Negative Space and the Granola Bar

Dear Sarah - Day 87 of our daily drawing exchange

March 28, 2025
Hi Nikki,

There's nothing like organizing your tax documents for an accountant to put you in a negative space. Took me five hours to get all the paperwork and an Excel sheet done, after which I was cranky, hungry and ready for a break.

When I got back from getting some groceries and going for a walk, I sat down to draw. It seemed very fitting that the online exercise I was attempting to do today was all about negative space. I find it incredibly hard to concentrate on what isn't there (the space between the objects) rather than the objects themselves, but it's supposed to be good to train your brain to see differently. I chose to work from a close up of my old friend, the anchor, and did my best. As almost always with online tutorials, it was way too effing fast, and there was a lot of stopping, going back, stopping again, and muttering "WTF, dude."

I tried to do the next exercise, which was about giving shape to a form. It involved grids. I did not enjoy it. The result is not for public consumption. It put me in a negative space again. Perhaps dinner will rescue me.

XO S

Hi Sarah!

I think the drawing of the space around the anchor is very cool - in a stark, contrasty kind of way. Abstract and striking.

My effort today was inspired by a photo (from a strange angle) of a little shop on Main Street - The Granola Bar (where, yes, they sell granola).

Oh boy. Troublesome. But the worst part of all this was the pesky picnic table in the foreground. Should have been straightforward, but no.

Why do I ever think any kind of drawing should be straightforward? You’d think I would have learned at least that much by now - nothing is as it looks. At least, not by the time it makes it to the sketchbook page.

Back off to the city tomorrow - I’ll be spending some time in high towers showing some fancy condos - and then on Monday, delighted to be handing over keys to a lovely family who has bought a house and takes possession on the 31st. Those are the moments that make all the legwork, paperwork, and other work worth it.

As for taxes - omg - my worst day of the year is always when I have to sit down and get organized to send all the receipts etc. over to the accountant. Yuck and poo, as my dad used to say.

Until tomorrow -
Nikki