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Learning to SEE
About five or six years ago, having taken a phenomenal workshop with Hollis Chatelain in 2002 at Kalispell (Montana)’s Quilt Gallery (for which I saved up for two years and drove a thousand miles each way!), and while at another well-done workshop with Jane Sassaman, I came to the conclusion that what I needed was not so much quilting workshops, but ART lessons. I needed to learn to SEE. I learned other good stuff from Jane, but that was the prize realization!
In a nutshell, I wasn’t getting things to look like they really look OR the way I wanted them to look…I needed to learn how to translate what was in front of me into cloth and in some way other than photos and tracing… I wanted to be able to DRAW so that I could make the quilts in my head.
However, I then lived on San Juan Island, Wash. state, which is 2 hours by ferry from the mainland; while there were assorted painting classes available on the island (population year round about 7,000), there were no basic DRAWING classes, and I needed that first. So I purchased The New Drawing on The Right Hand Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards (click on title to go to amazon listing) and, to make myself do it, the companion workbook which really makes it such a no-brainer to do that you have no excuse for NOT doing the exercises.
I told some of my quilty friends, and two, Lunnette and Linda, both asked if they could do it with me. That was the best thing that could have happened… because of our committment to one another, we really worked hard to get the “homework” done. Lunnette’s sons were mostly grown and gone, but Linda (working full time as a teacher no less) and I had wee ones at home and work, so the two of us were ALWAYS doing things at the last minute.
When we began, I was skeptical that it would really work, but we decided to give it a go. As part of the process, you are asked to do several pre-instruction drawings, then not look at them until you complete the training. The three of us did our self-portraits, and while none were stupendous, you could tell who was who, and a stranger looking at them could have done so, too! Here is my pre-instruction portrait from Fall 2003:
It took us nearly a year to complete the “course” and we rushed toward the end, as we ended up moving in June 2004 and we all really wanted to finish it together. Here is my end-of-course portrait:
Quite a bit better, eh? My notes say “eyes not quite correct.” Very true.
Now, nearly six years later, (well OK, a year ago, five years or so later I bought the stuff, but it has taken until now to get the time to do this) I decided that I might benefit from doing the workbook and exercises again. My “seeing” skills are better, but I need more practice. So, following the instructions more or less (they said use a 2B pencil, and I used a 4B) I did this drawing.
Once it was done, I pulled out the old workbook for comparison. I’m happy to say I have not gotten worse! Here are the two side-by-side:
In the new portrait, the face is a bit too narrow, but otherwise it is pretty good. The eyes are better (and new glasses), and I think the hair is actually better, but the nose in the one from 5 years ago is much better. The current one also needs more shading, but (in a feeble self defense) that is hard to do with a single pencil… you need the soft ones and smudging…. Anyway, I had forgotten, however, that part of the education is learning to create a ground–to shade the paper to a mid-tone, then work darker AND lighter (the eraser as a drawing tool…was that ever a lightbulb moment!)
To give you an idea of what I was looking at when I did this self-portrait, I managed to take this photo… and you can see my packed studio (and more packed design wall) in the background. I propped the mirror on the flip-up stitch display on my Janome 6600 (note: I took the photo in the afternoon, and the sun had shifted so the lighting on my face is different):
And after looking at the “after” portrait from 2004, I went back and darkened up the background and added a bit of shading. Better. Face is still too narrow, but looks better. I also appear younger than I actually am… I think that is because there isn’t enough shading, but I need to learn how to convey (sigh) sagging skin and other vagaries of age.
I’ll be curious to see what I can learn by the time I get to the “after” this time around. Since it took a year last time, and since I don’t have two friends to keep me on track this time, don’t hold your breaths, but I will share…when I’m done.
April 29th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
Oh golly I adore that book. I had it years ago, never finished it, gave it away, then my aunt gave me a new copy with the workbook. I still have to finish, but it’s been so long I should start over. It really is all in the way you SEE.
You’re doing wonderfully – keep up the great work!
April 30th, 2009 at 7:02 am
I love reading your blog—you always do such interesting projects! Sally
April 30th, 2009 at 7:52 am
Sarah, looks like you started with quite a bit of talent and have refined what you already had. Great job and glad you are enjoying the benefits of your committment.
I am inspired since I have thought for years drawing would help me as well.
Thanks for sharing.
Robin
April 30th, 2009 at 8:13 am
Your pencil self-portraits are beautiful, and very expressive! You capture much more than just a likeness. In my opinion you have a real gift for what is the real challenge in art, which is capturing the soul of an idea. I think you should keep that pencil and sketchbook with you wherever you go!
April 30th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Sarah – Thank you for sharing and I admire you for completing your self-appointed task. I made it all the way through the book until portraits. Time to start again! Warm regards, V.
April 30th, 2009 at 9:55 am
Love your portraits, Sarah! I love seeing the progression through the years, too. Thanks for sharing them.
April 30th, 2009 at 10:18 am
Good work. And I’ve seen pictures of some of your quilts where you do the drawing with the machine. I’ve always said that I can’t draw. But recently, I needed a picture of some grapes and a cup and wheat and bread for a liturgical stole. I couldn’t find one I liked to copy, so I started sketching, both to figure out drawing these, as well as the composition of the elements. Well, I did find out that sketching it numerous times over two weeks made a world of difference. I did eventually do a free motion embroidery of these. Who would have thought. I think that we often put ourselves down for the first efforts, forgetting that Practice doesn’t make perfect, but practice makes for improvement.
April 30th, 2009 at 11:15 am
So interesting Sarah, I bought that book and did those exercises about 4 years ago. I should do it again. I really thank you for the indepth detail of what you have done. I always enjoy your blog, you are an inspiration.
April 30th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Very impressive. You can tell that you have really honed your skills. I’m proud of you for sharing your work. I hope I can learn as much from the book as you have. Good luck.
April 30th, 2009 at 11:41 am
i love how much you learned; you might not have documented your wrinkles but we can see the expression on your face. You are doing well.
If you wish to blog your progress, I’m sure your readers will offer comments and ask you if you need to have your memory/pencil ‘jogged’ to do the next lesson. We can be virtually what your friends did with you when you met.
April 30th, 2009 at 11:45 am
I really enjoyed this post, Sarah. Your self portraits are so striking. Betty Edwards’ book is just miraculous. Working through it gave me the courage to go back and start an art degree as an adult student in the late 1980’s.
April 30th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
you are an inspiration.
I have faced the same issues with my quilting and I love the change in your drawing. I will pratice more.
Why did you move from San Juan Islands to Maine?
We are considering moving to San Juan Islands, Wa
April 30th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
Sweet. I love the process of learning to see – which translates into learning to draw. I’ve had much the same experience as you have – the realization that I needed ART classes rather than quilt classes.
With my part time teaching and full time (five kids) mothering time is not bountiful. I’ve worked through most of the book you mentioned.
I’ve also veeeery slowly been working my way through a DVD course on drawing the figure from the imagination (instead of life) called “The Structure Of Man” since the figure is something I seem to be drawn to. In a year I’ve only made it through lesson 11 (of something like 45) but hey – I’ve written a book in that time too. I’m finding the lessons to be very useful.
Kudos again for providing inspiration to many!
May 3rd, 2009 at 12:24 am
Hi Sarah,
I am pleased to see your drawing efforts and hear about the process as well. Thanks for sharing. I did a number of quick drawings last year in my journal and found that I improved with each drawing. I didn’t do anything organized and I didn’t do any portraits, though I did draw people. I am putting up a creative prompt each week. Perhaps that would be a way to practice? I have included the latest one. http://artquiltmaker.com/blog/2009/05/creative-prompt-5-light/
May 4th, 2009 at 7:43 am
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May 5th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
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