Thoughts Regarding Sketching and Generating Ideas

I do not do enough (or any really) sketching. At one time, I would doodle and scribble away for hours, filling paper with monsters, but now, nearly all of my time making art is spent completing work planned out for my books or assignments for clients. Sadly, having time to draw for only the sake of drawing no longer fits into my schedule. Most of the time, if I have time to draw, I need to be working on the next piece for the next book. But when the planets align and I find myself with an opportunity to draw far from my studio, I try to make the most of it.

This past weekend, I found myself in line at my favorite local record store, Retrofit, for Record Store Day. I knew that I would be in line for some time, so I packed up my sketching tools and my sketching chair before walking down to get in line. Because I rarely have time to sketch, and suddenly had several hours to do nothing but sketch, I spent a bit of the time thinking about sketching, what I sketch, the thought processes behind my mark making, and I thought I would share some of it all with you. For all of these, I used a very faint grey marker to work up general forms. This is followed by using two black ink pens to complete the drawings. At the end, I often use the faint grey marker to blend and add form.

This was my first sketch of the morning.

 

My only motivation was to make marks on the paper. I let my hand go where it wanted to, and this usually means I will circle around familiar shapes and forms that I like to make and see. This meant that I ended up with a pretty standard monster that leans more towards a bird. I am ALWAYS attempting to push myself and to explore, but sometimes I do not try too hard, and I just want to have fun making marks on the paper. My only thought on this one is if the bird is wearing a hat, or if that's the bird's head. We may never know. It was a fun sketch, and I'm glad I did it.

This was my second sketch of the morning.

 

While there is nothing wrong with the first drawing, I wanted to push myself and really start to see what I could come up with. I wanted some external stimulus to base this drawing on. I was facing a street and a construction site, and neither offered up much in the way of interesting visuals. Looking at the palm trees that line the street, I had my imagination sparked by shapes on the trunks. These are shapes I have seen countless times before, but I never used them to directly influence a drawing. I was mindful not to focus on too many shapes and forms that I am drawn to. While some of the forms of the spikes may be seen in my work, I used them here in a way I do not normally. I made it a point to keep the entire figure on the paper as well. This established limitations on my design - WHICH IS ALWAYS A GOOD THING. I wanted to make this one approachable (it having eyes and therefore maybe a face) as well as alien (the rest). This one came together, and it is the one I am the most pleased with. This is the sort of design that I have put aside to include in the Grand Bazaar at a later date. 

Let me take a moment to add that sketching and exploring are CRUCIAL to an artist. The fact that I do not do it more is an issue for me and my art. But I have been doing this for a long time and have a massive backlog of ideas and concepts. But that backlog came from spending all those hours sketching and drawing earlier in my life. Having the time to sketch now allows my years of experience to flow out of me into new ideas - stronger, more fleshed-out ideas. So, having time to do this really makes my art better. So I need to remind myself constantly and make the time to do MORE of it.

This was my final sketch of the morning.

I allowed the marker to move on the paper and go where it wanted to go. I purposefully didn't want to go into this one with an idea or plan. My goal was to respond to each mark I made or simply let the marks exist as they are. I scribbled a lot and then went back in with the black pens to pull the forms out of the scribble. I also wanted to push things in this one beyond what I usually would do. That is why there is a balloon head and a long, bent neck. I wouldn't normally do these things and that is exactly why I did them. If a sketch 'fails', there is no cost except the short time you worked on it - BUT even then, you haven't failed. You have learned. You have tried. And you have a drawing. Take the time, make the time, and DRAW!

That's all for another exciting week on the blog. See you back here on Monday! Until then...

For more samples of my work or to contact me regarding my availability, head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com