June 2020

​Drawing
 
I have always drawn - it is the basis of all forms of art. But recently, after a spell of pottery, jewellery making and semi abstract painting, I had somehow managed to lose the habit. 
I’d found that too much pre-planning and designing would make me feel bored with projects, preferring to get straight on with the pot, earrings or painting and “see what happens” rather than my usual approach which is to make a series of sketches first. 
 
I felt fine about my “charge straight in and ask questions later” approach to my work, but had a nagging feeling that not doing any drawing at all was going to be a problem later on. 
 
So I got out the pencils and tried to draw, but found I had no enthusiasm for it. I tried with my fine nib pens. Same problem. Crayons, pastels and graphite sticks all had the same effect. 
 
I was bored. But was I bored with the usual materials or just with the idea of drawing? Well, I had the urge to draw so it must be the materials. But what to try? I was at a loss so I just left it.
 
Then one day scrolling through the Notes app on my iPhone I found myself wondering what the little pen symbol was for. A few clicks later I had found a basic drawing & painting feature.  
 
I was sitting by a beautiful little waterfall at the time, and made a crude sketch, struggling with the fat finger / tiny screen aspect. But I loved the drawing I’d made! 
 
I’ve done lots more now, taking just a few minutes over them, learning how to make the colour opaque or transparent, which pen or pencil to use and how to erase annoying bits. I enjoy not being very good at it, not quite knowing what it will look like and not minding that my lines are wonky and weird looking.  
 
If you have an app for taking quick notes on your phone why not explore a bit and have a go at drawing with it? 
 

Waterfall

Succulents

Robin

Moon Jelly

Coastal flowers

Garden Flowers