I have been meaning to post these sketches up (sorry, crappy quality but you get the gist) for awhile now but yeah, never got round to it. What with my insane schedule in these past and coming weeks/months, I have managed to squeeze in basic sketching lessons – I am impressed with myself, even, that I managed to not miss class (even though I do come in about 15 to 30 minutes late…). As my art instructor says, “Lateness is a virtue…” and I would add, “of the creative mind.” Great minds think and do alike!!
Okay, so it’s once a week but really, extra time is a luxury for me at the moment. With things moving at autobahn speed all the time, I tend to move in a sloth-like fashion when I have no appointments or commitments with no particular direction. Hey, I’m allowed to! The only “rest” time I have currently is on Saturdays after my sketching class. If I wasn’t taking the class, I don’t think I’d be motivated enough to get out of bed, honestly. Bones, these bones, they are achy breaky lazy bones…So now that I have class on Saturdays, I tend to pack all I need to do around town on this one day. After class you’ll see me zip me round town, in haste, trying to do all these
millionandonethingsIcan’tdointheweekbecausei’mstuckwaywayoffwestofSingaporeit’snotfunny,
I c a n t a k e m y t i m e a t t h e l i b r a r i e s – 2 different libraries because one is where I go for my DVDs, which has only arts related books and then off to another branch because that’s where I get my novels from. AND zip off again quickly home to beat the mad homebound Singaporean rush and to watch my DVDs. Ahhh…absolute BLISS….
The first sketch we had to do was of oranges. Does it look like oranges to you? I did art in school for 8 years but I have not picked up a pencil since. First lesson is to sketch and shade the oranges. It was difficult for me. I couldn’t find a comfortable position to sit with the paper, holding the pencil is a pain, yada, yada, yada... I had to relearn these things. Most people are right handed and being someone left handed is sometimes a challenge. All things are demonstrated with the right handed ones in mind – it’s rare that someone can demonstrate left AND right. Aside from these things, I am also someone who pressurizes herself. I, of course, did not expect to draw wonderfully after a first lesson but I did not expect it to be difficult either. I had problems getting physically comfortable and translating the greys onto the paper. I could see it but I couldn’t translate it. It was frustrating. I was concentrating on it so much that I was left brain drained at the end of it. Talk about leisure pursuit….But I have to say, on the second lesson, the sketching with the pot, lid and ladle – it was better. I got into “art” mode fairly quickly and it wasn’t as taxing.
I didn’t have class last week but I practiced at home. I showed my 2 sketches to mom and I could tell that she was proud of me. Not that I could draw – but more because I am taking the lessons and making an extra effort on it. She started in on my younger brother on how she didn’t need to nag me about reading when I was growing up. It was something I picked up naturally and it continues to be my favouritest thing to do. The fact that mom and dad used to read me to sleep nightly when I was growing up is of course, a big push towards that. Reading for me lets me float away to foreign lands, an escapism if you will. I’ve visited and grown up in different countries. Sometimes I’m a young Irish lad and at times I’m a young lady, growing up against the grain in a closed up society. Most importantly to me, I learn. Some say knowledge is power but at times, I would say it’s painful.
If you are wondering why, if I complain, that I have no rest time, that I take on so many things at one time, let me tell you. It’s simple, really. I feel like I’ve had a late start in life – I just want to be greedy and gobble it up before it’s time to go home.
“papercuts ouch – songs loop in my head – can’t get it out – my mind – off my chest”
Petal P. Rose
