Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Sketching and Structure

While I am working on other things in the studio, I thought I would show you a couple of sketchbook doodles.
This was just a deal where I was seeing where the pen would go when I moved it across the page. The color is just color! There was nothing preplanned about this at all.

These are done in a Moleskine Watercolor Sketchbook. I prefer these since they hold up to a lot of abuse.


This was an idea which came to me in a dream...my starters often happen that way. This was kind of a literal interpretation, but I am suspecting it might show up in a different way later. :)

Yesterday Chewy said she was going to begin a sketchbook day on her blog...I can hardly wait for that. I am afraid you are going to come here to see what you get with my blog, though. I am like that in my life, too. I don't do well with structure in a lot of ways. Do you do well with structure? Do you see that translated in your art?

Have a Beautifully Creative Day!

16 comments:

Unknown said...

Coloured waves, vibrant colours, vibrant waves, they remind me the wonderful popart paintings and I love their movement.
The 5 elements, this remind me gemstones in a fairytale mine...
Love your colours.
And no, I don't think I'm so good with structure:), I try to have a "red thread" going through what I present on blogs, for example. But things get pretty much complex sometimes...
love
Andrea
Have a wonderful day

Andrea and Kim said...

Yes, these do look like pop art! LOL And there is a lot of movement, too. You are right. I just did these and didn't think about any evaluation.

Ah Ha! gemstones in a fairytale mine...I love that! I have been thinking a lot about the earth lately...I think that is what brought on the 5 elements dream. :)

I think I would have guessed you were not good with structure. But your blog is really quite lovely with some level of expectation there. You always toss in a surprise, which is good design, right?

Thanks So Much Andrea! Your comments here are so important to me.

Have a Beautiful Day!

Anonymous said...

FIVE ELEMENTS! With an exclamation point! Layers and a rainbow at the bottom, like your light spectrums.

I like structure in my life. I'm not very spontaneous. I guess that's why I find release and freedom through my paintings.

~Babs said...

I really like these drawings.
Especially the second, with those yummy warm colors.

Structure,,hhmmmm.
In the past, my life was very structured; keeping appointments, staying on time, etc. My art has always been a wonderful departure from all that. Very free-ing.And of course the art itself is very un-structured,,,,which is the only was I can see it.

Andrea and Kim said...

Thanks Chewy...I wanted the emphasis as well as the balance :)

Well, sort of like the rainbows, but not so gentle a transition.

The people around me only wish I had more structure, but I have to balance their extreme need for it. It sounds as though you are your own balance.

It does make me wonder, though, what this spontaneous-ness will be like when I am in my 100's! LOL

Thanks!

Andrea and Kim said...

Thanks Babs! I am glad you like them. You are going to laugh, but I was sweating like crazy working with these colors. I actually was sitting under a fan working, too. LOL...and it wasn't that hot that day!

Oh, you had to be so structured in your business. I can't imagine. So you really love the freedom of not having structure or the freedom to choose to have it or not! I can completely understand that!

Unstructured is the way I see the world, too...but everyone here knows that or they are blind! :)

Thanks so much Babs!

San said...

Kim, I always love it when you let us sneak a peek in your sketchbook. Yummy colors and an intriguing message from a dream--do you find you remember more dreams when you are putting a lot of energy into your art?

Structure: I like having some things as givens. BIG things like my marriage and family, putting down roots in a place, etc. As to the smaller things, I'm kind of a go-with-the-flow kind off person. I suppose my art reflects that too.

I do like what Chewy says about her art, how she's most spontaneous and free in her paintings.

Andrea and Kim said...

Yes, that is true. I do remember a lot of dreams when I am focusing a lot on art or creative things, anyway. But I am pretty good with my dreams when I am in a relaxed state...remembering them helps me to work through life questions.

My lack of structure is such a challenge to the rest of my family. It really is... I have read many times that if you do something for 21 days in a row that "thing" becomes a habit. I have done something every day for an entire year, and it didn't become a habit! I am not kidding about that, either. I am many things...dependability is one of my greatest strengths, but structure is not! I think the dependability is the balance to that lack of structure, though. It has to be somehow easier to be able to have structure. But for me, it is stressful.

It is very cool how people, like Chewy, have learned to create that balance...it sounds as though you are that way, as well!

Way too cool, San!

Thanks!

Katiejane said...

Kim. I really like the first doodle. Pop-art was the kind of thing I liked. Peter Max sort of stuff.

Yes, I am very structured. Probably too structured. Everything about my life and my house and my art is organized. I try to free myself from this in my garden, just plant things that return year after year and let them "volunteer" wherever they come up. I have to resist the urge to organize the garden. OCD?

This is probably why I leaned toward stained glass in the first place. You pretty much go by a pattern and you know what the outcome should look like. That is not to say that the blending of colors was rigid. There the artist has freedom. I probably should have branched out and taken some risks with design, but I never felt all that confident.

Andrea and Kim said...

Thanks Kate! It is kind of Peter Max kind of stuff, isn't it? I just did it and had nothing in mind while it was happening.

Funny about your structure, but my husband is the same way in his life. He often just shakes his head, but after 24+ years, he knows what to expect. If I appear to be organized, I can't find a thing. :) But almost every person I am around on a daily basis is more like you.

When I was doing stained glass, I enjoyed it a lot. The freedom would come with the designing of the pattern...which I thought was fun. Then sometimes, things wouldn't go just right, so I could "troubleshoot" a bit. I enjoyed it...but I had to have full control from beginning to end!

Isn't is interesting to see how different artists approach their work. I think, though, it seems most people are far more structured than I am! :) That shouldn't shock anyone!

Thanks so much, Kate. You always give me so much to contemplate.

sukipoet said...

I really like your sketches Kim. The top one reminds me of puzzle pieces. The second one is so elegant in the use of paint. Like layers of cloth.

Funny you ask about structure. In relation to blogging I have been thinking in the last few weeks I wanted to try more structure to my blog posts. I see Chewy and Forever YOung who have certain days for certain posts types and think that is so neat. So, I am giving it a try with "Ponder This Sunday." I had also thought of having "paint" days and "poem" days, but that is just too much. I love the fun of coming up with random ideas to post about each day. We'll see how long "Ponder This Sunday" lasts.

In my life, i am both structured and unstructured. I eat 3 meals a day at the same time each day, I am sure and steady with shopping, laundry etc sort of tasks though not on a preconceived schedule, just when needed. I do practice yoga for an hour every day just about.

But I am also, I think, unscheduled. I have taught myself thru the years to listen to my inner me and ask me what do I want to do today, what do I need to do today. On my best days I flow. I have a sort of ballpark picture in my mind maybe, but I dont consciously move from one activity to another on a schedule but rather as I said flow, like a dance. Probably I have learned this through a lot of body work, massages, yoga. Learning to tune in to my body rather than my logical mind. thanks for this interesting post. I read all the comments too and found them fascinating.

sukipoet said...

Kim just a thought. A section in the sidebar with the interviews links??

Andrea and Kim said...

Ah, thank you so much Suki! Your thoughts on my sketches are very appreciated, indeed.

You know I love your "Ponder This Sunday". You help us step aside and take a hard look at what may or may not drive us in our whole life...I like that! And it is true, you could do a lot of different kinds of days with your poetry, farm walks, town visits, your creations, etc. But I can understand how you don't want to be locked in to particular "topics" on particular days.

I can see some structure you explain. Are you also like that when your mother is not depending on you?

Yes, I can see where a lot of body/mind work would help keep life loose and intuitive. I know those studies have also made a difference to me...helping me find who I really am and how I best work. I can honestly say with forced structure (and let's face it, that has to happen in some areas), my creativity closes down.

The other thing I haven't mentioned is I do move slowly through my days, mostly. I think slowly, I just tend to do things slowly...savoringly, I like to think. I think these things go hand-in-hand.

Thanks Suki!

Andrea and Kim said...

Okay, Suki! I can do that!

Good Idea!

sukipoet said...

Kim, I am consistent with meals and yoga even when living alone. However, I eat dinner at 4:30 with mom which I'd not do by myself and I probably modify some of my behaviours in deference to the fact that this is her house, not mine. I am a guest.

Oh yes, I do hate other imposed schedules. Esp. if someone is hovering over me while I try to complete a task, as my mother used to do when she was younger. Thank goodness she no longer does that.

Interesting that you feel you move slowly. I see you, via the facet of your blog, as fairly quick due to the many projects you do and the consistency with which you comment on your comments. I think of myself as slow most often, esp now that i am older. I need to take rests between tasks, just to gather myself. Life goes much more smoothly for me that way. Anyway, I've always thought that most of the time when people say that one must rush, or it's got to be done by 5, or similar things it is just that they want it done then. They are creating a sense of "emergency" when there is no need. The task itself would be fine getting done the next day or even next week. Most things I say: what's the rush?

Andrea and Kim said...

Oh I think I understand just what you mean. The reason I asked the question was because I find I fit other people's schedules all the time...and that kind of gets to be after a while. You know, if I have to fit other's schedules for any length of time. I think I can understand what you are dealing with.

Oh, the hovering...I am with you there...don't do that well, at all.

Slow...well, maybe I am comparing myself to my fast paced husband and daughter. My son and I were talking the other day that they are some of those people who thrive on stress...they really do. Me? I am more contemplative and believe in the slow movement. For me, it is not so much the resting part (although I adore sleeping) as it is I don't get excited and do not have the need to push through life. I would rather savor the good parts of life.

Thanks Suki!