Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Deep midwinter

It is about this time every year that little pots of narcissus start showing up at the grocery store. I can never resist. These delicate little spring flowers seem, always to be something I just really need right about now. Now I know it won't be too long before the daffodils out in the yard will start pushing their way upward. We're not that far into winter, but it sure seems like it has been going on for awhile. So much rain and darkness here. Highways flooding, streams overflowing. My little flowers seem "highly prized" as a harbinger of spring, so I made a little drawing for the Sketchbook challenge.

Then I did the latest "silly" assignment, which was to copy this bird 6 to 8 times, but each drawing was to be a continuous line, not lifting pen from paper from start to finish.

This was a really good exercise. Try it! It really loosens up the line and gets you looking at how to get from one place to the next.

It was such a nifty exercise that I went back and copied my narcissus drawing as a continuous line drawing. Much more character than the original, in my opinion!

First drawing on the left, continuous line drawing on the right, in case you didn't figure it out. It's a lot like drawing with a sewing machine.

9 comments:

  1. Love your narcissus, the real ones and the sketches. It's been pretty dark and rainy here too, and little GD is still sick.

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  2. Dear Crafty Friend, you are a marvel. Your blog site is so cheerful and wakes up the senses! What a talented family too.

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  3. I agree with your assessment of the winter...it seems to be goin on and on...woke up to snow on the ground and the sound of the plow! I think I need some flowers!

    I think the continuous line excercise would be excellent for helping the brain quilt a design.

    Anna
    www.wooliemammoth.blogspot.com

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  4. Hi Terry,

    This has nothing to do with drawing, although I enjoy your scketches. I was wondering about a plant in the picture. What is the plant on the left of your picture? (in the cream pot). It looks so interesting!

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  5. I do well drawing with a sewing machine. Maybe I should try continuous line drawing with a pencil!

    Sn is coming out today - I hope.

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  6. My tutor always said, "If you can do it with a pencil, you can do it with the sewing machine."

    Probably another one of those skills I don't practice often enough.

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  7. Jessica, the interesting plant on the left is a succulent called a Senecio, or "string of pearls." It is a really neat plant.

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  8. I like it! I think that the classic "Drawing on the Right Side of your Brain" (or was it Left?) had continuous line exercises. There was at least lots of contour drawing which achieves a similar result. It's all good stuff! I took my sketchbook to the beach this week and tried a little Life Drawing. Not bad. Not great either, but a good exercise nonetheless.

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  9. That continuous line drawing is fascinating! You are right about the narcissus and the birds are hysterical! Each looks like it has a different personality. I am definitely going to try this.

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