tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51895557975450971542024-03-06T01:00:02.595-08:00Morning Drawing Meditations“I have learned that what I have not drawn I have never really seen, and that when I start drawing an ordinary thing I realize how extraordinary it is, sheer miracle: the branching of a tree, the structure of a dandelion’s seed puff. ‘A mouse is miracle enough to stagger sextillions of infidels,’ says Walt Whitman. I discover that among the Ten Thousand Things there is no ordinary thing. All that is, is worthy of being seen, of being drawn.” - Frederick Franck
P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-67192988860778098072015-03-01T09:18:00.002-08:002015-03-01T09:18:38.881-08:00Quick and Dirty<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmp7Wd1IjmURv38_Wm_twl6fqaOFh8tHazGGz44nSzYKaBH-_lMbPPOZNohjnktGDAL65_ocBfYIAHFTNa_0Ot-yGREv6_vWJsKiThNbiu5o_EMLwMrP_sIN4Z-VzjjKLZEEd4izEOqeQ/s1600/sketch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmp7Wd1IjmURv38_Wm_twl6fqaOFh8tHazGGz44nSzYKaBH-_lMbPPOZNohjnktGDAL65_ocBfYIAHFTNa_0Ot-yGREv6_vWJsKiThNbiu5o_EMLwMrP_sIN4Z-VzjjKLZEEd4izEOqeQ/s1600/sketch.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last year's century plant flower stalk (leaning)</td></tr>
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<br />P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-59151370548128357012015-02-24T10:15:00.001-08:002015-02-24T10:15:42.665-08:00Still Not Good at Perspective<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVzXuZnvVhyphenhyphenzrK5W3wM-i8RnevVeTHWGe5mS-FZD-BKcwFMjA_pOijhzqWuJX0EHt1TMAhfD-1oeXPlWjPqIwt_HvXskj4ooBXHHtGGS2ZI9LBlL5eDhKqU4UATDCC8-rZkbVOF_dOwsq/s1600/jardrawing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVzXuZnvVhyphenhyphenzrK5W3wM-i8RnevVeTHWGe5mS-FZD-BKcwFMjA_pOijhzqWuJX0EHt1TMAhfD-1oeXPlWjPqIwt_HvXskj4ooBXHHtGGS2ZI9LBlL5eDhKqU4UATDCC8-rZkbVOF_dOwsq/s1600/jardrawing.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Just as I'm lazy about bothering with a tripod when taking photographs, I'm lazy about bothering with a grid when drawing, even though I know it would give me immeasurably better results. Below is the jar of colored glass that was my model:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhat_fKxui2u6s3vt4xcKcT58Tv-XJs7CjzfY8VGQI-wC8GLqMPAAfFRXmznQlwWH4_2hFq-DDdaEikU2jLGNuCIweMWCz849nbIwVarhhna2wJwCgJUoHB4rQq6ehT-YB_6CwmdXRgWx/s1600/jar.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhat_fKxui2u6s3vt4xcKcT58Tv-XJs7CjzfY8VGQI-wC8GLqMPAAfFRXmznQlwWH4_2hFq-DDdaEikU2jLGNuCIweMWCz849nbIwVarhhna2wJwCgJUoHB4rQq6ehT-YB_6CwmdXRgWx/s1600/jar.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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You can see that, for a jar, it has pretty complicated lines. But that's no excuse. Anyway, I enjoyed the time spent drawing, and that's the main thing for non-artist me.P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-86295373533595641842015-02-09T10:47:00.001-08:002015-02-09T10:47:08.463-08:00Can You Say "Hot Chili Peppers"?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpny1ZAarNX-638AXJsMXq1Bhi963zidZI60Z-ntQLpCCFDqIy4Q9YL1MH8M13ffuZB07a0-vVIjY0xP1EKD_g7Mxhizuiq8mRIUyPubmcnGEmMvp1f8mn91AF5wAJbqJT1gDYYglodjY/s1600/chilis2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpny1ZAarNX-638AXJsMXq1Bhi963zidZI60Z-ntQLpCCFDqIy4Q9YL1MH8M13ffuZB07a0-vVIjY0xP1EKD_g7Mxhizuiq8mRIUyPubmcnGEmMvp1f8mn91AF5wAJbqJT1gDYYglodjY/s1600/chilis2.jpg" height="320" width="262" /></a></div>
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I greatly simplified the background for this little sketch at our coffee place in Willcox. And I mean <i>greatly!</i>P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-74144380079159331782015-02-04T10:22:00.003-08:002015-02-04T10:22:31.561-08:00Finally, I Pick Up a Pencil<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It will take a while for me to get back into practice....</div>
<br />P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-76369423355990047322014-07-26T08:27:00.001-07:002014-07-26T08:27:21.240-07:00Sweet Pea Summer Morning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pure contour</td></tr>
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It's been a long time since I sat down with the drawing pad, but the other morning a vase of sweet blossom beckoned, and I had gotten up early enough that there was no rush to the morning. Sweet peas are very complicated flowers! But that's good for getting lost in the meditation.<div>
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P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-78480863804757538902014-06-28T08:49:00.000-07:002014-06-29T10:55:55.833-07:00Berries From My Garden<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2p4jRhrYsspUqleQaJLIhHZdI663DNeRzPjgr1yAsQ5zwQQJo2rONZGfpbfQ8AaCoxlQzgxZMItNyf3pVmjox9Ey8XTcQb6SWZmTom8ZvTDPbhB3RqkThUhJyQfU76wvSO0h9z-_kOjT/s1600/IMG_8547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2p4jRhrYsspUqleQaJLIhHZdI663DNeRzPjgr1yAsQ5zwQQJo2rONZGfpbfQ8AaCoxlQzgxZMItNyf3pVmjox9Ey8XTcQb6SWZmTom8ZvTDPbhB3RqkThUhJyQfU76wvSO0h9z-_kOjT/s1600/IMG_8547.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pure contour drawing</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close-up of final drawing</td></tr>
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I'm not showing the entire "finished" drawing, as the bowl was incredibly lop-sided. The strawberries, though, I thought, turned out all right.<br />
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P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-69961134553052956592014-06-21T07:44:00.005-07:002014-06-21T07:44:51.155-07:00'Nondescript' Becomes Beautiful Upon Closer Inspection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Big, fat purple clovers and bright yellow coreopsis are blooming among the varied tall grasses, with St. Johnswort getting ready to pop, but it was the inconspicuous flowers of the ubiquitous bladder campion that I chose for my morning meditation.</div>
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First the pure contour with ink, free and easy --</div>
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Then, with very sharp, very soft pencil --</div>
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<br />P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-15919063056410793622014-06-09T09:19:00.004-07:002014-06-09T09:19:56.817-07:00Looking at, Seeing, Drawing Iris<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First, the "pure" (blind; free) contour</td></tr>
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Iris #1</div>
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Iris #2</div>
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Two together</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmX4JSlHpruFARx6Cin-zHYpiOCtx0E_R0He1vLC8OBUUiyUq4_Gdzqo1Rg9ZgVmShRJ5JiztyclZqrEF-8U1xDNCZmc_9pqX7qfTsjLaBl2lnF9YLmUU5EWDKJ8pLKpdoCMAjt2S-Jf6/s1600/IMG_8226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmX4JSlHpruFARx6Cin-zHYpiOCtx0E_R0He1vLC8OBUUiyUq4_Gdzqo1Rg9ZgVmShRJ5JiztyclZqrEF-8U1xDNCZmc_9pqX7qfTsjLaBl2lnF9YLmUU5EWDKJ8pLKpdoCMAjt2S-Jf6/s1600/IMG_8226.JPG" height="320" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a></div>
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Whole sheet</div>
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P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-72557400684869600462014-05-30T08:36:00.000-07:002014-05-30T08:56:19.502-07:00Dandelions at the Base of Basswood Tree<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmFlmsNqOgBy0-QQ4xHK_3Th9DX1UsNr1NHwi3fWoY9kebTTYE_juN7rlqtEwau6xaMJzw6wF-dwy-YibQga1O5e8qUQbrrIhLrV6Y5qtCwrYnH-ogRrhsHjmtBLMhQymARyKVnizrLGj/s1600/IMG_8087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmFlmsNqOgBy0-QQ4xHK_3Th9DX1UsNr1NHwi3fWoY9kebTTYE_juN7rlqtEwau6xaMJzw6wF-dwy-YibQga1O5e8qUQbrrIhLrV6Y5qtCwrYnH-ogRrhsHjmtBLMhQymARyKVnizrLGj/s1600/IMG_8087.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This morning's subject</td></tr>
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It was a lovely morning to sit outdoors</div>
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with pencils and sketchbook.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEttiC0V31VWshl6-CXSqfcYUezhyphenhyphenrXALtVa2-k-aWixYkGbh1fA2sfHzUs8VEw6esG8-LDNDvHlcFvE-oFgYd1LCl3px1aX8aBK_PTCpJSPiLtI1ZUEDD2BxaWITcCryv8N8fLtIrp4f/s1600/IMG_8091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEttiC0V31VWshl6-CXSqfcYUezhyphenhyphenrXALtVa2-k-aWixYkGbh1fA2sfHzUs8VEw6esG8-LDNDvHlcFvE-oFgYd1LCl3px1aX8aBK_PTCpJSPiLtI1ZUEDD2BxaWITcCryv8N8fLtIrp4f/s1600/IMG_8091.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pure contour drawing (pen)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QNCirKDwk99qQT6bGa3Q1GcxmI9ZwjEUkMCifG9CoD7PBIQkEy2te-1ChDNTJogaqYIZqJIRr9fbEF1Ei0JSGY76LowW0_Pd7AfMRf5cgrHQlbjqMqGvzjzhkCmqstfYKwM6M6dQPOBv/s1600/IMG_8092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QNCirKDwk99qQT6bGa3Q1GcxmI9ZwjEUkMCifG9CoD7PBIQkEy2te-1ChDNTJogaqYIZqJIRr9fbEF1Ei0JSGY76LowW0_Pd7AfMRf5cgrHQlbjqMqGvzjzhkCmqstfYKwM6M6dQPOBv/s1600/IMG_8092.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Finished" drawing (pencil)</td></tr>
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P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-50702395489241049112014-05-29T07:24:00.002-07:002014-05-29T07:24:21.279-07:00Homework for Last Class of Spring<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB1TTxyAMWck6gqEHbdVgzk58Uw9XC8LxcBnwfMziwsrpLOnn1iDEm8v4d-EBQ1E_SV33aDlr5zeKGtrDJPBJuLIcW1VnU0A6rI9iju3-crM-9rlM12-d7y5x7DDbVXaB3OuyQv3hLivJo/s1600/IMG_8070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB1TTxyAMWck6gqEHbdVgzk58Uw9XC8LxcBnwfMziwsrpLOnn1iDEm8v4d-EBQ1E_SV33aDlr5zeKGtrDJPBJuLIcW1VnU0A6rI9iju3-crM-9rlM12-d7y5x7DDbVXaB3OuyQv3hLivJo/s1600/IMG_8070.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a>This assignment began the same way as earlier ones, with a prepared ground of charcoal (left) and a grid on plexiglass laid over the subject to be copied (below). I chose Walt Whitman for my subject. (Do not be confused by reflections of outdoor greenery on the plexiglass: that isn't part of the story.) </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXLbCQyOyyKijOWShw653EngaLo_L_lD8PnkI-2kGAAtVxWlUuwxNlvGbPGO7kEMIODWzQdfgbPTF8zi4-QW3RngxBsSXetdC9fB4dvfW7w5rY2rESvEnkCD2aMfDSDLY7lm885ptyHZ_/s1600/IMG_8071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXLbCQyOyyKijOWShw653EngaLo_L_lD8PnkI-2kGAAtVxWlUuwxNlvGbPGO7kEMIODWzQdfgbPTF8zi4-QW3RngxBsSXetdC9fB4dvfW7w5rY2rESvEnkCD2aMfDSDLY7lm885ptyHZ_/s1600/IMG_8071.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First areas erased</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emerging face</td></tr>
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With this last assignment for class, we were graduating to a full tonal range, shading from dark to light rather than dealing only with large pieces of single tones.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWjm4UZPAiKChBq0duCUL2cLi2mPd8bVxL4a0qfEA70ICU9QHjcjsiSGYQsZPJlFfBnbLDyFY9-hTm4rihdFSrxpxDN-XFtmCp-NLbgbz5PTWFNyhm2MwMhwqQBW8HM_178zsChzPTneK/s1600/IMG_8074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWjm4UZPAiKChBq0duCUL2cLi2mPd8bVxL4a0qfEA70ICU9QHjcjsiSGYQsZPJlFfBnbLDyFY9-hTm4rihdFSrxpxDN-XFtmCp-NLbgbz5PTWFNyhm2MwMhwqQBW8HM_178zsChzPTneK/s1600/IMG_8074.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Above is my almost-complete copy (on right) next to the subject, and below is the stage reached when I decided to call it "good enough" and reach for the fixative. He isn't a perfect copy, but I'm pretty happy with him.</div>
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My biggest accomplishment with this and the previous assignment was eyeballing proportions instead of having to measure. Since proportion has long been a major weakness in my drawing, I feel good about this progress. My biggest problem was confusing my tools and reaching for a Q-Tip when what I really needed was a stump, thus removing charcoal when I had intended to blend -- necessitating several steps back to deal with my mistake. But it was a good class, and working with charcoal was a challenge and taught me a lot. That Elizabeth Abeel is a terrific teacher!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1SNPp2eAuilfu_cAlwnQOtp1-7VQr98ZZlutxgUkQeythvbwFm0DQvgYRE_KKMWdmnDSaKvPdVQ5zxAI9bff_8wmJkVj9ysjmR3Fz2DaZV9WxECq0PQXrwxGA4N54Lr4uOEoUdf690tr/s1600/IMG_8075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1SNPp2eAuilfu_cAlwnQOtp1-7VQr98ZZlutxgUkQeythvbwFm0DQvgYRE_KKMWdmnDSaKvPdVQ5zxAI9bff_8wmJkVj9ysjmR3Fz2DaZV9WxECq0PQXrwxGA4N54Lr4uOEoUdf690tr/s1600/IMG_8075.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-39083639058989818642014-05-23T09:36:00.003-07:002014-05-23T09:38:23.073-07:00Outdoor Urban Scene: Trees in Downtown Traverse City<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaaQ4n70uf_x164h9Txck_sN-wUNlH_o8Ln98LalAJ-brCVAhzAUMccxj8l7zm5JJi5fa-H7D3IBVNX311Ud4yIIiruj16EnuTMUuuWtAlUOOAXU8LIk-7Tt0eGw_6-P-5WhQVOdO3E4SJ/s1600/IMG_7957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaaQ4n70uf_x164h9Txck_sN-wUNlH_o8Ln98LalAJ-brCVAhzAUMccxj8l7zm5JJi5fa-H7D3IBVNX311Ud4yIIiruj16EnuTMUuuWtAlUOOAXU8LIk-7Tt0eGw_6-P-5WhQVOdO3E4SJ/s1600/IMG_7957.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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One thing I love about pure contour drawing (or "blind," as I think of it), looking only at the subject and not at paper and pen (or pencil), is the freedom of it. There is the freedom of simply looking intently at the subject -- in this case, two small trees between street and sidewalk -- added to the freedom of not worrying at all about results. Because the pen is not lifted from the paper, of course the drawing will not "look [all that much] like" the subject. And yet there is a feeling of its spirit.<br />
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I did this pure contour drawing with one of my Staedler pigment liners (0.7), little German pens I love, in the small sketchbook I carry in my purse for opportunities like this.P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-21775601731382936342014-05-22T09:55:00.001-07:002014-05-22T09:55:27.502-07:00More Homework: I Really Like This Guy!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSJm9a9pCpiqP3WWJOksDwQ8gLbHxUoTgtR47Y2EHuwiyJ1Lg7dmitIxKAeynJoGKQBH5GiQrvY9mEWdBg_7b8Gz9-fz42iYKG2S7e22I9JtmFIhZ9ZHVFr441tFRpYkzLNQI4JdHpUOzF/s1600/IMG_7927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSJm9a9pCpiqP3WWJOksDwQ8gLbHxUoTgtR47Y2EHuwiyJ1Lg7dmitIxKAeynJoGKQBH5GiQrvY9mEWdBg_7b8Gz9-fz42iYKG2S7e22I9JtmFIhZ9ZHVFr441tFRpYkzLNQI4JdHpUOzF/s1600/IMG_7927.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Model</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9Zy_uVSN2kafyAgFFf8SQ8jNtRS236LCv8CsjHX6Jx2p13fqTTvTw-kc8uMiFn1lS734RUwzMlAOW22GkXAdSYozdMOhQhnUDFs7eGVDjOCaPE8Qv1ie9o11R3vZ8IuJW16dw-h69K9p/s1600/IMG_7926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9Zy_uVSN2kafyAgFFf8SQ8jNtRS236LCv8CsjHX6Jx2p13fqTTvTw-kc8uMiFn1lS734RUwzMlAOW22GkXAdSYozdMOhQhnUDFs7eGVDjOCaPE8Qv1ie9o11R3vZ8IuJW16dw-h69K9p/s1600/IMG_7926.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charcoal copy emerges</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-as-VbWSLorfufXcegBlBzcAIeCkFYdQi6Bj-API1wJVwRGWNmIJBopAUgWrAuOLjPIe73Ai0Xa_b4_ky3dcruVqc0A6frUS3cj6NV45C_Gyju3rJ1CkwWddEvENcUd8DUpEsXgv83Oq3/s1600/IMG_7928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-as-VbWSLorfufXcegBlBzcAIeCkFYdQi6Bj-API1wJVwRGWNmIJBopAUgWrAuOLjPIe73Ai0Xa_b4_ky3dcruVqc0A6frUS3cj6NV45C_Gyju3rJ1CkwWddEvENcUd8DUpEsXgv83Oq3/s1600/IMG_7928.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I call it finished</td></tr>
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P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-91533500645651853822014-05-20T07:45:00.002-07:002014-05-20T07:45:20.911-07:00Homework<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxd0MXQpsqxfhR33mTfJfeGi3goKbuLjbVA9z_gmweivkrk1hm6l2BzUk_M3IcyCnSQVrVy8w9KXjzAWn7AsJAIjh-nG083nGPfQ0a6OpFDA0dNOUrsfeYQjiFmnSsX3kzq4LJ6Fj5XQ8Z/s1600/IMG_7878.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxd0MXQpsqxfhR33mTfJfeGi3goKbuLjbVA9z_gmweivkrk1hm6l2BzUk_M3IcyCnSQVrVy8w9KXjzAWn7AsJAIjh-nG083nGPfQ0a6OpFDA0dNOUrsfeYQjiFmnSsX3kzq4LJ6Fj5XQ8Z/s1600/IMG_7878.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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A fantastic copyist I am not. (My motivation and patience are both limited, although I see the value of the exercises.) My favorite part is making the first strokes of charcoal on the blank paper. My second-favorite part is seeing the face begin to emerge.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNW2Ishyq56hgyqblb7QibC3KsnE-A44BkSjzxa9yG2VT_eUD73LjILx9pVkGt7qIKLI59Fbdpcmn9kVmpVjR3U9IJmaMVP0sEv87EtF-pm8IM3WacfXz0p8OEqwKxP5UqncCgGRbPy5pd/s1600/IMG_7879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNW2Ishyq56hgyqblb7QibC3KsnE-A44BkSjzxa9yG2VT_eUD73LjILx9pVkGt7qIKLI59Fbdpcmn9kVmpVjR3U9IJmaMVP0sEv87EtF-pm8IM3WacfXz0p8OEqwKxP5UqncCgGRbPy5pd/s1600/IMG_7879.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Photographing the various stages helps me see what was going on. I had the jawline wrong right from the beginning. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTXEnILSfP_IjTWK0_03kYzJy8iTcaiRMd2i0Q41lAKQgZ6EkipcfbwBNwHa_3_T40mth95zFU21DzXVLf4ZAnTIGhm6pL4QWgAS19H8GVtsLKzwPR0BTuKrOav6tvMu8Pnc5ZlZLyxCQ/s1600/IMG_7880.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTXEnILSfP_IjTWK0_03kYzJy8iTcaiRMd2i0Q41lAKQgZ6EkipcfbwBNwHa_3_T40mth95zFU21DzXVLf4ZAnTIGhm6pL4QWgAS19H8GVtsLKzwPR0BTuKrOav6tvMu8Pnc5ZlZLyxCQ/s1600/IMG_7880.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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But at a certain point I just say "Good enough" and call it quits. For this exercise, like <a href="http://drawingasmed.blogspot.com/2014/05/charcoal-and-eraser-in-evening.html">the Lincoln</a>, we used only two values, dark and light. The next step will be adding a midtone.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3EziX3jgE17-tZkExItmCHDjFstp_82Clipk8VCFOQDi0nLNQus4jLE_BbCwRleNanB1PGRuignjk5VzkZXTuWKQ-A4u1u6XLFEqHzBvuE0u3-wdLqfFtj6doD9qFSqhWKOEv45Lg8nC/s1600/IMG_7888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3EziX3jgE17-tZkExItmCHDjFstp_82Clipk8VCFOQDi0nLNQus4jLE_BbCwRleNanB1PGRuignjk5VzkZXTuWKQ-A4u1u6XLFEqHzBvuE0u3-wdLqfFtj6doD9qFSqhWKOEv45Lg8nC/s1600/IMG_7888.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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I loved being able to work on the sunny front porch for the first time this season!P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-67361441642450533582014-05-17T09:37:00.004-07:002014-05-17T09:37:50.547-07:00First Phase Went Well, Anyway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMITn_5g2FcnlkWSkYCVIMpK717ZB6vOSlLQUVhXWoVNBmxt1j4ztcAhnGeT_fWNMAa7c7P8a_aUz3cOd5Krk-UbuxdDu6TQu1tsYd2enEYYlC3857OJ-TjoxOMVifptr5wCEDXmm6-ARC/s1600/IMG_7855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMITn_5g2FcnlkWSkYCVIMpK717ZB6vOSlLQUVhXWoVNBmxt1j4ztcAhnGeT_fWNMAa7c7P8a_aUz3cOd5Krk-UbuxdDu6TQu1tsYd2enEYYlC3857OJ-TjoxOMVifptr5wCEDXmm6-ARC/s1600/IMG_7855.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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The sculpture above was my model this morning. The pure contour drawing (below) went well, I think. Sometimes the energy of the pure contour, even when it doesn't completely "come together," is more satisfying than the finished modified contour drawing. In this case, the modified phase was so out of proportion that I deemed it a total failure. But failure can be good, too. "We must draw a lesson from this," as the Chinese say. See what went wrong and what needs work -- but I'm going to keep that to myself.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOzNg_sLoSoGqwFTynDMg0xVRKPkaIR99qPyTtoA4agpJC23HL7iit18q3alEUO4dex8Vd5fgU5049pzvO3SGX2nWrieSYboi0MxQV3JEARgEaqzntRqMJG8aH4clf5ZM4EWJGy5-8_w3d/s1600/IMG_7856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOzNg_sLoSoGqwFTynDMg0xVRKPkaIR99qPyTtoA4agpJC23HL7iit18q3alEUO4dex8Vd5fgU5049pzvO3SGX2nWrieSYboi0MxQV3JEARgEaqzntRqMJG8aH4clf5ZM4EWJGy5-8_w3d/s1600/IMG_7856.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-14819864227573569872014-05-16T12:27:00.001-07:002014-05-16T12:27:07.620-07:00Afternoon Sanity Break: Coat on RackWhile waiting for phone repair, I needed to calm down. Best thing I could think of was to get out the drawing pens and the small sketchbook I carry in my purse. Pages were too small to accommodate the entire long coat (unless I made it very, very small), so I didn't even try. After all, this meditation was about calming down, not blissing out.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blind contour</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirV0NAeqLhVTSpibmauo80Kfj6eNWMsYERylCyMA6QYIBSnnykWspejctf5-btkb6fyLDAyFMpLVgfZDOoktu-HRe0ahjsgQhyWavhF3Gabs6IgsKIde7nnkmF_xyJ32jj6aTBCYiOeoOA/s1600/IMG_7840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirV0NAeqLhVTSpibmauo80Kfj6eNWMsYERylCyMA6QYIBSnnykWspejctf5-btkb6fyLDAyFMpLVgfZDOoktu-HRe0ahjsgQhyWavhF3Gabs6IgsKIde7nnkmF_xyJ32jj6aTBCYiOeoOA/s1600/IMG_7840.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Modified contour</td></tr>
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<br />P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-33747402644776631232014-05-14T07:18:00.000-07:002014-05-14T07:18:29.173-07:00Convoluted Daffodils<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-lUliO6gcs-pIILhdQBAw5mMFwMLAb_r6Y-jVQv7Ov0ZiXsbM2OEIlKbZZGjzhZo8QH-2yKxDCi_sI0LavbELPCnro7H0C0vy55flwEE7xkY1wWoqqlpc06XEsz_UnJqaLWoQPYNi3mZ/s1600/IMG_7791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-lUliO6gcs-pIILhdQBAw5mMFwMLAb_r6Y-jVQv7Ov0ZiXsbM2OEIlKbZZGjzhZo8QH-2yKxDCi_sI0LavbELPCnro7H0C0vy55flwEE7xkY1wWoqqlpc06XEsz_UnJqaLWoQPYNi3mZ/s1600/IMG_7791.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
The daffodils that bloom every year under the mammoth old silver maple between our backyard and the henhouse are not the simple shapes I usually buy to plant myself, but their fussy, frilly edges do present an interesting drawing challenge. As usual, I began with a blind contour drawing. After drawing the entire vase that way, I did a couple more blind contour drawings of individual blooms, just because the pen felt so good on the paper, and it was intriguing to look only at the flower as I drew and only afterward at the drawing.<br />
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Last but not least, I concentrated on a single bloom for a modified contour drawing, i.e., one made by looking at both subject and paper while working. I was pleased with my modest result, and it was a good way to begin the day. </div>
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<br />P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-7529045566861465492014-05-10T08:25:00.000-07:002014-05-10T08:25:51.855-07:00Charcoal and Eraser in the Evening<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The activity pictured in this post didn't start out as meditation, but with time it took on that quality.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy24-632VG1HK3gkNVHSZzJnRxrx0ZZThJj4FMpn1TGIZmUERMmkO8bhoM77GrLQTtZ9c45vzAQQ3qHQTAJv_YzopNUXvzXiwuHR1Sf8qMXrPTBwGL7AlWAhqxHDWoJdRhojU5hLrW-QV4/s1600/IMG_7717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsk5xNGe84TXZEdXpdw0I3Te6MebIVf3SFWKsRBW_eEjXaw72sxX-dDpZ1kLHF78SVMYBgZX8dEmfo-U3XRTeDiuR9qRxiLbswKUraFR78quoPxtH_MFOew5OCuHryocnyc51Q7FsSBBC/s1600/IMG_7682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsk5xNGe84TXZEdXpdw0I3Te6MebIVf3SFWKsRBW_eEjXaw72sxX-dDpZ1kLHF78SVMYBgZX8dEmfo-U3XRTeDiuR9qRxiLbswKUraFR78quoPxtH_MFOew5OCuHryocnyc51Q7FsSBBC/s1600/IMG_7682.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Prepared ground"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7GD3RcQA8fl7_N5CRbN_TbHyZutwEN5ouspFHKYTjgDBlJiyaQGl8Z0L5LXM51qEprYLlatZH9FP4abGjYwvtWC7Q3YZ9OunRIEnHvI_y-qqyD9ta3FNLfYC_FbElAENq8Cw3kXDFDb1/s1600/IMG_7683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7GD3RcQA8fl7_N5CRbN_TbHyZutwEN5ouspFHKYTjgDBlJiyaQGl8Z0L5LXM51qEprYLlatZH9FP4abGjYwvtWC7Q3YZ9OunRIEnHvI_y-qqyD9ta3FNLfYC_FbElAENq8Cw3kXDFDb1/s1600/IMG_7683.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First few grid squares completed</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaUAqlHyvVUHD0lpV6jXd7PL_d_YTjZXN2BaLp-RFWL8WZo_yX28Tc6j-HlUCyMDp8stjYuYYQQ0CGNHJix5uhokdkOjOFn7x3jx_2Gq5knCkyn_EI8gsYR_fpNFtDPe5h7_kQ3PnuuGSB/s1600/IMG_7717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaUAqlHyvVUHD0lpV6jXd7PL_d_YTjZXN2BaLp-RFWL8WZo_yX28Tc6j-HlUCyMDp8stjYuYYQQ0CGNHJix5uhokdkOjOFn7x3jx_2Gq5knCkyn_EI8gsYR_fpNFtDPe5h7_kQ3PnuuGSB/s1600/IMG_7717.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a><u>Background:</u> When the guys at the lumber yard in Northport asked why I needed an 8" x 10" piece of clear plexiglass, I had no clue. It was on the list of supplies Elizabeth Abeel asked us to round up for her class, "See as the Artist Sees," Part II. In Part I (which I took last fall) our only tools were pencil, eraser, and paper. This time around the process is much more complicated (and much messier!), as we're using charcoal and all kinds of associated odds and ends -- wax paper, wet wipes, stumps and tortillons, etc. -- including the plexiglass.</div>
<br />My last couple of mornings have been very busy, anyway, not leaving much time for leisurely drawing, but last night I found time to work on this week's class assignment, finishing an exercise begun in class on Wednesday. Using the grid system, our job is to reproduce a black-and-white image with charcoal and eraser.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plexiglass with grid over part of original</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beginning to reproduce section above</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Face appearing...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost there....</td></tr>
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I have my work cut out for me, that's obvious. Still, I wouldn't call this attempt a total failure. And best of all, the longer I worked, the more the work began to feel like a drawing-as-meditation and the happier I was to be right there, not thinking about anything else.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I call it done -- and will see what instructor says!</td></tr>
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<br />P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-76394822726259568602014-05-08T09:59:00.000-07:002014-05-09T11:29:15.230-07:00Onions Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The day before the onions, I tried a box of Kleenex. My drawing was not a complete disaster, just falling down slightly when it came to perspective. Okay, I need to work on perspective, especially with straight, architectural lines. On the other hand, those things don't do much for my soul. It's the more irregular, organic shapes (and colors) that put the hand that holds my pencil in a place of serenity as well as effort. Not a contradiction. Focusing outward, one loses the self. Physical work can be meditation, and doing something, e.g., drawing, works better for me than sitting still and trying to "empty" my mind.<br />
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"Back to the drawing board," after weeks away, starts with the blind contour drawing, the drawing made by looking only at the subject and not at the paper or the lines appearing on it. The point here is to see and to let one's hand transcribe directly from one's eyes.</div>
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I decided not to challenge myself with the entire wooden bowl full of onions and garlic but to limit my drawing to a single onion. For me, simplicity of subject can sometimes aid in making my drawing more meditative (although at other times a complex drawing that takes a long time can be very satisfying).</div>
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P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-81286522438519690312014-05-05T08:56:00.004-07:002014-05-05T08:56:43.241-07:00Meditation: Back to Fresh Fruit (Bananas)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Part II of Elizabeth Abeel's class called "Seeing as an Artist Sees" (or, as we sometimes call it more simply, "Drawing") focuses on charcoal drawing, which we'll begin this coming Wednesday. For practice this past week, however, it was still work at home with pencil, and Betsy suggested we revisit contour drawing. So I went back to fruit as a subject for the blind contour drawing below. If you'll recall, a blind contour drawing means you're only looking at the subject -- in this case, the bananas -- and not at your paper and pencil. </div>
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We had company over the weekend, so rather than attempt a finished drawing of the entire bunch of bananas I drew only one and called it good for one morning. It <i>does</i> feel good to be drawing again. What will the messy charcoal experience feel like? Stay tuned to find out!</div>
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<br />P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-68183612840600249812014-05-02T08:40:00.002-07:002014-05-02T08:40:38.484-07:00Finally, Back to the Drawing Board: Butter Dish<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After laboring over the close work of trying to duplicate abstract sketches, training for the eye more than the hand, I needed the relief of drawing something real. My need to practice on a daily basis is obvious! (The little doodly thing in the upper-righthand corner was a drawing of a head of garlic.) And it's clear, too, that I really <i>need</i> the abstract duplication exercises, as that focuses on proportion, one of my weakest points in drawing.</div>
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<br />P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-67958373845641607702014-02-07T09:10:00.002-08:002014-02-07T09:10:56.346-08:00Meditation: A Sheep for the Little Prince
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 24px;">This
well-worn, wobbly stuffed animal has been a pet of mine for many years (though
not as many as you might suppose), and I thought it would be a nice change from
drawing fruit and vegetables. David was skeptical. “It has no definition, no
strong lines. It’s going to be very difficult.” But since there’s no such thing
as a failed meditation, I went ahead and made the attempt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18.0pt;">Antoine
de St.-Exupery’s classic book, <i>The Little Prince</i></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18.0pt;">, opens with the little prince asking
the pilot in the desert to draw him a sheep. (He has his reasons.) My little
stuffed animal always reminds me of the pilot’s initial efforts. It’s why I
adopted him in the first place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-14765074081210646052014-01-14T09:01:00.003-08:002014-01-14T09:01:41.443-08:00Meditation: Small Mammal Skull (Minus Lower Jaw)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ewitwZUraquGPLI7W4655MfXFgNV36AwIbvw20dP8pgaV9y23mHi7UDHJc4ArcM9QUcod_X7uxvLtVwfhjRvVWP8ueN5t-UM9VO2uhUU6z1h6u_6ldhSwjFWwAWyJfpgbQ3iM3Jzrd3f/s1600/IMG_6668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ewitwZUraquGPLI7W4655MfXFgNV36AwIbvw20dP8pgaV9y23mHi7UDHJc4ArcM9QUcod_X7uxvLtVwfhjRvVWP8ueN5t-UM9VO2uhUU6z1h6u_6ldhSwjFWwAWyJfpgbQ3iM3Jzrd3f/s400/IMG_6668.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Subject</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Zc9MdBU7gqUuv9nZxDpzcaSEQLxQl7bRHE1NtdiPvbBIfkj1nRwjkl8CAOQB3uzlIJY77RLWt7yx1gLzmXcU_3i-6uthQh9y0CB0EKMr339tZxcRqI3F4hXO1YMekD0p9MUgs765mFH9/s1600/IMG_6669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Zc9MdBU7gqUuv9nZxDpzcaSEQLxQl7bRHE1NtdiPvbBIfkj1nRwjkl8CAOQB3uzlIJY77RLWt7yx1gLzmXcU_3i-6uthQh9y0CB0EKMr339tZxcRqI3F4hXO1YMekD0p9MUgs765mFH9/s400/IMG_6669.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pure Contours</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRJ6UaVw9_uIuMMyzotJD9_hu9viMj0gRfmhWiHAzvpSU2pipFBRex8Lf3aNQcjBLDH9bz3JfyBM9SOfMgw16Idav1MRZdTjkYIxRU2LUrAybBt3HqaNbwR6Mho7QciGCDnbXlSsoTdaX/s1600/IMG_6670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRJ6UaVw9_uIuMMyzotJD9_hu9viMj0gRfmhWiHAzvpSU2pipFBRex8Lf3aNQcjBLDH9bz3JfyBM9SOfMgw16Idav1MRZdTjkYIxRU2LUrAybBt3HqaNbwR6Mho7QciGCDnbXlSsoTdaX/s400/IMG_6670.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final Drawing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-4219247770409175212014-01-08T12:24:00.000-08:002014-01-08T12:24:05.156-08:00Meditation: Stuffed Fish (Not Edible)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL2D7mrIjFdv1uzmxt0NPGdgPzFUO0rNZJHn1ZS0pSSOEqSs1VT2dj-avAFLADscOPrPo9azWR-PI7whXgBuTEw7X1wiSyylCw_3E8xGARqlOE-u2McFyLthba3lcCGAMaJ5VDs44Aam64/s1600/IMG_6618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL2D7mrIjFdv1uzmxt0NPGdgPzFUO0rNZJHn1ZS0pSSOEqSs1VT2dj-avAFLADscOPrPo9azWR-PI7whXgBuTEw7X1wiSyylCw_3E8xGARqlOE-u2McFyLthba3lcCGAMaJ5VDs44Aam64/s1600/IMG_6618.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Subject</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Not a gilded lily on our bathroom wall but a gilded fish. I've been thinking about drawing it for a while now and finally got at it. Wanted to draw with a freer hand, though. Big lines, no erasing. Here's how it turned out.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsIRL97OCvLwi61ZE42k7DFG3llcEGN2A3BeMFiYiCkldxE3k3gCop3bGZuuV-QsY8a5Sn7BE54y1a-lhyypwTvVMFNldx2MilT_pDYq0RXozfn9BXdyDbtnIWPo43YE__Y_YWov4aUwzL/s1600/IMG_6615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsIRL97OCvLwi61ZE42k7DFG3llcEGN2A3BeMFiYiCkldxE3k3gCop3bGZuuV-QsY8a5Sn7BE54y1a-lhyypwTvVMFNldx2MilT_pDYq0RXozfn9BXdyDbtnIWPo43YE__Y_YWov4aUwzL/s1600/IMG_6615.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pure contour</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Pure contour didn't leave room on the sheet of paper for the fish's head, while final drawing (you can see first, abandoned sketch underneath the final) left out the tail. I'll probably return to this subject in the future.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTaEHqsAKdIyVLwY_Z-wmpbJ_XL0LvYmeVfZ4yapug2iXOFzXbA0AsTlmShJLjbrxCk_hdAzSKw66m-DxL22nD_YrGZBdGZ30nOtqVx6Fhnxtk_sFuK_CcHg6cs8i2qH5wIUfMjL2ge7x/s1600/IMG_6617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTaEHqsAKdIyVLwY_Z-wmpbJ_XL0LvYmeVfZ4yapug2iXOFzXbA0AsTlmShJLjbrxCk_hdAzSKw66m-DxL22nD_YrGZBdGZ30nOtqVx6Fhnxtk_sFuK_CcHg6cs8i2qH5wIUfMjL2ge7x/s1600/IMG_6617.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final drawing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-41074328193888760272013-12-28T07:57:00.000-08:002013-12-28T12:23:18.773-08:00Surprising Obsession and Yearning<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16.0pt;">My <a href="http://drawingasmed.blogspot.com/2013/12/meditation-five-christmas-pears.html">five-pear meditation </a>on Thursday morning was satisfying at the time. That is, it
did its work as meditation. Somehow, though, I didn’t feel I’d caught the
essence of the pears, and the next morning I drew a single pear over and over
and over. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16.0pt;">I like
the sketchy, not overworked effect of the last drawing, but I still felt
something was missing, and I realized I had begun to yearn for --</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16.0pt;">color! Satisfied
for years with only pencil or black ink pen, I am surprised to find a hunger
for color growing in me. Fortunately, the little beginner's art kit David gave
me for Christmas – what? ten years ago? – includes, along with pencils, colored
pencils and pastel sticks. So "back to the drawing board" on Friday evening was a move made with new tools.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16.0pt;">This is
a big (though still quiet) leap for me to take, and I’m not sure what 2014 will manifest, in terms of my
drawing experiments. Perhaps there will be more expeditions into color; on the
other hand, there may well be a retreat to monochrome. It doesn’t matter. It’s
all just part of looking, seeing, and trying things out. And however obsessive I become over the day's subject, the meditative practice of drawing continues to provide a calm oasis in my world.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<!--EndFragment-->P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5189555797545097154.post-85079385448557626412013-12-26T08:30:00.001-08:002013-12-26T08:30:19.671-08:00Meditation: Five Christmas Pears<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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