The Language Of Drawing By Sherrie Mcgraw

Two Tips on Creative Growth from the Language of Drawing

At the end of artist Sherrie McGraw's excellent book "The Language of Drawing" there is a quote from Rembrandt. Here's what the old master had to say:

" …I have made it a rule that they (pupils) must bring me…their drawings, mind you, not their paintings. For a line never lies. Give me a scrap of a man's drawings,…and in five seconds I will tell whether he has any talent or whether he had better become a brewer."

I've considered becoming a brewer on occasions. Usually, when the artistic muse is silent and my efforts fall short.

When frustration arises, a good strategy is to walk away from your studio or creative work. Get some fresh air. Breathe deeply. Then, go find an inspirational art book to get lost in.

Sometimes, we just need a break to regroup and start anew, hopefully with fresh eyes and a calmer spirit.

Sherrie Mcgraw is a painter, instructor and master draughtsman. Her book contains drawing advice that, upon reflection, applies well to other aspects of our lives.

Tap into your expressive spirit

One of the subjects that McGraw tackles in her book is the unique qualities that make a good drawing.

There are plenty of students dutifully learning the sight/size method and the particulars of anatomy in ateliers everywhere.

Certainly, a strong grounding in these skills will help the artist hone his or her craft.

But there is something more. It comes from inside of us. A sort of expressive spirit. Like in this hand study below by McGraw.

Drawing correctly is important, to a point. But as McGraw states in her book:

"Drawing correctly feels and looks vastly different from drawing beautifully. Correct drawing is stiff, whereas beautiful drawing is lively. Instead of working so hard, the student should take a deep breath, relax and experience the joy of drawing first."

Look at the flow and expressive accuracy in McGraw's drawing of a man below.

Ever notice how your carefree sketches always seem to flow better than your final pieces? You don't have the pressure hanging over you to produce a great piece. You just allow yourself to get lost in the art and personal expression.

But there's something more going on. When we're relaxed and allow ourselves to simply create, for the joy of it, we tap into our expressive spirit. That magical place within us. Where the beauty of authentic, personal expression resides.

This is why, for creative people, you have to craft a habit of free expression. A routine or schedule that sets aside time to play. To do what you do creatively, absent deadlines, projects, pressure and expectations.

The best stuff happens when we remember to have fun with our creative work. Doing so allows us to access our creative spirit.

That's how we produce our best work, instead of those stiff drawings, stilted prose, dull music, etcetera, that comes from the pressure of performance.

See the essence

Another point that McGraw makes is the importance of seeing. We hear this a lot in artist circles, but it takes daily practice to truly learn how to see.

It's more than just learning to see things as they are. It's learning to see the essence of your subjects. When we achieve this, we unlock the secret to better art.

We can express the nature of a thing without becoming slaves to abject precision. Look at the depth in this etching by McGraw.

The etching has solidity and captures the strength and nobility of the man. You don't need a photorealistic drawing or painting in order to capture the essence of the subject.

This principle holds true in other creative pursuits, such as writing and music. The best writers and musicians know that less is often more. Choosing the perfect words and best pauses between musical notes can say more than endless paragraphs and repetitive refrains.

What you leave out can be just a important as what you leave in. This holds true in art, and in life.

Freshness in your work

What is the quality of your drawing "scraps?" What do you see in your sketchbooks, writing journals, recording mixes, and creative experimentations?

If you want to improve your creative work, you have to make a habit out of creative playtime. Set aside an early morning or pre-bedtime hour to have fun creating.

Then, after a month or so, take a close look at the stuff you're producing. You'll notice an authenticity and freshness in your work. All thanks to your newly released, expressive spirit.

Also, keep developing your eye and learn to see things more closely. For artists, the best way to do this is by getting out and doing a lot of sketching.

Leonardo DaVinci was known to carry a small notebook with him everywhere. Get yourself a small Moleskine notebook and carry it with you.

When you're waiting for appointments or before meetings, or even on a lunch break, steal a little time to sketch. You will hone your skills and develop your eye. This is how you become more fluent at "the language of drawing."

For writers, you can do the same thing by reading more. I always have a book in my car. I take it on appointments. It's much better than those insipid gossip magazines in most waiting rooms. Use a small notebook to write down ideas, passages, little details or whatever comes to mind.

For musicians, develop your ear, in order to hear more closely. Listen beyond the obvious, to the subtler sounds, notes and pauses.

Musicians should carry their earbuds and music with them, on their smart phones, everywhere. Technology today makes it easy to access music and record sounds on your smart phone.

Start tapping into your creative spirit. Start learning to see the essence of things. You'll grow creatively and be happy with the art you start making.