On Art

I've been learning a few things over the last few days when it comes to art.

I've started photocopying horse photos I want to practice drawing onto graph paper, making squares bigger than the ones on the graph paper, creating a graph on paper and then drawing the contents of each square from the photo onto the graph on paper. Sometimes this worked, sometimes it didn't. On some drawings, it seemed like there was too much detail to put into one square on my sketch paper. It finally hit me what I had been doing wrong. I made the squares four by four squares on the graph paper. By making the squares two by two, it's become easier to sketch the contents of the square. When the contents are easier to sketch, my drawings start to look more like the reference photos.

I use a mechanical pencil for the graph, then use an old-fashioned wooden #2 pencil for the drawing itself. I use an old-fashioned pink pearl eraser to remove the graph. While it doesn't damage the paper, it's hard to remove only the graph lines using that eraser. What I need to be more precise in erasing lines is a kneaded eraser. It's a much more precise eraser and can also be used for creating highlights. I've done some checking, and they aren't expensive. It's just a matter of getting to a store that carries them. I'll check Target on the off chance they might carry them. If not, I'll check an office supply store in downtown Minneapolis. If that doesn't work, there is an art supply store just outside of downtown Minneapolis that I'm sure will carry them. I checked the website of my favorite art supply store and they aren't listed. Of course, just because they're not on the website doesn't mean they don't stock them in the store.

Since I use wooden pencils - and when I move to color, I plan to use color wooden pencils - I need a better pencil sharpener. Right now I'm using small hand-held pencil sharpeners, which don't do the job I need them to do. I don't like electric pencil sharpeners. What I want is one of those old-fashioned manual pencil sharpeners like what we had in elementary school. I've never seen them at Target, at least not at the Target where I usually shop. Office supply stores do carry them, so it's a matter of deciding which office supply store to use - the one that's closest or the one that has the best price. I'm leaning toward best price. I'll call the one with the best price to be sure they have them in stock before making a trip out there and have it turn out to be a waste of time and bus fare.

For now I'm using inexpensive paper. While I'm still learning, there's no need for using high quality paper. Once my art hits a higher level, I'll buy the more expensive, high quality paper that's meant for drawing. I can't sell art that's not on high quality paper, whether it's selling it via my website (once I have a website, which I do not have at this time) or submitting it to Leanin' Tree or some other greeting card company.

Yes, I have a long way to go before my art is ready for public consumption. But when it is ready, I'll have the right tools in place to create the best art I can possibly can.