Hello to everyone,

I just found drawspace a couple days ago, and though I did post in the thread about lurkers, I thought I'd come in here for a proper introduction.

After a very long time... I just started drawing again. I drew a lot when I was in my teens and twenties, but got away from it for various reasons for more years than i'd better say! We gals like to keep some ambiguity about our ages after all!

I know I have alot to catch up on. I'm extremely rusty and need to just work it out all over again, so I've started off with just two sketches. I do think I see a little improvement between the first and second, and so I have hopes that I can keep growing and getting better over time.

I must admit to being a little scared of trying to draw things that are not my forte. I've never really tried drawing objects or landscapes, preferring to try to capture mood and feeling as I myself felt things or intuited things in people. I don't think I've ever really done more than one pet sketch, despite my affection for the cats in my life.

I have lots of time to try these things now, because I am now disabled and in a wheelchair after a life of working in the medical field.

I have two grown up kids, and 3 delightful grandchildren. Please feel free to call me 'Bird' because I still believe I can fly. Art be my wings!

I am including my first sketch and then my second.

~Bird~

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Hello and welcome to drawspace!

well they are very good for ya 1st evers drawings keep drawing!!! everyday!! im just starting out so know how you feel

Welcome to Drawspace Bird. Its wonderful that you've come here and your sketches show a lot of promise. I'm sure you'll be up to speed before you know it.

Keep drawing, keep posting, ask questions, everyone is here to help.

Great pictures Silverbird!!! You show alot of promise. Just keep practicing and you will have no problems at all. Welcome to drawspace.

Hi Bird - Good for you - Art is a great way to put your energy into something to keep your mind off of other things in your life. It's that getting into the "zone" thing.

I am teaching basic drawing classes to the Senior Citizens because my Mom had 3 strokes last December and is in a nursing home now. So I take her out to various different functions at the Senior Citizens Center to keep her mind active. She always was a very creative person and now this drawing class is giving her some encouragement to do something besides sit around in a wheelchair all day long. She can't walk very good and she forgets a lot of things but she can still draw and her therapist says it really helps her mind a lot.

Your drawings are really good - especially considering you've been out of practice for so long. I'm impressed. Keep up the good work.

Thank you to everyone who responded.

I have this quirky idea that art can be as much about what you don't draw, as what you do draw. In my first sketch my subject is leaning on one hand. I only drew the curve of the hand with slight shading to just suggest it. I know I got my light source a little confused in that the right side is where there is supposed to be the brightest illumination, but then I just suggested the hair, and left a large space of 'light' at the top of her head. Obviously I didn't quite think about what I was doing.

Have any of you seen the work of the late minimalist 'Rosamond'? I really admire her work. It was really popular in the seventies. Because she didn't overwork her art, she left room for people to notice whatever focol point she was wanting to showcase. Usually it is the eyes and lips that pop out at you, though her use of textures in the clothing was very interesting as well.''

I didn't draw yesterday or today. I have spent the time reading through the forum and getting a feel for the ettiquette and for the content. Can I step away from my comfort zone and start practicing areas that I am very weak in? I hope so. Does anyone feel a little fear at attempting things that don't come easily? I do. I know I can't do the same justice to a tube of toothpaste as I would do a portrait. One has to shrug off the burden of pride, I think, and be willing to begin at the beginning. I hope I can do that!

In my experience, some artists can be very sensitive and touchy about even seeing their own work when it is something that they are unsure about. I know I am very hard on myself about even little failures. How do you get past that? I'd really like to know!

~Bird~

Hi Bird,
The group here is so good on the ego because they always will give you encouragement whether its a complement on your drawing as a whole or a portion of it or just that fact that you picked up a pencil today. When your looking to improve on what your doing the place to go is the critique thread. There they will give you constructive critisism on how to improve on what you have done. It's good to remember that if you are going for a style like the one you mentioned earlier (Rosamond) let them know this ahead of time so their coments are appropriate to that style. I'm new to drawing so I rely heavily on their feedback. At this point I have no problem showing what I'm doing because everything is an improvement or a learning lesson. I do believe though that you will find kindred spirits among some of the artists as regards to how they put their work forward. I look forward to seeing more of your work.
Paulette

Bird,

Welcome and like you I am my own worst critic....hehehehe...as far as being sensitive to what others say...the best thing I can tell you from my own personal experience is if you can teach yourself to put distance between yourself...your art and what someone says about your art...and not take critique as a personal attack, but as a learning experience...then your good to go. As Paulette said if you truely want advice then post in the critique thread. We'll all be happy to help!

Laura

Thank you for the welcome. You know, I don't think I will feel too bad about critiques. This is such a warm and welcoming place, and since I see everyone is always learning, it is not going to be hard to try to learn along with everyone else. I do go through days when I don't draw. Maybe those are the very days for working on technique rather than expressing something I'm feeling. Art has always been quite emotional for me. I drew my first real portrait the night that Bobby Kennedy was killed. Seems like I'm always waiting for my muse, but I could be practicing my eye, and my ability to re-create something I see at those times.

I do want my art to have it's own style, but I also want to be able to draw many many things!

hello Bird and welcome I like you am confined to a wheelchair after becoming paralysed from the chest down, I find that art helps me forget the pain but like you I dont draw every day sometimes I just dont feel like doing anything but I found this site to be very helpfull and very friendly and I hope you find the same.

It's a great encouragement to me to see you here Davidb. I've been in a wheelchair for about seven years. I know how tough some days can be. Oh but doesn't it feel good to be able to do something beautiful? I am fortunate to now have a motorized chair, and I do everything in it. My disability comes from spinal problems too, but not quite the same. I have vertabrae that are partially disentegrated discs and bone spurs pressing on my spinal cord. I am not a candidate for surgery. Painful stuff. I hurt all over. Disability pensions are very low... I wish I just wish I could find a way to supplement that tiny pension. Wouldn't it be great if I could figure out something to do.

I'm hoping for more and more art days.. I wish the same for you!