To be able to keep the fluidity between an artist's hand and eye, they need to draw every single day. Renoir said that it's essential for an artist to never miss a day and he never did, even if all he drew was a simple apple. So I draw every night, usually for three or four hours. For me it's the perfect, almost Zen, way to end my day. What feels like mere minutes is in actuality hours, as I lose myself in whatever it is laid before me. Sometimes I draw simple apples, sometimes self portraits, and sometimes I draw complicated still lifes, working more each night until they're done. I never feel rushed to complete my drawings as seldom does anyone see them. After all, who else looks into my sketchbooks besides me? My favorite thing to draw though, is my boys. And while I can't work from life with them (asking them to hold a pose would obviously be impossible), they do pose beautifully and rather patiently for photos, and that's the next best thing to a live model, which is good enough for me. I have more sketchbooks than I can count filled with all manner of drawings, but I also have sketchbooks dedicated to nothing but portraits I've drawn of my dogs. I think my babies are more than special enough to warrant their own books.
Portrait of Edison Jack Looking Up, graphite on paper, 2009
Study of Edison Jack Looking Over His Shoulder, graphite on paper, 2009
Large Bram in Repose, graphite, red chalk and watercolor pencil on paper, 2010
Small Portrait of Bram Ebenezer, graphite on paper, 2009
1 comment:
Wow Victoria...those are stunning portraits. They really capture the essence of the boys. Do you ever take commissions for animal portraits, I would be very interested.
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