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Anyone can draw?
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Message
Posted
This is a theme on Facebook at the moment - someone has posted the broad statement "anyone can draw".
But can they? And can "anyone" paint?
Frankly, there are plentiful indications to the contrary. If "drawing is the probity of art", as Ingres said, there's some pretty improper stuff out there.
What these lifty-uppy, aspirational, motivational sorts of statement always leave out is the word "well". Yes, anyone can pick up a pencil and make a mark on paper - and come to that, so can a chimpanzee (quite interestingly in some cases). But can they do it well? Is it a skill that we all have, latently? Something we can ALL develop with time and practice?
Quite honestly, I doubt it. At least, not without very specific instruction. There are two artists on Facebook, one of whom I'll name; the other had best remain unknown. Pete Williams, the force behind Mighty Fine Art, is a superb draughtsman who can do magical things with a pencil. The other ... well, s/he tries, and has tried for a couple of years now, without showing the least sign of improvement. Perspective is a mystery - proportion beyond the grasp - colour, when applied, a deeply peculiar grey-green, not unlike weak tea with a touch of orange juice in it (incidentally, this artist has quite exceptional skills in other areas, but they certainly don't include drawing).
This second person is industrious, but does not I think have the least idea that they can't draw. And that degree of self-knowledge is surely necessary before you can learn (and certainly before you should think of showing your work in public; there's never anything wrong with playing about with pencils in private).
So - intending to be provocative - do you think that statement above is true? Or is it the sort of encouragement that isn't actually based on any good evidence at all - a bit like the old army posters that claimed every private soldier had a fieldmarshal's baton in his knapsack?
Discuss!
http://www.isleofwightlandscapes.net
http://www.wightpaint.blogspot.co.uk
Posted
Drawing is a skill set. Some skill sets or components thereof evade or elude some people for all sorts of reasons. Some might be trained out, some never developed, some mutually exclusive to other learnt skills. Bottom line is that no, not everyone can do everyrhing. By extrapolation then not everyone can draw well.
I suspect most people could be taught to draw better, but thats not the same thing. I could be taught to play football better rhan i can. I will never play it well.
D
Posted
You can actually tell is someone has drawn and if someone has 'traced' and is selling that work as their own as I have seen on FB....
I'd like to think that I can draw and paint, and personally feel that being able is within you to start with and only can develop through learning and practice.
Posted
When I was at college drawing was an integral part of training, it is the fundamental backbone and a discipline that shouldn't be ignored, albeit I take on board that it is in decline nowadays which is a great pity.
If you don't have this ability then it will almost certainly show in your paintings as a weakness. I do believe that with the right tuition and with constant practice that you can improve, in varying degrees of course depending on your initial skill levels, and such things as perspective, shadows, reflections etc can easily be grasped by most of us.
Posted
Alan, I certainly hope they still have drawing as a fundamental process in art colleges. My nephew has just started to attend one in London, he hasn't been there long
and already wants to start producing work by mechanical means - using a Huion tablet to use with his pc. I was slightly worried about this as he has only sent me one piece of
manual work, to date. I have bought him the H,1060 for a Christmas present, it goes against the grain but if he need it to complete his course then I'll support him,
He's into this Gaming artistry.But you still need good basic drawing skills surely?
Posted
Fortunately Sylvia I don't recall this one, aren't I lucky?, It would have made my blood boil.
Carol, your nephew will of course have little or no choice in the college teaching methods, albeit I don't agree with the syllabus I suppose one has to move with the times, even though this may seem to some of us anyway a negative step but there will no doubt be many out there who will disagree with that statement. A great deal of my 5 years spent at college involved important and what I consider to be essential disciplines, drawing of course along with observation, usually in a life class was then considered vital for the students in order to progress to more involved stages of art.
There are going to be a hell of a lot of grads out there chasing the same jobs and all with the same technical abilities but little else to offer the art world, I'm glad I'm not one of them.
By the way, good to have you back posting again Carol, and that goes for Syd and Sylvia also.
Edited
by alanbickley
Posted
I went on a visit to Bath yesterday and went to the Costume Museum which was wonderful and highly recommended by the way. While we were there a number of students were sketching some of the outfits and hats etc. and I spoke to one girl assuming she was an art student, she told me she was studying graphics and they had to draw three compositions, it was interesting to see the many youngsters there who seemed to be enjoying their visit, some I noted had very good drawing skills, others well.....
Posted
When it comes to competition in the big wide world, you are right there Sylvia, and there are so many after the same position. The perspective, nephew portrayed in his early years was also good, I was please when I saw the way he copied the Manga images, and the tonal quality of his work. I want him to do well as you do your Granddaughter. I just hope he will take sound advice and get a weekend job to place on his future CV, any employer will then see he gets out of bed in the morning, a good sign of motivation.
I saw that programme, She saw this while walking home, and had to have permission from the council to have it removed. Each to his own, I say.
Alan, I know you are so very right with what you have said with students having little option, but I hope he will have the time to put medium to paper, I will be encouraging him.
but the younger generation as all other previous generations...know best :)
Couldn't keep away for long. Thanks Alan
Craftyme, that was a delight to read, I hope all students will be encouraged to do this, but I expect it all depends on the course these students take. And as Alan mentioned each student will have the same technical skills for the position they apply for, so, they either have to be a cut above the rest or, have something extra to offer.
I like that Gerry, a lovely, story.
Edited
by carol
Posted
Last year, I did a p/t Digital Art course, and the tutor usually taught art for electronic games con a degree course. She commented that her full time students were not keen on drawing, but it is a necessary part of games, especially life drawing. One wonders what these students expected. How do you get visual images, without drawing them in some medium or other!
Posted
You can recognize bad drawing from good - it's not hard. And some will never be able to draw - don't care how hard they try. Practice only makes perfect if you have the capacity for perfection.
All I have to say on the subject! 'Cause if you can't you can't, and there it is, and that's all about it. So there.
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