My learning to draw journey.

It’s another dreary, rainy winters day here in Tasmania. The plus side of the rain is that the temperature is somewhat more mild in comparison to the recent freezing, icy temperatures we’ve had.

I should be packing but I’m not. Instead I’m having a lazy day.

Back in September last year I wrote a blog post that I was learning to draw. I’ve been somewhat reluctant to share my drawing endeavours here on the blog because I’ve been trying to only focus on perfume related articles. Yesterday my favourite perfume blogger Maxine Claudelle of ‘hertwoscents’ wrote a fabulous blog entry: “cross-pollination”. It’s a wonderful post about how “learning about art is a wonderful support and partner to learning perfumery.” Maxine has a beautiful way of expressing her thoughts and is doing a fantastic job of sharing her journey with learning perfumery. Her post ‘cross-pollination’ has inspired me to occasionally share on this blog my other pursuits – particularly my learning to draw journey which I was going to keep entirely separate from this blog. So separate in fact, that I recently began another blog specifically for that purpose: Mabel Star. In case you are wondering about the name, I had tried to use my own name but it wasn’t available. Given that it had taken me a million years to come up with èrlithe, I chose a random generator for the blog name. I now quite like the name Mabel!

Here are a few little sketches I haven’t yet shared on the Mabel blog:

Inspired by OkArt

Fitbit USB cahrger

Quick cockatoo sketch

Pine cone in ink

The picture that I based my OkArt inspired sketch can be found here on Fubiz.

I love watercolours and so I’ve been dabbling a little with that medium. On one of my walks I picked up a leaf and had a go at doing a watercolour leaf. I was quite happy with my first attempt.

 

As I’m progressing on my journey and trying to find my own style I like to also have a go at copying other artists work that I admire. Beth Emily is a Tasmanian born artist now living and working in Melbourne. Inspired by her beautiful creations I had a go at her hummingbird piece and this is what I came up with:

Practicing the watercolour first!

Hummingbird based on a Beth Emily illustration

And a final watercolour sketch I’d like to share is inspired by the work of Conrad Roset:

It’s sad to have to temporarily put my perfume making on hold but the learning to draw journey is a great portable activity to continue on with to satisfy my need to create!

Diversional Therapy

Sometimes I like to try something I’ve not tried before, especially when I feel like I’m getting completely lost in day to day activities. So, today I’m going to indulge myself and diverge from the usual topic of natural perfume. (for those only interested in perfume – I do apologise!)

I’ve recently been following the wonderful Mr. Finch. He did a shout out for The pale Rook – a doll artist based in Norway, whose dolls are just delightful. I’ve never sewn before, but was so inspired by the work of mister-finch and the pale rook that I thought I’d have a go.

I currently have a bird in progress (based on an Abigail Glassenberg pattern in The Artful  Bird) and an attempt at a doll. The poor birds legs are dreadful, due to the fact that I used the wrong wire and couldn’t shape them very well. I secured them so superbly, I couldn’t remove and just had to persist with dodgy legs. I am in the process of figuring out appropriate leg and arm patterns for the doll. I think both will have to wait a little while for completion. But I’m pretty happy so far with the attempts.

bird body

doll body

I’ve also started a learn to draw course. I’ve never attempted to draw because I thought a natural gift was required (given that both my kids and husband can just draw). The course has been wonderful for helping me simply get pencil to paper. I’ve also discovered that it is incredibly relaxing. It is amazingly meditative and hypnotic. I plan for just 20 minutes in my evenings to draw and before I know it 2 hours have passed! Of course my youngest son is delighted that he is getting to go to bed a little later! I’m excited to be up to the part on how to draw faces. I was very happy with my first attempt at a side view of the head. I quite like the look of the constructive lines, so I left them there. Here it is: