True Creativity
We need to be authentic which means being the whole of who we are—the happy and the sad, the good and the bad. We need to share our whole selves even when sometimes we'll be a bit idiotic—that's also how we come to know ourselves.
Creativity comes from our life experience, our own particular insights and know¬ing. It helps if we live our lives fully and honestly—we're creating from that place. We don't need to think too much to be creative; we just need to dive in and do the work. Diving in is our decision to begin. Ideas come in the midst of working. Shall we do it this way or that? Watch for the moment of insight, then act on it without hesitation. That's what it is to fol¬low inspiration. Toss out hesitation, doubt and worry. We need to be bold.
All artists take inspiration from other artists. Creativity is making new connec-tions between established ways of seeing too. We learn from each other. At first, we may imitate in order to understand and acquire skill or to internalize what's possible. But soon we need to strike out on our own or we'll only make second-hand art. We're more than that. We can set off on our journeys, like pilgrims—there isn't any final destination. The journey goes on, unfolding with each new exploration, one thing leads to the next.
To be creative means to be in the flow of vital exploration. Whatever we're doing, we can throw our whole selves into it. Why hold back? We'll feel alive and excited when we do our very best. We can't know what will happen in advance—we're diving into into the unknown. Who knows what's there? Learn to trust that there are gifts everywhere and look for those gifts. When disappointment or failure comes, and it will, find its gifts too. We each have our own art journey and life journey. The important thing is to be ourselves and to be happy to be ourselves.
Drawing as a Learned Skill
During the last thirty years, I’ve taught millions of people how to draw during my extensive travels around the country and through my television shows, websites, and videos. Many children have grown up watching my drawing lessons on public television and have gone on to pursue careers in illustration, animation, fashion design,design engineering, and architecture. I have a example who have helped design the International Space Station, NASA’s Space Shuttle, and Mars Exploration Rovers and others who have worked on animation megafilm projects such as Shrek, Madagascar, Flushed Away, The Incredibles,Happy Feet, and A Bug’s Life.
But here’s a secret—learning is learning and drawing is drawing, no matter how old you are. My techniques work for adults just as well as they work for kids—I know this, because I’ve taught thousands of adults as well. In this blog, I will introduce sophisticated concepts and complex drawing theories in a simple, easy-to-follow way, but because I’m a kid at heart, I will not cut back on any of the fun that I believe drawing must be.
As a cartoon illustrator by trade, but these lessons will give you the basic skill set that will enable you to draw three-dimensionally in any style (realistic drawings, photograph studies, portraits) or medium (oil paints, watercolors, pastels).
I will focus almost exclusively on what I call the “Nine Fundamental Laws of Drawing,” beginning with basic shapes, shading, and positioning, all the way through more advanced perspective, copying from photos, and drawing from life. These basic concepts, discovered and refined during the Italian Renaissance, have enabled artists to create three-dimensional renderings for more than five hundred years. I believe that anyone can learn how to draw; it is a learnable skill like reading or writing.
The Nine Fundamental Laws of Drawing create the illusion of depth. They are as follows:
But here’s a secret—learning is learning and drawing is drawing, no matter how old you are. My techniques work for adults just as well as they work for kids—I know this, because I’ve taught thousands of adults as well. In this blog, I will introduce sophisticated concepts and complex drawing theories in a simple, easy-to-follow way, but because I’m a kid at heart, I will not cut back on any of the fun that I believe drawing must be.
As a cartoon illustrator by trade, but these lessons will give you the basic skill set that will enable you to draw three-dimensionally in any style (realistic drawings, photograph studies, portraits) or medium (oil paints, watercolors, pastels).
I will focus almost exclusively on what I call the “Nine Fundamental Laws of Drawing,” beginning with basic shapes, shading, and positioning, all the way through more advanced perspective, copying from photos, and drawing from life. These basic concepts, discovered and refined during the Italian Renaissance, have enabled artists to create three-dimensional renderings for more than five hundred years. I believe that anyone can learn how to draw; it is a learnable skill like reading or writing.
The Nine Fundamental Laws of Drawing create the illusion of depth. They are as follows:
- Foreshortening: Distort an object to create the illusion that one part of it is closer to your eye.
- Placement: Place an object lower on the surface of a picture to make it appear closer to your eye.
- Size: Draw an object larger to make it appear closer to your eye.
- Overlapping: Draw an object in front of another object to create the visual illusion that it is closer to your eye.
- Shading: Draw darkness on an object opposite the positioned light source to create the illusion of depth.
Logo Creation: Symbol - infographic
Today’s infographic about logo creation: symbol.
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| + click on image to enlarge |
The Ways We Draw
There are many kinds of drawing: realistic (as much as anything can be), subjective, schematic, abstract, cartoony, impressionistic, expressive, controlled, free, tortured, obsessive, spare, inventive. We could go on. And on. But we'll divide drawing into three main categories: making marks, drawing what we see, and drawing from imagination. Children begin with making marks, basic scribbling, then go directly to drawing from imagination. As we grow older, we want the skills that come from doing observational drawing so that we can draw whatever we want.
Here, we'll begin with making marks and go directly to drawing what we see. Then we'll come back to where many of us left off as children to drawing from imagination but this time we'll do it with heightened awareness, a sense of our own purpose, and greater skill. Our goal is to find our creative voice, not to stop with careful rendering. There are now cameras to record the world around us, but we can still benefit from drawing it, if we're so inclined. Careful observation gives us a more intimate connection with our world, and knowing how to draw what's around us, in one way or another, can give us greater freedom of expression. Even if we focus on this kind of drawing, we want to discover our unique, imaginative self in it.
We'll soon see that drawing begins to ask questions questions like, who are you and what do you want to say or do? We don't need to answer right away, just know that the questions will arrive, one after the other, at awkward moments, niggling like uninvited guests. We can be well mannered, of course, and hospitable, too. We provide a bed and a little food, but we'll go on with our lives and get to know our guests in time. We can't rush these things. Still, it's good to know that in drawing we don't just learn skills; we come to know ourselves as creative beings.
So, now, let's begin. Get out your paper, your pencils, charcoal, pens. Get out your ink and brush. From a tree outside, pluck a twig to dip into ink and draw with. As you read what follows, try each kind of drawing yourself. By experimenting, you'll start to get that feeling of freedom we need so much in making art and in living a full, rich life.
Here, we'll begin with making marks and go directly to drawing what we see. Then we'll come back to where many of us left off as children to drawing from imagination but this time we'll do it with heightened awareness, a sense of our own purpose, and greater skill. Our goal is to find our creative voice, not to stop with careful rendering. There are now cameras to record the world around us, but we can still benefit from drawing it, if we're so inclined. Careful observation gives us a more intimate connection with our world, and knowing how to draw what's around us, in one way or another, can give us greater freedom of expression. Even if we focus on this kind of drawing, we want to discover our unique, imaginative self in it.
We'll soon see that drawing begins to ask questions questions like, who are you and what do you want to say or do? We don't need to answer right away, just know that the questions will arrive, one after the other, at awkward moments, niggling like uninvited guests. We can be well mannered, of course, and hospitable, too. We provide a bed and a little food, but we'll go on with our lives and get to know our guests in time. We can't rush these things. Still, it's good to know that in drawing we don't just learn skills; we come to know ourselves as creative beings.
So, now, let's begin. Get out your paper, your pencils, charcoal, pens. Get out your ink and brush. From a tree outside, pluck a twig to dip into ink and draw with. As you read what follows, try each kind of drawing yourself. By experimenting, you'll start to get that feeling of freedom we need so much in making art and in living a full, rich life.
"All things come from nowhere. How vast, how invisible, no way to explain!"
—Chuang Tsu
Drawing with ink
Drawing with ink is the most exciting drawing material in my view. Although pencil
and charcoal have certain attributes and characteristics, drawing with ink is so much
more demanding and at the same time versatile. The very nature of the ink as a substance and the multiple ways that it can be applied as a medium gives it a wider spectrum of use both in traditional and experimental ways.
Personally, I have found that working with ink can help correct our weaknesses and enhance our strengths. Artists tend to develop traits and these tend to fall into two types. We can be artists who are very much controlled by our intellect or thinking processes, and use our materials accordingly. Alternatively, we can function by allowing the processes to take us to a visual conclusion that is furnished by a more emotional, expressive approach.
Each one of these ways of working has to have a bit of the other in it to bring about some form of aesthetic order. Ink is a medium that allows these innate qualities to flourish.
Personally, I have found that working with ink can help correct our weaknesses and enhance our strengths. Artists tend to develop traits and these tend to fall into two types. We can be artists who are very much controlled by our intellect or thinking processes, and use our materials accordingly. Alternatively, we can function by allowing the processes to take us to a visual conclusion that is furnished by a more emotional, expressive approach.
Each one of these ways of working has to have a bit of the other in it to bring about some form of aesthetic order. Ink is a medium that allows these innate qualities to flourish.
** Put your ballpoint pen to shame with these tips.
Danger artist at work
Note too if any of the fluids you use are flammable or toxic. Bleach, for example, is a very handy and cheap method of removing waterbased ink, but it is very toxic and must always be handled with care.
system for hard pencils
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