Back in about 1989, I made a career decision that would ultimately influence and inform everything else in my life. At nine years old, I decided I wanted to be an animator for Disney. It only made sense. I loved animated films and I LOVED to draw. I spent nearly every day after school at The Cartoon Factory, an animation art gallery in town, moving a directors’ chair around and drawing from the cels and backgrounds. The owner, Dave, was kind enough to let me do this all day - even providing Oreos. Somewhere along the line, when computers began to dominate the animation process, I sort of gave up and somehow thought my dream had turned into day-long computer marathons in a cubicle…which is so LAME! But I’ve always loved to draw. I’ve always loved stories and visual storytelling, so I went the logical route and earned a degree in Graphic Design - HA! Take THAT computer lifestyle!! Hmph…
Interestingly, in an elective Illustration course toward the end of my college experience, I found my people. My tribe. Oh, the agony of hindsight! But rather than reroute and head for my dream destination, I took the closest exit. Ah, well. Design, I have learned, is an incredibly valuable tool and informs art in every way. So I won’t be paying off my school loans for all time and eternity for NOTHING!
Speeding up the story, after months of banging my head against the wall trying to figure out how to utilize my skills without further draining of my creative soul, an epiphany struck. Time. Time is going to move forward regardless of what I’m doing. If I keep saying “Oh, I’m not a good enough artist to do that" or “I don’t know enough about that" or “I’m too old to start that", I’ll still be here! RIGHT here. Ugh. I don’t want to look back at ANY point in my life and think about the things I always wanted to do that I never did. SO, badabing-badaboom…within months, I found myself fortunate enough to serendipitously be invited to Pixar for tea. The generosity and advice provided me gave me just the motivational boost I needed to tighten my laces, loosen my shoulders, sigh a little, and say…whew. Ok. Let’s do this!
Oh, they also told me a sketch blog is a really good idea…to which my first thought was “oh, man. That’s alot of work! If I’m supposed to be getting back in drawing shape, HOW will I have time to blog it all?!" - But then I remembered that I am really good at playing with my dog and going for long runs and making another cup of coffee and putting in a load of laundry and watching Newsroom and…forgetting to draw. Perfecto. Posting might be a different story, but this is officially my promise to myself that I WILL DRAW EVERY DAY! This is the beginning (well, it’s really more the middle…but it’s the revitalized beginning!) of my quest! I shall be a part of great stories! I shall do what I love to do and someone shall pay me for it and provide me with insurance and all-you-can-drink quality coffee! And it will require discipline….it will require me to remember (say it with me, class) All Good Girls Draw Every Day…
Aaaand GO!
Warm ups!! Attempting the Nate Wragg method of pushing shape in character sketching by scribbling all over the page and letting the shapes speak to me. A really fun way to warm up without pressure and a great way to see personality and shape I particularly might not otherwise see…I’m so bad at focusing on cleanliness and anatomical accuracy, or how something is SUPPOSED to look. A good way to “let go" - here with baseball players. Also playing with my favorite bull, Ferdinand :
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