Saturday, September 17, 2011

Three roses in a vase

Thank you to all who left quick responses on my last post. It was indeed three roses in three vases. This is the story. I have decided to learn to draw. This is a big thing as there was a lot of resistance there to overcome. I have been readng the first few pages of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain and I have been loving the videos of Danny Gregory and Tommy Kane tonight. It made me want to try. Not aiming for the Royal Academy, just something I might enjoy doing in a travel journal.
So I got out some watercolour postcards I bought becuase I decided it was not possible to be intimidated by a postcard in the same way as a new sketchbook and had a go at the roses in our lounge. Four and a half minutes later, this. (Bear in mind its an ipad photo on my carpet so not the best reproduction of colours!)

I show it to Dennis. " You have a go."
"No, I can't."
"Neither could I until five minutes ago. I bet you can."
"I can't."
I went on enough that he, under much protest took card and pen drew a few minutes and thrust it back at me.
" See. I can't."
" Whats wrong with it?"
"You can't tell what it is even"

Hence the question as to whether you could tell what it was.
I told him that you could. He shrugs. " Well, you could guess at a vase."
" ROSES man! They can tell what kind of flower it is."
A slow boyish grin spread over his face.
" Oh. Well I might try something a bit more complicated."

So thank you.

I had another go trying to be more gestural like his style

Then I got brave and tried the Kremlin. I accidentally lopped off a section of tower but hey, how many frills does one tower need? And its not my fault they seem to have a subsidence issue in Red Square these days.

I am not saying that there is not a lot of room for improvement, but I think I might have started something hard to stop!

Oh, and in answer to Brenda's comment that they looked like three roses in a vase but knowing me there would be somting deeper. Nope. Just three roses. Bought at a petrol station because they were pretty.
Of course each rose represents the life of an African woman subjected to FGM, rape and forced marriage
No, only kidding.
Although now I think about it..... :)

7 comments:

Nancy Anne in the Finger Lakes said...

Hmm, I jumped in a bit late on the last post, it seems. I can't imagine why Dennis thought his sketch was unrecognizable. Now if it was meant to be 3 Picasso-like nudes... :o)

Diane Perin said...

I agree with everyone -- Dennis's drawing was quite recognizable. And yours are quite nice. Aren't you glad you got those colored pencils?!

Sandra Wyman said...

Enjoy the great adventure! I'm never going to be the world's greatest draughtsperson, but I learn so much from the way it makes you look at things. And you've started off a lot better than I did! Congratulations. And I can tell when a rose is a rose is a rose...

Anonymous said...

Are you determined on drawing? You might find painting more intuitive, as it deals with shape (always critical for a textile artist) rather than line.

That said, I found your roses, and Dennis's, and your Kremlin, perfectly recognisable, and probably a good deal better than I would have achieved!

MariƩ du Toit said...

You have inspired me to take up my drawing books again!

writing jobs online said...

very cool psot! thanks!

Anonymous said...

You are working from a great book ... I still haven't seen one better.

Judy B