The body

My art started around a month ago, so I'm not writing this blog in real time. I'll use the next few posts to catch up on the pieces I've done in recent weeks.  The point of the blog is to follow the art as it develops. Ideally there will be improvement over time.  I  have no training and haven't done any art since I was at school.  I had no idea I could draw anything so after my little sketches in the last post I was pleasantly surprised that I could draw something that looked like what it was supposed to be.  I moved on to life drawing and here are the results:

 

   I've left the guide marks and flawed lines as I'm not aiming for perfection at this stage.    

  

 

I drew this one from a photograph

I introduced shading here for the first time and was pleased with the results

The beginning of the journey

So, on a whim in June 2014, I decided to try my hand at art.  Full in the knowledge that I've not quite mastered my previous hobbies of touch rugby, French, dancing (contemporary, tap, balkan, african), among others, I figured I might as well jump head long into yet another pursuit so, art it is.

I was inspired by an episode of NHK World's fab "Tokyo Eye" programme where one of the guests drew a sketch of a place he visited in Tokyo. I realised I would love to be able to do that too. At around the same time I visited Edinburgh College of Art's end of year show which was really inspiring.  I also saw a drawing my cousin had done. She is a gradute of the famous and highly respected Glasgow School of Art.

So I rushed out and bought, a charcoal pencil, at WH Smith.  Not exciting but they do tell you not to spend too much money straight away on a new hobby and a charcoal pencil seemed really arty and thus, a good way to start.  I drew a few sketches, then did more shopping, this time for a set of pencils.  Here are my initial results: 

Manga face

Hello Kitty