Look, Think and draw

Task/Aims

The aim of this task was to go outside around leeds and focus on the following points, drawing them from observation:

Draw something:

from above organic

unnecessary unnoticed

walking held in your hand

architectural that makes you smile

old you smelt or heard

I found this task quite challenging as drawing on location involves a lot of distraction and I felt I wasn't able to create aesthetically pleasing images with the limited amount of time. It was also a bit nerve-racking having to draw in front of my pears - I usually don't like showing anyone my work unless I am pleased with it myself so that was a learning curve I became more comfortable with as the task went on.

Creating beautiful, crafted, finished pieces was not the aim of this task. Limited time means limited detail and drawing from observation causes you to really think about the information you want to record, and if you aren't going to spend hours drawing "photorealistic" images or final imagery, what information can you get down to successfully relay the key details of what you are drawing?

From above

Architectural

Held in my hand

Unnoticed

Something I smelt

Unnecessary 

Unnecessary (rubbish) 

Architectural

Organic

Walking

Unnoticed

Successes/Failures

Looking back over my images, I know they aren't great and I would not consider any of them as final imagery, however the task was really beneficial to me. I was forced to put aside my need for "perfection" in my work and focus on mark making and quick drawing to convey information. If I was to do this task again I think I would like to try new media processes like paint and ink to give a different feel to the location imagery. I would also like to try to be more abstract and not so hung up on detail and realistic representation.

I saw this task as an opportunity to be messy, unlimited and free in what I drew considering it really didn't matter how successful my outcomes were. I was able to loosen up and stop being so anxious about the final result. despite this, throughout this task I was really distracted by my surroundings. Not knowing Leeds well at all meant that I was enjoying the walk around so much and being introduced to a lot of new areas, that I missed a chance to draw everything we had been given on the list - which I regret. It was a really good task not only for improving my observational drawing skills, but for opening my eyes to what is actually around me, no matter how small or insignificant.

I know it is not a new or unheard of thing to keep a sketchbook and draw from observation, but I would really like to keep this up as I have never done much of it. I found drawing in this way trained me to work productively and i know how much joy I would have looking through a full sketchbook of these rough drawings from different locations and being taken back/reminded of where I drew them.

Illustrations do not have to be finished or perfect for them to be successful and in a lot of cases it is the roughness and rawness which adds more character and more of a story to the work. After all it is the atmosphere in which you are drawing that you can feed off of at the time and which influences your work. It is so much more real to draw something in its natural location as you find it - than from a book at a desk in a studio.