Friday 21 October 2011

Drawing my Way out of the Abyss


I am currently in the creative doldrums and have been somewhat de-motivated when dealing with my current artistic practise. It may be the onset of the darker days or possibly because I am losing confidence in my artistic integrity or  just bored...or all of the above!
Anyway I decided to grab the creative bull by it's horns and just start drawing my way out of the abyss. I grabbed my new pink pig A3 sketch book and began.... I sketched, erased, rubbed, spat, introduced a little colour, trying to use my life and surroundings as subject matter (I'll post these drawings later!). Then I grabbed a flyer for a local discount fashion store, spotted the models gracing it's pages and thought why not? So I began drawing them with my Pilot Tecpoint V5 pen and a little water. I wanted to make them even more anonymous and lifeless then they actually are, place them in uncomfortable or unfamilar surroundings (up mountains, in war zones??) The only life I afforded them are their lips, smudged scarlet slashes on blank faces. (and their nails...blood red talons?) I then graduated to an old Next Directory which I'm thoroughly enjoying. Here we're beginning to buy into a lifestyle, wear these clothes and you too could have this handsome man, these sunlit days, this gorgeous body, this cute dog. Contrast this with my reality, tatty clothes that look frumpy on me, my 'cuddly' husband, a rain sodden mountain and dogs that pee all over the sofa.. I'm having fun, questioning the power of advertising and getting my artistic mojo back...dark days? What dark days indeed!!