Drawing: Grass-Like Flowers

Well, we made it! The very last post of this blog! I have learned so much about myself as an artist and the methods that work for when I am doodling. For the final pictures, I decided to draw some flowers. But unlike other flowers that are in the shape of bushes or grow on trees, these flowers live among the grass and have similar characteristics. To start, I drew a flower called a rape blossom. The leaves of this plant are actually edible, and the seeds can be used to make oil. How handy! To draw this flower, I first drew buds of the flower in the foreground, followed by the background. I then drew the stem of the plant, and finally, I added leaves and seeds to the stem, alternating from the top down (Umoto 26). In drawing this picture, I included most of the techniques that I focused on in my other posts: step by step process, detail, complex images, and shapes. This really helped me to incorporate everything in to one piece and produce something that fits into many artistic categories. For the second drawing, I sketched pampas grass. In this doodle, I mainly focused on detail and the step by step process to create the end result. To create this image, "1. Decide the direction of the wind before drawing the stalks. 2. Draw the outline of the plumes fluttering in the wind. 3. Draw the defining lines in each plume one by one and the leaves" (Umoto 70). Following the given instructions and attempting multiple times to sketch the perfect flower, I finally completed this doodle and was satisfied with the result. I am proud of the accomplishments I have made during these past couple months, and I think that I will go forward using what I have learned and applying it to my daily life.

Would you rather draw flowers like the ones in this post or ones in the shape of bushes and trees? Why?

Umoto, Sachiko. Illustration School: Let's Draw Plants and Small Creatures. Quarry Books, 2010.

Drawing: Strawberries & Lemons

I'm not going to lie, I was definitely thinking about summer when it came to the drawings for this post. Just think about all that delicious lemonade...But no. It's winter, and that means I can only dream about summer. With these doodles, I focused on drawing them step by step as usual, but I also considered the shapes that I was drawing. I really tried to make all the shapes of each step look the same, instead of getting within the ballpark and calling it good. Starting with the strawberry, "1. Draw the outline of the strawberry. 2. Draw the calyx. 3. Draw the little seeds on the surface" (Umoto 86). The general shape of a strawberry is almost like an oval, but with one end pointed a bit more. The top (calyx), leafy bit of the fruit includes a rectangular stem and semi-circle-ish leaves, and the seeds are shaped like mini ovals, filled in. Once finished, I was able to not only see a piece of fruit, but also all of the shapes that make up the doodle. The lemon, however, was a little bit harder. To start, I drew an oval shaped like the lemon. I then drew the protruding parts on each end, and added the spots on the surface, just as directed (Umoto 86). The oval was simple, and so was one end of the lemon, which was just a rectangle. But the other side was tricky. I had to draw a little wave, that almost looked like a really stretched out letter "m". It took me a few tries to get this bit to my satisfaction, but I managed. The last step, adding the spots, was similar to step 3 of drawing a strawberry, so it was not too challenging. Shapes are everywhere in the world; every object is a shape or a combination of them. Overall, I was pleased with the outcome and my ability to think about and identify the shapes in each of these pictures that have me longing for that summer sun.

Take an object or two that you see everyday; what shapes contribute to this object? If you were to draw it, would it be easier to draw the shapes that it's made of or try to draw the whole object at once?

Umoto, Sachiko. Illustration School: Let's Draw Plants and Small Creatures. Quarry Books, 2010.

Drawing: Christmas Trees & Corn

First of all, merry Christmas and happy holidays! Over this break, I took advantage of my time to draw a couple slightly more detailed pictures. The first one I drew was a Christmas tree. Now, I know there are multiple ways to draw them, and some pretty simple ways too. But, as I am following instructions from my book, I had to go a little tougher route. I started out drawing multiple triangular layers. Then I added ribbons moving diagonally side to side down the tree, and placed a star at the top. The last step was the decorations - circular ornaments, ribbons, candy canes, and stars (Umoto 78). Overall, I was pleased with the outcome of my tree, even if it doesn't look like one that I would normally draw. For the next image, I chose corn, because it is one of my favorite vegetables. This one was tricky. The outline was simple, but once I began to draw the kernels and the husk, I ran into trouble. According to the book, I was supposed to "Draw the lines on the calyx at the base, the husk wrapping the ear of corn and the lines running along the cob. Draw each kernel of corn and the bushy corn silk. Arrange the kernels alternately" (Umoto 96), but I'm not sure how well I did. Similar to my last post, I was not happy with the result on my first attempt, so I tried again and again. Eventually, I was able to create something that somewhat resembled the picture in the book, but it wasn't perfect. Of course, it doesn't have to be perfect, but I still struggled to make myself believe this. Even though these pictures were a challenge, I am glad I chose them. The process helped me realize that there are more ways than one to draw almost anything, and also helped me to have a higher appreciation for complex drawings. 

When you draw something, do you always draw it in the same way? If so, I encourage you to try a different approach. How do you think people who only see one option in any situation in life differ from those who are open minded and can see multiple solutions? What qualities might one group possess that the other doesn't?

Umoto, Sachiko. Illustration School: Let's Draw Plants and Small Creatures. Quarry Books, 2010.

Drawing: Palm Trees & Lilacs

Creating the drawings featured in this blog was a struggle for me. I am someone who really likes to have things done perfectly or as close to it as one can get. Drawing palm and lilac trees really tested me on that. First, I couldn't get the branches the way I wanted with the palm trees. Then, I didn't like how the flowers looked on the lilacs. There were all these little details that one shouldn't have to worry about when doodling that I worried about anyway. However, an artist never makes a mistake. Everything done to a piece of work is done the way it should be, whether the artist meant it at first or not. A drawing doesn't have to look exactly like the example. It can be unique and still look like the doodle being attempted (Umoto 3). This little bit of advice was really insightful to me. It helped me to take a step back and let myself forget about whether one stem was crooked or bent too far to the right. I was able to truly doodle, and let my pencil do the work. With that, I created two different types of trees, as previously mentioned, a palm tree and a lilac tree. First up was the palm tree. This doodle was fairly straight forward. I once again drew it layer by layer, starting with the trunk, then the stalks, then finally the leaves and coconuts, remembering to consider the direction in which the wind was blowing (Umoto 62), in order to give the tree a more life-like look. Next up, I drew a lilac tree, which is a little different. The process of getting to the end result was the same, sketching a layer at a time, as all of these doodles will be done, however the finishing touches were slightly different. For this tree, I needed to create three separate trunks, instead of one big one. Instead of branches in the top part of the tree, it was an outline of all of the leaves. The last step was adding the flowers, which was what I struggled to get right on the first go. My tendency was to draw them all over the tree, but that is not what was asked of me. "Draw groups of flowers toward the outside edge of the tree" (Umoto 38). In order to really imitate this drawing, I went against my first instinct to fill the whole thing, and abided by Sachiko Umoto's suggestion. Although I didn't necessarily like my version of the two doodles at first, I learned to let go of my expectations and accept whatever ends up on the paper, within reason.

Are you a perfectionist? Does your own criticism get in the way of something you love doing? Be honest with yourself.

Umoto, Sachiko. Illustration School: Let's Draw Plants and Small Creatures. Quarry Books, 2010.

Drawing: Carrots and Pumpkins

The most creative side of people tends to come out when they're bored, which most often happens at school. Granted, the teachers and students are amazing, but sometimes it's just doesn't work out. Doodling is the result, and it happens everywhere. A notebook, a scratch piece of paper, even the homework sheet that is supposed to be turned in. But the question is, what to draw? One cannot simply scribble everywhere, that offers no sense of accomplishment. In Sachiko Umoto's book Illustration School: Let's Draw Plants and Small Animals, she provides hundreds of ideas for little drawings and doodles. They say that learning begins by imitating, so that is what I am attempting to do. To imitate these drawings, and ultimately, produce something that I can be proud of. In Chapter 2, A Harvest Festival of Fruits and Vegetables, there is a page for carrots and pumpkins. A step by step process for each object is given, and these two drawings are no different. To draw a carrot, one simply must "1. Draw the outline of the vegetable and the base to which the stalks and leaves are attached. 2. Draw the stalks and leaves. 3. Draw the grooved lines on the carrot and a wavy line around the leaves" (Umoto 92). Though it may seem a little vague at first, these instructions are helpful in that they remind the artist, me in this case, to take it slow, and draw layer by layer instead of trying to draw all at once. The pumpkin has similar instructions, suggesting to start from the center and work towards the outer edge of the shape, drawing an outline and lining everything up (Umoto 92). I found the pictures provided and the instructions given to be useful. Being a visual learner, I like to see what the finished product is supposed to look like and be given the steps to get there. In this book, I was able to learn my way and it helped me to produce cute, autumn food doodles that I am proud of.

If you draw, why? What does it help you with? How might being given simple drawings and a step by step process help you to learn about your own capabilities and learning style?

Umoto, Sachiko. Illustration School: Let's Draw Plants and Small Creatures. Quarry Books, 2010.