Dear Nikki - January 28, 2025
Part two of yesterday's class was exploring negative (or supportive) space. Natalie drew a bunch of bananas for us, illustrating how to use negative space rather than an outline to start a drawing. She made it look so easy. She used two kinds of charcoal (vine and the hard kind) as well as a chamois, and a kneadable eraser.
Then we each chose an object to draw: our choices were: banana, orange, onion or--a full Chinese New Year dragon costume!!! Natalie dances in the Chinese New Year celebrations here, and she had it in her van and thought we might like to see it. And draw it. Or part of it. I was a huge presence in the room--red and gold and feathery and shiny--but I don't think anyone drew it. I couldn't even imagine where you would start. Where was the negative space?
So I chose an onion. Simple, right? Or at least simpler.
Turns out, using negative space rather than contour is HARD. I did two drawings, trying to find the absence that informed the presence. I think my second (lower) drawing fulfilled the remit better than the first, but it's something that I'll practice again and again, I'm sure.
Bonus: chamois is a miracle. Don't like what you just drew with your charcoal stick? Whoosh! One pass with your chamois and it's gone! It also creates incredible edges, and you can wipe the charcoal off your hands with it!
One more thing: I've started watching Landscape Artist of the Year again on YouTube. It's a competition, but a very kind, lowkey, British one. The show moves around to different locations in the UK, some urban, some rural, all challenging to paint. The judges are knowledgeable and supportive. I love watching the artists working in their little pods, creating art on a bare canvas (or three), a piece of lino or a pile of fabric. The drawings they do first are fascinating. Very soothing and inspiring, as is Portrait Artist of the Year.
Dear Sarah - January 28, 2025
I would say that was a pretty productive class! The onions are great! Contours have emerged from the supportive space… very cool.
How have I not heard of these two shows you mentioned? I will have a look for both and let you know what I think.
I just finished posting a long wrap-up newletter that involved finding, uploading, organizing, etcetering a whole lot of photos from our recent Japan trip. As a result I am out of time in the drawing department.
So… here’s an old one I found on my phone:
I remember the pain of drawing this because I really don’t like drawing hands. The words are taken from an impromptu palm reading done in 1989-ish on Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. I was in one of those shops with crystals and incense and a lot of earnest books and the clerk (I must have bought something, though I have forgotten what), took my hand, turned it over, studied my palm and then declared that one day I would write a book with the title, A Love Affair with Words.)
I have never written said book, but the exchange has stayed with me. I feel as though I should write something longer about that point in time, where I was as a young writer, and what his faith in my future meant to me back then.