I invite myself to become a camera. An olive green ceramic pitcher sits before me with a potted plant set in it, a plant whose name escapes me if ever I knew it to begin with. I hold a Sharpie pen loosely, with my fingers as far away from its nib as possible. I press the pen lightly to a sheet of blank paper at my side and then look straight ahead at only the still life. I mentally pretend to run a finger around the edges of each part of the pitcher and plant while letting the pen come to life to enact that pretense.
How can I possibly put into words the magic that takes place? My eyes receive information from across a table, the information zips through neurons and synapses and who knows what else in my brain, my brain transmits signals to my pen-holding hand, my hand moves around the page.
In this way I 'take a picture.'
I am in awe.
Truly.
I love the exquisite intersection of intention and imprecision implicit in blind contour drawing. Is this an opportunity to let go so as to let in, or what!
Thank you, Amanda Evanston, for offering a class that feels just right for right now—self-paced lessons to open doors to new art adventures!
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| exercise: blind contour drawing 9 x 12"; Sharpie pen on drawing paper 2021 |
6 comments:
Love how you filled the page. All the negative spaces defining shapes. Wonderful exercise to get free.
Agreed, wonderful exercise. I found myself practicing it mentally when I woke in the night and it freed me from the monkey mind chatter that had been underway : )
you've inspired me! I am going to do this today! WOOT!
I tend to forget to consider blind contour drawing until I am reminded by someone who sparks me not to think about it but to actually DRAW. I LOVE the linework that emerges and, as you might also discover, the act itself can be compellingly restorative and nourishing.
Lovely curve of the handle, lovely leaf shapes! Lovely inspiration! :)
Sheila, the bliss in this exercise is DISCOVERING lovely on the page after EXPERIENCING lovely in the act of drawing, in FEELING the hand move the pen rather than watching the marks appear on the page. Thanks for sharing and celebrating lovely!
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