Selfie No 2 - Contour Drawing/No Peeking At Paper

This is fabulous, Thea! I love that cheeky smile - the whole portrait shouts of fun and joy. Really like it lots!

I can't get over the fact that drawing something which actually looks like what we're trying to draw is possible while not looking at the paper. You say this isn't exactly you but at least you look slightly female unlike than the first one. LOL. It's really good, so spontaneous and yes, experimenting like this will probably influence the way we draw in future. More confident and especially no rubbing out lines which always seems to kill a painting in my opinion. Once we start scrubbing away with that eraser, the life and excitement seems to go! I actually tried the 'one line school of drawing, contour drawing non peepers technique' whilst peeping at the paper and it didn't go well. The spontaneity was lost. Super work here Thea!!

Thank you very much Seok and Louise,

Sorry, that one pinged off before I was ready - weird. What I was going to say was that it seems wrong taking praise for something which my brain didn't have an awful lot to do with! Perhaps when you don't look at your paper it makes the left side of your brain, which is the observational side, come to play. I think it's the left side of the brain which draws what you see. The right side of the brain draws what you know. That's the difference. There's been a lot of talk about drawing with the left side of the brain but I've never worked out quite how to do it until possibly now. Fascinating, isn't it?!

Glad you've got rid of that double chin Thea! This selfie is much more accomplished you're really getting good at this contour drawing!

Thanks, Christine - it is funny but you do begin get your eye in, so to speak. Linking what your eye is seeing to your hand moving was really weird at first, but I am getting there with it and they are working a bit more together now. I was really surprised how accurate this one was and the joy of the whole process is that you don't see the drawing until it is completed and it is as big a surprise to you as seeing any drawing or painting for the first time.

This truly is fascinating Thea! Everything in it's place, very symmetric, free and exciting. Your hand has learnt to obey your brain! I haven't had time to do anything today between dentist, optician and granddaughters but soon I'll try again.

Thank you, Satu. I am currently trying to draw our village church - am finding it very tricky as it is quite a complicated building, but I am really enjoying the challenge. I admit that I have had to look at the paper about three times, just a very quick glance, as I found it so hard to work out where I was and what I had to do next. I don't think I will ever go back to how I used to draw before as this way seems to produce such surprising results and it doesn't seem to matter if the drawing isn't square or accurate.

Plus, there's that enthusiasm and excitement about starting a new painting which isn't always there if we always paint in the same way. Sometimes, and I think you might be like me, I find an excuse not to paint but not at the moment. I go to sleep thinking of the next one line subject I can draw but that's how I am, easily excited at the idea of trying to paint something completely different from my normal technique or subject. I think we're lucky to have this creativity in our lives. It doesn't always go well, but when it does...well, you know that feeling don't you?!

I agree as I start these drawing not expecting it to work so I don't get at all stressed about them as I would with my normal work. I have just done one of our village church - really tricky as it is quite a complicated building. In the end I had to allow myself a couple of glances down as I got a bit lost with the roof line and a window. It was quite an ambitious task but it did look like the church in the end (surprisingly!). I am also finding that I am excited by this and like you am planning the next one and also pondering how In am going marry this technique with my more normal style. I think a mixture of the two is going to prove to be the way forward.

Well done Thea, a great improvement on your last sp! Looking forward to seeing your church.

Bright, cheerful and very accomplished Thea.

Thea this is very good! I can see it reminds me of you very much, how on earth did you do this so well!

Well, you have started something really interesting and exciting. It also seems to be having a positive knock-on effect for yourself, so thank you for sharing this idea. My one liners are nowhere near this accomplished, so perhaps I ought ot do some more!