New Task

In truth "New Task" is a misnomer. What I have on my mind today is my penchant for using photographs for reference material. This is something I have thought about often enough over the years and have brought up in this blog at least once but surely more than that.

I am specifically thinking about the need to put the habit on the shelf for a while. It isn't inherently wrong to use photographs as source material but it is something I seem to rely on too much. Clearly the answer to this is to NOT use photographs or the like when making pictures. To draw only from my memory and imagination when sitting with pen in hand.

I have certainly done work that didn't use photographs and have had short bouts of doing exactly what I am asking myself to do now. Nonetheless the initial act of making a new or different habit takes some time and effort. So I expect myself to start this now or as soon as I draw anything. My mantra for the near future will be doddle, doddle, doddle!

There is is though something else I would like to do in this same vein. Another option besides the one I mentioned is to do life studies. There is a whole other set of translation skills when looking at objects and the world at large than when looking at another picture or photograph. It is true that I have done studies in situ before. It is also true I have done them even less or less recently than the aforementioned doddling manner. I do feel it is important for image creators generally and me specifically to explore the landscapes, portraits and life studies of subject matter. I would go so far to say that I will not grow as an artist if I do not, leastways not in the ways I would like to.
I feel like there is more to talk about but it is not quite on topic so I will save it for next time.
ciao
R.