Speed sketching

It's pretty near impossible to get a two year old to hold still so you can draw him :) :) but I try anyway (a little Thomas the Train on TV helps a bit)! I've had a hard time motivating myself to do much in the way of art this week, so I'll take the inspiration when it comes (each of these sketches was probably a minute or less). It's been kind of a crazy week at our house, but ask me about that later :P

I have noticed a change in my sketches since I've started learning the "chiseling-away-at-a-block-of-stone" drawing method. I'm focusing more on the general shape and not getting as caught up with the details (which usually ends up in some very very bad sketches when you're trying to capture the motion of kids!). It kind of reminds me of tuning a drum (I played the snare for a couple years back in elementary school). You tighten one nut, then go across to the one directly opposite, then go to the one that's evenly spaced between, etc., etc., not spending too much time tightening one area and always working opposite sides of the drum, or it will damage the striking surface. Anyway, that's sort of how I'm envisioning drawing. Find a line that's right, then find one opposite, then maybe somewhere in between, just trying to round out the shape without overworking one area. That way everything looks to be at the same level of finish (sometimes I get a little too interested in one area and then the whole drawing looks wonky because I've got one semi-detailed eye and everything else is a jumble of chicken scratch, ha). Anyway.

I have a sneaking suspicion that some of my lack of motivation may be due in my awareness (it comes back to haunt me now and then) of the huge chasm that exists between where I am and where I want to be--the awareness that always brings the thought, "Why do I bother?" 

But here is a little Anne Shirley wisdom for the day (she's just the most quotable of characters):

"Oh, it's delightful to have ambitions. I'm so glad I have such a lot. And there never seems to be any end to them--that's the best of it. Just as soon as you attain to one ambition you see another one glittering higher up still. It does make life so interesting."

and

"We pay a price for everything we get or take in this world; and although ambitions are well worth having, they are not to be cheaply won."

True.