With all the comments on "cheating" lately, I've been wondering why some people feel one thing is cheating but not another.
What constitutes cheating in producing art? Why is one aid for drawing considered to be acceptable and another one not? Is everyone capable of drawing perfectly without aids or are there some people who can draw naturally without them and some who can't?
Brenda has addressed the subject of "natural" talent before and I think the consensus was that some people may have more of that "magic" left-brain/right-brain ratio than others but drawing skills still have to be learned or at least polished in everyone. There was a young poster here who took exception to the statement that drawing was learned & claimed to have "natural talent." S/He had some drawings in an album and they were very crude. Yes, that person showed a leaning toward becoming a good artist, but they were far from polished. I do believe some people pick up drawing skills quicker than others which may also contribute to the perception that they have a natural talent (&, maybe that's even what the real talent is.) But, by and large, most people interested in art have to develop their skills and different methods work for different people.
For me, things don't come together and "click" until I can get a good visual image of the method. Sort of like putting a puzzle together - I need to see the finished picture before I can successfully begin to put the pieces in the proper place. That relates to drawing in that I needed some sort of method that I could relate to in order to "see" the way a drawing is constructed. When I first started drawing, I got a feel for spatial differences/relationships by tracing & I reverted back to that method when I first started painting digitally. Now that I've been doing it a while, I'm more confident and use reference points. I have never cared much for grids and that's probably because they've never worked that well for me. I can remember trying to resize some doll clothes patterns for my daughter's dolls using a grid & finally just quitting in frustration. It was easier, faster & more accurate for me to just eyeball the alterations. There was no pressure because it was just a doll's clothes pattern & I generally had the clothes finished in the length of time it would have taken me to make the grids! But, for some people, a grid is just the ticket.
Does that mean I cheated because my mental makeup has me learning in a different way than someone else?
I've been painting digitally for many years now & have only recently gone back to some traditional media. I joined DrawSpace to help hone my drawing skills because I've always painted with just a minimum sketch & have gotten pretty rusty with drawing as an art form by itself. Watercolor is one of my favorite mediums but it's never been a strong suit with me. I want to be better at it, so, in order to see what was happening in the world of watercolor, I went online to look at some w/c painting tutorials & to the library to check out some books on it.
Here are some methods for painting that I found - see what you think:
One tutorial (by a well-respected and fairly well-known w/c artist) proposed using a piece of real lace as a template/frisket & spraying the watercolor with an airbrush so that one wouldn't have to paint a lace tablecloth in the traditional manner. Is that cheating?
Another tutorial (or lesson in a book) proposed using dried grasses dipped into w/c & lightly touching the surface of your damp paper with them to make a field for a background. Is that cheating?
I admit those are a couple of very unusual examples. So, what about specialty brushes? How many of you have seen Bob Ross use a fan brush to make his "happy little trees"? I can't think of the name of the artist, but one uses a sort of scruffy looking brush with the bristles going every which way to make foliage and grass. Is that cheating?
OK, what about salt? Every watercolorist I know (& I know a few!) uses salt to create some unusual effects in their paintings. I would think that would be cheating but it's a very common and very accepted practice. The same goes for spritzing alcohol onto an acrylic painting..
I could go on & on with examples of artists using some unorthodox materials or methods but this post is already long enough. Back to my question:
What constitutes cheating? Why are some things (like salt) acceptable even if they aren't remotely related to an art material and other things (the lace for example) considered cheating? If the artist is expected to paint the lace tablecloth instead of airbrushing it, shouldn't he be expected to paint the effects that the salt gives? Since we're a drawing community, what about rulers or compasses or protractors? There's some kind of rubbery cording that you can bend to make a curve that you trace around - why is that different from a ruler? If you think about it, it's all cheating but some forms have just become acceptable and some haven't. Lightboxes, projectors, masking fluid, are some very common items in an artist's studio these days. I normally sketch my subject on cheap paper before tracing it onto the expensive paper I will use for the finished painting. It just saves wear & tear on the paper since I may change my mind several times or may have a problem with an area & will erase a lot to get it right. Again, does that constitute cheating? It's my sketch to begin with but I am tracing or projecting it.
Where and how do you draw the line (no pun intended)?
J
Full Version: Cheating On My Mind
Its an interesting question J-Lynn and I don't have a simple answer to it. Art is so subjective and so are people's rationale for the construction of art.
Personally I don't believe there is any 'cheating' in art. An individual uses tools to his or her advantage to reach the final goal. People like to think that everything must come from the mind/hand of the artist and not have any intervention that would smack of mechanical aids to break the magical spell that says 'artist'.
Its the same with traditional medicine and modern medicine. They both acheive the same results, but with different methods. I trained as a herbalist and learned the same information as a modern medical student would with the exception that I substitute herbal for chemical pharmaceuticals. Does that mean I cheat? Hardly if I get the same result.
Art is the same. The belief or mystery is in the mind of the viewer, not the artist. Yes, to train yourself to draw well, you don't use grids or tracing or projectors because that restricts your ability to learn to draw well. Just like we take the training wheels off the bicycle for children, we remove the grids and other tools as we learn to draw and think and see.
As for natural talent, I don't agree with that. I think some people have different abilities to observe and concentrate and the desire to produce something pleasing on paper or canvas. Drawing techniques are a learned skill, no different than driving a car or playing the piano. Someone needs to show you the technique. You need to practice and you have to want to do it. No one ever said art was easy or that you could create a masterpiece after a week or a month or a year. I have drawn for nearly 30 years and only now can I say that my pencil becomes the extension of my hand and I can draw without thinking or worrying. I can see shapes and light and shade and colour in everything that I see and translate it into a drawing or painting.
In my art, I can lose track of time and space because I concentrate so deeply on what I am doing. That is supposedly the left side of the brain kicking in while the right logical side is sent to the back. Whatever the reasoning I know that when I get into 'the zone' nothing will distract me and I will get work done and it will be good work.
I use grids and am waiting patiently for Christmas to receive a lightbox. Is that cheating? No. Neither are salts in watercolour, specialty brushes, rulers or paints. THey are all tools of the trade. I have never had anyone ask me how I construct a drawing but would be more than happy to tell them if I use a grid or other tool to achieve a likeness, especially in a portrait where they want perfection. If they feel that is cheating, then I'll provide them with the gridded reference points and tell them to create the piece themselves and see how they fare.
Personally I don't believe there is any 'cheating' in art. An individual uses tools to his or her advantage to reach the final goal. People like to think that everything must come from the mind/hand of the artist and not have any intervention that would smack of mechanical aids to break the magical spell that says 'artist'.
Its the same with traditional medicine and modern medicine. They both acheive the same results, but with different methods. I trained as a herbalist and learned the same information as a modern medical student would with the exception that I substitute herbal for chemical pharmaceuticals. Does that mean I cheat? Hardly if I get the same result.
Art is the same. The belief or mystery is in the mind of the viewer, not the artist. Yes, to train yourself to draw well, you don't use grids or tracing or projectors because that restricts your ability to learn to draw well. Just like we take the training wheels off the bicycle for children, we remove the grids and other tools as we learn to draw and think and see.
As for natural talent, I don't agree with that. I think some people have different abilities to observe and concentrate and the desire to produce something pleasing on paper or canvas. Drawing techniques are a learned skill, no different than driving a car or playing the piano. Someone needs to show you the technique. You need to practice and you have to want to do it. No one ever said art was easy or that you could create a masterpiece after a week or a month or a year. I have drawn for nearly 30 years and only now can I say that my pencil becomes the extension of my hand and I can draw without thinking or worrying. I can see shapes and light and shade and colour in everything that I see and translate it into a drawing or painting.
In my art, I can lose track of time and space because I concentrate so deeply on what I am doing. That is supposedly the left side of the brain kicking in while the right logical side is sent to the back. Whatever the reasoning I know that when I get into 'the zone' nothing will distract me and I will get work done and it will be good work.
I use grids and am waiting patiently for Christmas to receive a lightbox. Is that cheating? No. Neither are salts in watercolour, specialty brushes, rulers or paints. THey are all tools of the trade. I have never had anyone ask me how I construct a drawing but would be more than happy to tell them if I use a grid or other tool to achieve a likeness, especially in a portrait where they want perfection. If they feel that is cheating, then I'll provide them with the gridded reference points and tell them to create the piece themselves and see how they fare.
Here's a twist, If you like what you call art...and your aim is to get someone to pay for your endeavours...then folks I have to say "that's show business". And really anything goes. Compare it to many other industries, like cars, Hollywood, China products, Rock and roll etc.
At some point in history some or all parts of these different unrelated fields had a group of naysayers that would poo poo (that's right) what one other upcoming group that was bordering on creating a frenzie for their particular art, would fetch. They were maybe jealous in some way, but not open to accept that there is possibly another way to create a newer method that works well. Every field has their tricks, just as much as the way to spoil an idea. Perhaps the real challenge is to find something that works, and hone it well, then move into other areas...or milk the "bleep" out of it, to get rewarded and recognized for your efforts.
Look at Warhol, Monet, Van Gogh and others. Their work was left field to the norm at first. So was their technique. Look at the Rolling Stones and the Beatles, the norm or generation of traditionalists at the time considered their work crap, today most of their works are called classics because of the definition they created within their industry after the naysayers or people who thought that they had used a method of cheating out the public of what good music was all about or at least their definition at the time. My dad still can't stand the Stones but I will turn them up whenever I hear them on the radio. Because it worked for my generation. Only now does he recognize that " Ya know that Jagger fella, really had the kids in a frenzy back then, same with Paul and John". He say the cheat, poo poo'd it, but now recognizes that it did work? Duh!
I personally think that you should buy/purchase and create art from the heart, first, and then the brain second, only if it is for personal consumption. Much like drawing, some people here say that they can draw people whereas others say they can't and will stick to horses or dogs. They have found a technique to create what it is that either pays the bills or satisfies their urge to do art. That is fine, as long as they don't get tired of their subjects, frustrated with trying new subjects, ideas and techniques, or find that it doesn't pay like it used to to keep them motivated, if it is money that motivates their spirit.
I am looking at using Photoshop, digital cameras and a wacom tablet along with oil paints and sketching. Big undertaking, but one is tried and true, and the others are newer technologies that offer some serious benefits that the older more established methods can't even touch. But again I like the feeling I get when I put paint to canvas, or pencil to paper, as long as, and here is the big thing " that it is my own style or work and maintains the level of individuality that feeds my fire". However there is a fine line to feeding these desires with the cost factors involved, and the idea of potentially making a buck or two. My mother said I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth...she was right.
I absolutely love the work I see Jeanette doing, as well as the spunky 1963 girl and mugdigs (where do these people come up with these handles, perhaps they used to be truck drivers in a previous life back when the had CB radios). It is there own. And when I think they reach an uncomfortable level like Jeanette possibly felt about her horse named "Lady" so much that she is considering scrapping it and had us do a critique on it, it is because she maybe is reaching outside her boundry of comfort??? and needed guidance to carry her craft to a safer harbour or our acceptance of what she is doing is being acceptable. Or maybe she was toying with us in some greater evil plot that were not even aware of. LOL But I think as people who are trying to perfect their craft, stepping out onto the ledge every now and then is good, and if it means using cheats or guides or what ever else you may do to help elevate us/yourself to higher ground, then we must do it to move forward. Maybe we just need the realms of this website to help get our heads back on straight so that we can move forward.
I have used many techiques or cheats to do something better. Just learning one of Brendas crosshatching technique is considered a cheat to me, versus the way I used to do shading. So now to get a better performance out of my shading I should cheat or crosshatch. Hey next I'll use a compass if it helps me draw better circles, or in one of Brenda's lessons.
Coming from a design background, using CAD systems, you are always looking towards a better cheat if you will, to get better results. I know a lady who puts a special spice in her Christmas fruit cakes that she won't tell me what it is...that is her cheat. And I admire her for using it everytime. Nuff Said!!
I would reiterate that whatever works for you to personally enjoy or has the ability to make you money, and that is your enjoyment ...then leave it up to the others to play catch up and go for the cheat to move forward.
Who asked this question anyways...got me off on a whole tangent!
At some point in history some or all parts of these different unrelated fields had a group of naysayers that would poo poo (that's right) what one other upcoming group that was bordering on creating a frenzie for their particular art, would fetch. They were maybe jealous in some way, but not open to accept that there is possibly another way to create a newer method that works well. Every field has their tricks, just as much as the way to spoil an idea. Perhaps the real challenge is to find something that works, and hone it well, then move into other areas...or milk the "bleep" out of it, to get rewarded and recognized for your efforts.
Look at Warhol, Monet, Van Gogh and others. Their work was left field to the norm at first. So was their technique. Look at the Rolling Stones and the Beatles, the norm or generation of traditionalists at the time considered their work crap, today most of their works are called classics because of the definition they created within their industry after the naysayers or people who thought that they had used a method of cheating out the public of what good music was all about or at least their definition at the time. My dad still can't stand the Stones but I will turn them up whenever I hear them on the radio. Because it worked for my generation. Only now does he recognize that " Ya know that Jagger fella, really had the kids in a frenzy back then, same with Paul and John". He say the cheat, poo poo'd it, but now recognizes that it did work? Duh!
I personally think that you should buy/purchase and create art from the heart, first, and then the brain second, only if it is for personal consumption. Much like drawing, some people here say that they can draw people whereas others say they can't and will stick to horses or dogs. They have found a technique to create what it is that either pays the bills or satisfies their urge to do art. That is fine, as long as they don't get tired of their subjects, frustrated with trying new subjects, ideas and techniques, or find that it doesn't pay like it used to to keep them motivated, if it is money that motivates their spirit.
I am looking at using Photoshop, digital cameras and a wacom tablet along with oil paints and sketching. Big undertaking, but one is tried and true, and the others are newer technologies that offer some serious benefits that the older more established methods can't even touch. But again I like the feeling I get when I put paint to canvas, or pencil to paper, as long as, and here is the big thing " that it is my own style or work and maintains the level of individuality that feeds my fire". However there is a fine line to feeding these desires with the cost factors involved, and the idea of potentially making a buck or two. My mother said I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth...she was right.
I absolutely love the work I see Jeanette doing, as well as the spunky 1963 girl and mugdigs (where do these people come up with these handles, perhaps they used to be truck drivers in a previous life back when the had CB radios). It is there own. And when I think they reach an uncomfortable level like Jeanette possibly felt about her horse named "Lady" so much that she is considering scrapping it and had us do a critique on it, it is because she maybe is reaching outside her boundry of comfort??? and needed guidance to carry her craft to a safer harbour or our acceptance of what she is doing is being acceptable. Or maybe she was toying with us in some greater evil plot that were not even aware of. LOL But I think as people who are trying to perfect their craft, stepping out onto the ledge every now and then is good, and if it means using cheats or guides or what ever else you may do to help elevate us/yourself to higher ground, then we must do it to move forward. Maybe we just need the realms of this website to help get our heads back on straight so that we can move forward.
I have used many techiques or cheats to do something better. Just learning one of Brendas crosshatching technique is considered a cheat to me, versus the way I used to do shading. So now to get a better performance out of my shading I should cheat or crosshatch. Hey next I'll use a compass if it helps me draw better circles, or in one of Brenda's lessons.
Coming from a design background, using CAD systems, you are always looking towards a better cheat if you will, to get better results. I know a lady who puts a special spice in her Christmas fruit cakes that she won't tell me what it is...that is her cheat. And I admire her for using it everytime. Nuff Said!!
I would reiterate that whatever works for you to personally enjoy or has the ability to make you money, and that is your enjoyment ...then leave it up to the others to play catch up and go for the cheat to move forward.
Who asked this question anyways...got me off on a whole tangent!
I don't think there is such a thing as 'cheating' in art. I've just read a debate on another forum about the use of photoshop filters in digital painting - to me, they do feel cheap, and I do avoid them, but they can be used to great effect and in my mind they are just another tool to use to achieve the end result.
I feel the same way about all the other tricks various artists have. They are all means to an end, and if the end result is far superior to what you could have achieved without a grid, or a custom brush, etc, then where is the harm? Or if you have a tight deadline and you need the work done right and done yesterday, why not use a few tricks? There's no right or wrong way to approach art, and no matter which way you approach it, the end result will astound the average person with no artistic talent - it's beyond them. So, why constrain yourself to 'normal' methods? Stretch out and find new ways to solve your problem
As to natural talent... I do believe there are a lot of people out there who are just naturally talented artists. I started drawing seriously when I was perhaps 13 or 14, and I progressed quickly in comparison to a friend of mine who also took an interest. I just seemed to be able to see things differently to him, and he soon tired of struggling and lost interest, where I stuck with it and just kept on getting better. I come from a family of artistic people, with every female in my close family being reasonably to exceptionally talented. The men, however, aren't, with the exception of my uncle (who is amazing). That in itself suggests that natural talent plays a large part in being an artist. But I do believe that drawing is also a learned skill, and that anyone can do it if they're willing to apply themselves. If it could not be learned, then no one would be able to get better. While drawing felt very natural to me, I still wasn't very good! I had to teach myself and work hard, and I'm still doing that now. I don't see why other people who wish they could draw can't do that themselves. I know a lot of people do, though, and I think that is fantastic
I feel the same way about all the other tricks various artists have. They are all means to an end, and if the end result is far superior to what you could have achieved without a grid, or a custom brush, etc, then where is the harm? Or if you have a tight deadline and you need the work done right and done yesterday, why not use a few tricks? There's no right or wrong way to approach art, and no matter which way you approach it, the end result will astound the average person with no artistic talent - it's beyond them. So, why constrain yourself to 'normal' methods? Stretch out and find new ways to solve your problem
As to natural talent... I do believe there are a lot of people out there who are just naturally talented artists. I started drawing seriously when I was perhaps 13 or 14, and I progressed quickly in comparison to a friend of mine who also took an interest. I just seemed to be able to see things differently to him, and he soon tired of struggling and lost interest, where I stuck with it and just kept on getting better. I come from a family of artistic people, with every female in my close family being reasonably to exceptionally talented. The men, however, aren't, with the exception of my uncle (who is amazing). That in itself suggests that natural talent plays a large part in being an artist. But I do believe that drawing is also a learned skill, and that anyone can do it if they're willing to apply themselves. If it could not be learned, then no one would be able to get better. While drawing felt very natural to me, I still wasn't very good! I had to teach myself and work hard, and I'm still doing that now. I don't see why other people who wish they could draw can't do that themselves. I know a lot of people do, though, and I think that is fantastic
thanks everyone, i feel better about drawing now. i was debating if i was "good enough" or had talent or what ever. i had even considered stopping. i hadnt posted anything until i came across this site because i didnt feel i had "talent". then i talked to j-lynn about her art. and she was so nice and down to earth that i just started posting. then jeanette was so nice and giving me tips and techniques and i thought i seen improvment. then when all this started i thought well maybe i am "cheating", maybe i dont have talent. just all the doubts and negitive thoughts came flooding back. but i do believe everyone here is right. these are tools that we use. jeanette i know what you mean about the zone when you draw. because when i draw i get into a zone. i dont here anything. and i sit in my living room when i draw. grand central station at my house. if for some reason i dont get into that zone i dont even bother because i can not draw. i go there (the zone) everyday. i draw every day. now i sketch everyday. and it is because of all the encouragement that i have got from this site. it might take me a little longer to catch on than the other person, or i might need (like j-lynn said) some more visual than another person but i do think i improve. my husband uses rulers and french curves and what i call a circle drawer. he draws race cars. my son "draws" race cars on the computer. and he is very talented. he and his friends online make templates and shares with each other and then they use paintshop pro and paints race cars that they race online. not everyone can do that because my son paints cars for other people. and some people even pay to have a car done. he does a beautiful job. but he uses alot of tools too.
j-lynn i have seen alot of those tutorials that you were talking about and they are really cool. i dabbled in watercolor a little and love it and love the look. and onsource-- your right about it coming from the heart. i hav learned i think through all this is that as long as you love what your doing, do it from your heart and love the piece that you have created it really doesnt matter how you did it or even if anyone else likes it. every single drawing i have done in my life has a piece of me in it. regardless of how "good" it is. that is another reason when jeanette or anyone else comments on my work, i know she is commenting on the technical side, not the heart of my work, so i guess thats why i have never even thought about taking it to heart. i love when people help me out. someone else (i cant remember who) either from here or another site who is a wonderful artist, and sells there work, said they learn stuff everyday. this like anything else is a constant learning experience. well just thank you to everyone. i think i will keep drawing. oh knows it might get me somewhere someday and if not at least it was a beautiful ride.
Lori
j-lynn i have seen alot of those tutorials that you were talking about and they are really cool. i dabbled in watercolor a little and love it and love the look. and onsource-- your right about it coming from the heart. i hav learned i think through all this is that as long as you love what your doing, do it from your heart and love the piece that you have created it really doesnt matter how you did it or even if anyone else likes it. every single drawing i have done in my life has a piece of me in it. regardless of how "good" it is. that is another reason when jeanette or anyone else comments on my work, i know she is commenting on the technical side, not the heart of my work, so i guess thats why i have never even thought about taking it to heart. i love when people help me out. someone else (i cant remember who) either from here or another site who is a wonderful artist, and sells there work, said they learn stuff everyday. this like anything else is a constant learning experience. well just thank you to everyone. i think i will keep drawing. oh knows it might get me somewhere someday and if not at least it was a beautiful ride.
Lori
Thanks for all the comments and thank you for this not degrading into a shouting match - I certainly didn't intend that!
Lizzeh, I think there must be some sort of genetic inclination toward art but, as you said so well, one still has to work and learn and learn some more and work some more! And I think that real talent is having the desire to draw or paint and the GUTS to perservere with it!
Lori, your post brought tears to my eyes! Don't quit! Don't ever quit!
Drawing, painting or art of some kind is something I HAVE to do & it's immaterial to me whether anyone likes what I've done or not. It's nice to get good comments but that can be so deceiving because you never know whether the comment is honest or not. In the end, we all must do it to please ourselves. Critiques are for the technical side - no one should touch the heart part!
J
PS - boy do I know that zone! We're very early to bed & early to rise around here but once in a while I get to painting & before I know it, it's 3 am. We get up at 5 am & the odd thing is, especially if the painting has gone well, I can rise at 5 & have a more energetic day than if I'd slept for the full 8 hours!
Lizzeh, I think there must be some sort of genetic inclination toward art but, as you said so well, one still has to work and learn and learn some more and work some more! And I think that real talent is having the desire to draw or paint and the GUTS to perservere with it!
Lori, your post brought tears to my eyes! Don't quit! Don't ever quit!
Drawing, painting or art of some kind is something I HAVE to do & it's immaterial to me whether anyone likes what I've done or not. It's nice to get good comments but that can be so deceiving because you never know whether the comment is honest or not. In the end, we all must do it to please ourselves. Critiques are for the technical side - no one should touch the heart part!
J
PS - boy do I know that zone! We're very early to bed & early to rise around here but once in a while I get to painting & before I know it, it's 3 am. We get up at 5 am & the odd thing is, especially if the painting has gone well, I can rise at 5 & have a more energetic day than if I'd slept for the full 8 hours!
Racedolls, I was re-reading your post again & wanted to tell you that every artist I've ever known well enough to talk about it questions whether they're good enough! I'll tell you a secret - go read Brenda's post with the Desiderata again! There will always be people who will think your art is the best thing since sliced bread & there will always be those who think it sucks. The big question is really what YOU think about it!
Lori, if you ever dare quit drawing, I'm coming over to beat you!
You keep going. Each day you learn, each day you improve (and I mean a universal 'you' meaning all of us). Some days we draw better than others but that's fine too, each drawing is an experience.
You keep going. Each day you learn, each day you improve (and I mean a universal 'you' meaning all of us). Some days we draw better than others but that's fine too, each drawing is an experience.
thanks jeanette and j-lynn and everyone else. i really appriciate you guys so much. dont worry i will keep going. i even did something in color today. each drawing IS an experience and its a wonderful one. it has gotten me through alot of stuff in my life.
Lori
Lori
I agree that there is no such thing as "cheating" when it comes to art. I learned this lesson early on. When I was in the third grade our teacher gave us a project on inventors. We were to make a display for the next open house. Well, we needed pictures of all the inventors and that part of the project fell on me because I had a reputation as an artist. Time was short. So I found pictures of the various people in an encyclopedia and I used an opaque projector to draw the portraits. (Remember the little black ones that had a 60 watt lightbulb and a 3 inch square hole on the bottom that you could place on a book and project an image on the wall)? My older brother had showed me this technique. We used it to draw cartoon characters such as Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. I did 6 portraits in all, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Guglielmo Marconi, Wilber Wright, Cyrus McCormick, and Samuel Morse. These were my very first portraits of real people. I remember wondering if it as all right to "cheat" and use a projector. Well, the teacher loved them. The principal loved them. My friends loved them. Everyone thought they were great and I got a lot of compliments and recognition and my reputation as an artist grew as did my self esteem. Nobody asked how they were done. They just knew that the pictures added a lot to the bulletin board project and were impressed that the pictures actually looked like the people.
I still have many of my childhood drawings. Here's the "Alexander Graham Bell" I did in the third grade. At the time I thought it was the best of the 6.
I still have many of my childhood drawings. Here's the "Alexander Graham Bell" I did in the third grade. At the time I thought it was the best of the 6.
WHEW! Thanks guys. All this time I thought using a grid to draw/copy from for woodburns was cheating. Nice to know I'm not "cheating" so much as gettin the job done. LOL. Seriously though...If it serves your self and makes you happy..If it gets the job done or the project finished..If it satisfies your urge to create something..How could it be cheating?
There have been tools used throughout the centuries in persuit of a better way...greater pricision...the camera obscura and camera lucida...come to mind, but still they were only a means to an end.
I'm with the general concensus around here that there is no such thing as cheating...there are only tools available for our use...however if we rely on those tools to heavily and allow them to become a crutch...then I feel that is detrimental to your growth as an artist.
I have used transfers in the past ...I was never very good with grids...something would always be off...hehehe...I broke away from using those tools because I knew that I needed to work on my basic drawing skills! In my opinion...nothing will ever replace a good foundation of drawing skills....practice....practice....practice!!!!
In the end it is the artist who decides his/her own path.
Laura
I'm with the general concensus around here that there is no such thing as cheating...there are only tools available for our use...however if we rely on those tools to heavily and allow them to become a crutch...then I feel that is detrimental to your growth as an artist.
I have used transfers in the past ...I was never very good with grids...something would always be off...hehehe...I broke away from using those tools because I knew that I needed to work on my basic drawing skills! In my opinion...nothing will ever replace a good foundation of drawing skills....practice....practice....practice!!!!
In the end it is the artist who decides his/her own path.
Laura
Firstly, can i just say that when i first saw the title of this thread, i thought, "hello, what's our J been up to?". Then i read it and realised it wasn't what i thought. lol
I have never been one to use grids, i can't get on with them, i have tried, believe me i have, but they don't work for me. When i draw, i use freehand and keep it light until i have a shape that i am happy with, then i fll out with darker lines. When i draw a face i use a simple cross lining the eyes on the horizontal and the nose on the vertical, these work for me, but i do use a ruler.
I know it's a bit long winded but what i'm trying to say is, if it works for you then so what?
I have a friend who does outstanding portraits in watercolour of dogs, when i asked how she managed to get them so good, this was her reply.
I get some 140lb watercolour paper and print a faint image of the animal using my computer, then i use watercolour paints to give it a proper watercolour finish, had she not given her explanation i would have been none the wiser. Having said that i would still be prepared to buy one of her works.
It's like buying that photograph of lightning or the sky at sunset, its only a photograph but there is something the photographer saw that makes it special. You may have used an aid, but it was you that used it, that makes it as individual as you. Art like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, something is only worth what someone else is prepared to pay for it.
Never worry about using something to achieve your art, just enjoy it!
RJS
I have never been one to use grids, i can't get on with them, i have tried, believe me i have, but they don't work for me. When i draw, i use freehand and keep it light until i have a shape that i am happy with, then i fll out with darker lines. When i draw a face i use a simple cross lining the eyes on the horizontal and the nose on the vertical, these work for me, but i do use a ruler.
I know it's a bit long winded but what i'm trying to say is, if it works for you then so what?
I have a friend who does outstanding portraits in watercolour of dogs, when i asked how she managed to get them so good, this was her reply.
I get some 140lb watercolour paper and print a faint image of the animal using my computer, then i use watercolour paints to give it a proper watercolour finish, had she not given her explanation i would have been none the wiser. Having said that i would still be prepared to buy one of her works.
It's like buying that photograph of lightning or the sky at sunset, its only a photograph but there is something the photographer saw that makes it special. You may have used an aid, but it was you that used it, that makes it as individual as you. Art like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, something is only worth what someone else is prepared to pay for it.
Never worry about using something to achieve your art, just enjoy it!
RJS
RJ I do the same as you .. just plain pencil ... I have tried doing the grid thing and it did not work for me either.. so I do the same and lightly outline until I have it right .. and I mean the whole picture is lightly outlinded then I fill in .
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