The Art of a Sketchbook

The Art of a Sketchbook

Aquabee 9" x 6" Sketchbook, Contour drawing ©2012 Nancy Van Blaricom

My favorite way to sketch ... is (modified) contour drawing.  Nothing perfect, 

but you know what its suppose to be when you are finished.  Most everyone recognizes this as a Folger's instant coffee jar, right?  (What on earth was I doing with that! ? )

Aquabee 9" x 6" Sketchbook, Contour drawing ©2012 Nancy Van Blaricom

A gift from the florist of some beautiful white hydrangeas.

 Aquabee 9" x 6" Sketchbook, Contour drawing ©2012 Nancy Van Blaricom

And what about the above sketch, don't you think this is also a very
recognizable (modified) contour drawing of an umbrella?

Like I said, I love contour drawing.

From Charles Reid's Painting What You Want to See, he writes,

"Contour drawing is a valuable tool for several reasons.  First of all, it helps us later when we paint because it forces us to think in terms of shapes."  and also, "So just relax as you draw and don't try to be exact.  You're not a camera.  You're an artist trying to express what you see.  And self-expression and correctness don't necessarily go hand in hand."

So, what do you think ... wanna give modified contour drawing a try?  Go ahead and see if you like it as much as I do.

Until next time ... Keep on sketching.