Once again I was hoping to accomplish more this week, but there's nothing to change the past. I suppose that's one of the benefits of weekly accountability: whatever it is, it is. I often get frustrated by how tailored the internet can be, especially with social media; so I take a bit of pleasure in keeping things real. Even when they're bad.
This first one is obviously of a woman, but not really any woman in particular. Sometimes I try to make a representation of a real person, while sometimes I just take little bits that I like. I mean, there's only so much you can put into a five minute doodle anyway, but I think this one came from some sleepy eyes.
It's funny how much I've learned through these doodles that I'm way more interested in drawing people and living things, than objects and scenery. I know there are some folks out there who love drawing landscapes, flowers, architecture, vehicles, and all manner of objects in the world. It's fascinating to see what everyone comes up with, but I never feel compelled to the inanimate. I was thinking about this, as I saw a beautiful landscape this week that took my breath away; although no part of me wanted to draw it.
Then I see things like a person appearing in a film, in a way that I've never considered. Perhaps their hair is sitting a certain way, or their sheer night-gown bares their body with unexpected bravado. Again, this isn't really meant to look like anyone in particular, but it has definite roots of inspiration. Right now, I'm not feeling all that compelled to go into details of sources and sparks, so if you think you've figured it out, you probably have.
Profiles are another subject I rarely have a go at. In fact, I think I'm getting sucked into the allure of front-facing faces and bodies that make everything else seem a little lacking. No matter the pull, I still enjoy having a crack at different shapes, and interpreting a person's face into a profile can be quite challenging.
Then we have the direct attempt at copying a real person's face, only to realise that your skills fall short and you can barely remember who it is anymore. I suppose it's an exercise in picking up on what we take for granted, as we are all tuned to subconsciously read faces within moments. There are so many tiny indicators and signals that go into making a face unique, that replicating one can be a little misleading when you don't pay attention to the correct elements. It's fun to see what can happen from the incorrect bits and pieces, but I suppose the end goal would always be to recreate a recognisable reproduction.
Finally there is always great satisfaction to be had from the distorted and completely fabricated characterisations we create out of nothing. This fella follows a lot of the styles that I like to use when drawing a character, but it's not meant to be anything at all. I think it's clear to see how confident my pen can be when I'm not comparing each line with some kind of reference material. The previous portrait is messy and unsure of itself, as it knows all too well how terrible it really is. However, something made from thin air and without reference, can always hold its head high as the exact production of its intent.
Moving forward, I would like to bring in some more thought exercises each week. For example, I'm going to practise some abstraction by attempting to break down forms into their simplest, yet understandable shape. At the same time, I feel like I'm in the mood for flexing a bit of symbolism and fragmented representation. I suppose I'm getting used to doodling enough to try and break it up a little and have a go at something different.
Forever onward to creation.