Why Draw in the Ready-Made World?
Have you recently asked yourself: Why draw? Here’s why we need to keep drawing no matter what!
Writing This Blog Post Was Difficult
I enjoy writing about art, but this time the task seemed difficult. First, I thought I would write about how you get ideas for colored pencils when you paint a bottom layer with watercolors.
But it felt like something I’ve written about many times before. For example, see the posts Wild Botanical Art – Create with Colored Pencils and Watercolors and How to Combine Watercolors and Colored Pencils.
Then I thought about writing about the quality of watercolors and colored pencils, but that didn’t seem like a very inspiring topic.
At last, I started writing about how to make a visual voice stronger, but the text became too theoretical. And I have nice posts about the topic already. See, for example: How Inktober Strengthened My Visual Voice and Enrich Your Art – Play with Shapes!
In the end, I decided to write what I have really been thinking about recently: “Why draw in the ready-made world?”
Feeling Blue
Lately, I’ve had the feeling that I’m in an ancient profession and that I am ancient in all other ways too. It’s odd for me because I love technology and I’m always learning new things. But I’ve seen too many images produced by artificial intelligence and depressingly enough hype about how you don’t have to create anything yourself anymore.
In addition, all kinds of insecurity have increased in the world, and that’s also toxic to creativity.
Despite feeling blue, I don’t want to give in. I still want to believe in the basic human need to create something new. It has helped that the upcoming course that I have been finishing, feels like a safe and cozy place. I hope it will have the same comforting effect on you.
Why Draw and Believe in Visual Self-Expression
There has been a lot of talk about freedom of speech lately, but human expression is not just words. I deeply believe that drawing allows people to express themselves more directly than writing.
And at its best, a drawing offers an imaginary view to which not only the creator but also viewers can attach their memories and meanings.
If we don’t approach life with our imagination, we lose our inner harmony. When we put pen to paper, we open up a connection to our inner world.
Not everything that comes out is necessarily masterful, but it is authentic to ourselves, and through that, there is an opportunity to also find a connection with others.
That is why I have been making art almost every week for over 10 years. Even if art were to one day no longer be my profession, I would still maintain this connection in my life, which only requires pen and paper.
This is the reason why I want to be an advocate for drawing and imagination.
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I feel compelled, in a good way, to create art every day. Even with all the world’s problems and my personal struggles, I am so grateful that I can draw and paint as I wish.
Something clicked recently when I was watching one of your lessons: it’s not about making an artwork exactly like yours, it’s all about sharing your creative joy through all kinds of helpful techniques. That is very therapeutic!
If this makes any sense, I believe Blue is a color and a feeling that, if deeply seen and felt, leads to healing and joy.
Thanks so much for your comment, Jane! I try to build the courses so that they are multi-leveled: they have a certain mood, certain artistic ideas, philosophy, techniques, set of tips and tricks, and topics. So, the course projects can be your own adaptation of what you pick from there. I think it’s more fun that way too. Thank you for bringing this up, I should make a video about this, talking this through!
I too, have concerns about technology and its effect on creativity and the mind. Many works of art seem artificially frozen in perfection and lack the real artistic touch, with all the delicious imperfections and personality of the artist.
Drawing and creating with colored pencils and paints void of technology allows me to be alone with my inner self. It’s a quiet place where no one else exists except me and my imagination.
Your classes always take me to those forgotten little place where I can connect to my inner voices to express freely from heart to hand. Technology does have it’s place in this world. I have seen it beautifully combined in mixed media artworks for many years.
I’m not denouncing it as an artform , but asking for some space and freedom to explore the “ Blue “ landscape of my sensory endeavours as a human not as a robot. … so that is why I will probably add a little green to my blue.
I can’t wait for ‘ Hearts and Stories” to begin !!!
Roslind, what an insightful comment, thank you! I so agree with you, and I also love how you and Jane talked about “blue”.
The instant gratification of today’s society,AI and drawing program’s available on the internet are interesting to play with but they are just that ,a program,like turning on a TV we immerse ourselves for a while but they don’t hold a candle to using our brains to truly create from within ourselves.
I am 74 next month and have been creating since….forever it seems. Never underestimate what your brain sends to your fingertips,what you transcribe to paper. Art is a universal language since cavemen first drew on their caves in charcoal. How else will future generations understand where we are in the universe if we put this wonderful ability aside and rely on AI to say who we are ! XO
Thanks so much, Carol! I agree! Also, thank you for bringing up the self-knowledge and self-esteem, it’s such an important part of this discussion.