Ancient Mayan art/ texture study in my sketchbook
I had a really full session of drawing nudes in San Francisco last night. Pablo Paul Nelson was the model from the Bay Area Models Guild and he did and incredible job as usual. When I get a chance I will post individual shots.
On Another Note:
I get lots of people saying stuff like I wish I had that talent, God given talent, you're blessed and all this type of stuff. I don't invest much stock into the idea of God given talent. While I do believe in a higher power and I really appreciate what they are trying to say is, "I really like your work," They weren't around all of those days of laborious study and practice, trial and error - Flippin' HARD HARD WORK!!! I remember when I would show my work just 6 years ago and people wouldn't be as excited.
What I'm trying to say is, you will only go as far as the vision in your mind. If it's a job you are chasing then you will only become as good as it takes to get that job (that lots of others have and have had) making you average or a little above average - if that. Being a jack of all trades will only get you so far as well. The best bet is to find what you really like and thrust all of the energy in your soul towards it. What you like may not be the hot thing that seems to make lots of money, but if it makes you happy then all of the energy you put into it and get from it will metaphysically gravitate all of your desires to you where you won't have to chase jobs or anything.
Staying positive, having a clear vision of the artist you want to be and working tirelessly towards that vision = Success! It's that simple people. Stay away or limit your time with statues quo thinkers who are outward directed. You must be inward directed - meaning: you know what you want and you know you WILL eventually get it, you may not know how it will happen (in many cases you won't) but you continue working towards it will full confidence as if it's already yours. On the other hand- outward directed people wait to be hire, wait for help, wait for the right circumstances, and they believe that the magic situation or the magic phone call will happen and POOF!! Life will be great. Foolishness! Inward directed people go out and look for the circumstances they want and if they can't find them - MAKE THEM!
My point here is you are just as gifted or talented (if you will) as anyone you admire, the only difference may be your level of desire vs. theirs. Burning desire fuels a healthy work ethic, thus produces optimal results. So find out what it is you want to do, it's not enough to say "I want to be a successful artist." You must know what kind of artist…I will put more of this information into another article.
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http://dawoodsketchs.blogspot.com/
So I've been vigorously improving my drawing ability for about 4-6 years now. My Master (mentor) said I should focus on drawing and gain strength there before moving on to painting, I also read this advice from John Singer Sargent. I've dibbled in paints a little over these years but nothing consistent. I've been more into line aesthetics than anything else, though in the back of my mind I really wanted to paint, I kept telling myself,"Not yet - in due time." The child artist inside didn't want to hear that.
I'd noticed some of my favorite painters did it every day, they'd warm up and paint away for hours, just as I did with drawing. I tried this from time to time but just hadn't built of a rhythm. I would get on a painting kick and it would be great for a week or two and then CRASH!! Back to the drawing book. Where drawing spontaneously weaves in and out of my daily schedule due to that nature of my primary style (fast/ quick captures from life), painting is something I have to find and make blocks of time for. Well looks like that train has finally pulled in because I am painting regularly now and it feels good, not forced. I figured I'd start with these sketchbook studies and build up to full size paintings. This is the fun stage!! Where I get to see myself go through many styles until one fits, sticks and I evolve with it just as I did with drawing. I like to see the marriage between the line and paint, I don't burying my beloved pen strokes under the paint completely, the painting has outlets here and there where the drawing can breathe:)
There comes a point along the road to mastery when an artist develops a deeper relationship with his work and therefore compelled to create his own materials. Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, dudes and dudettes, brothers and sisters... I present to you... my very first handmade sketchbook!
Yes, it sports the genuine top quality raw unstained leather encasing, and inside is 90 lb ph neutral archival paper (hand torn). This paper is so think that I will have no problem painting as well as drawing in it. I think I'm gonna stain it thought because it may not look so good when it gets dirty.
It took some time to get the hang of it but I must say the journey was therapeutic. Especially sewing in all of the paper by hand. I've been up all night working on this beauty and now I gotta get some sleep, but I wake up I'm hitting the trains station to give it a test drive. Feels so GOOOOD in my hands - I can hardly wait!!!!
Email me if you'd like a sketchbook made just for you.
info@dawoodmarion.com
This is the first drawing to grace the pages of my new self-crafted sketchbook. Done on the transit bus going to the art store to purchase paper to create more books. The 100 lb, 100% rag paper felt like butter underneath the pen. I could feel the ballpoint sink into the paper.
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