation, feel free. I would love to hear other's thoughts on this, or their own experiences with following along. I believe if you are going to challenge yourself then you need to do it in a way that works for you. I believe this will work for me.
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