SKETCHING (Part 1) - ATELIER THURSDAY
““You can’t do sketches enough. Sketch everything and keep your curiosity fresh.””
WHAT IS SKETCHING?
The definition of sketching is pretty drawing-centric, but, stay with me here because you KNOW how I love to color (or draw) outside the lines. I fervently believe there are many ways to sketch with or without a pencil. WHAT?! Before you write this off as crazy talk, don’t you think it is possible? If you are reading this, you ARE creative, and this is where coloring outside the lines will help you. Just think beyond the pencil and paper drawing for a few minutes. Isn’t it possible that sketching in other mediums might be referred to as drafts, outlines, shot-lists, warm-ups... but isn’t it really all the same principle? Now, if you are curious, let’s explore how that planning, sketching, exploration… can serve you in mediums other than drawing?
WHY DO WE SKETCH?
No doubt about it, sketching increases your skill-set. If you sketch with intention, you train your eye, writing… let’s just call it muscle memory; but the real bonus is the planning. Yep. I AM a planner and a list-maker. So, of course, I love to sketch my plan… work out compositions, ideas, placements… before I start a project. It helps me envision the results I want. However, I have to say, rarely does the end result I select strictly adhere to the original sketch. My sketches are the starting points for my final work. It helps me plan the trip to where I want to go, but,… think of it as a road trip. Once you get to your destination, are you going to that one place, turn around and come back home? No, of course not. I hope you are going to look around, explore, see things you did not know were there. At least that is the way I like to experience my trips. Sketching is the same way. It is the road map that gets you to the destination where you want to explore. Sometimes that exploration makes your adventure better, sometimes the original plan was the best part, but you don’t know until you explore a little. It’s all about the exploration my friends, and sketching can help us as a springboard on the road to creativity.
YOUR TURN
Do you “sketch”? Do you have a preferred method, or questions you ask, “problems” you try to solve…? Do tell so we can all learn from each other. Maybe you have some tip that could be just what someone needs to help them, so don’t be shy about sharing.
NEXT THURSDAY
Now that we have talked about sketching in general, I am going to share some ways I think you can sketch with your camera. So, come back here on Thursday to continue the conversation.
