The best laid plans of mice and men...

When I set this blog up I was all inspired by the idea of setting myself up to have to draw...to get back into that mindset where it's just normal, and the day isn't complete without at least one scribble somewhere to mark it. Well, the urge was certainly there a number of times - usually at the most inappropriate moments - where once I might have scribbled away while a teacher prepped us for a class, I find I am less comfortable with scribbling during a staff meeting, even if I do have an intriguing subject in front of me!

This morning I have been wrestling with writer's block on my weekly freelance assignment (a not infrequent issue) so, given a number of alternative activities I might have distracted myself with - a load of washing, the dishes from last night, clearing out the cupboard that's trying to dump its contents every time the door is opened, or even go for a walk (it's suddenly SO cold outside...) - I went and hauled the new little visual journal out of my back pack and sat down and drew some of the things in the fruit bowl on the table.

I remember, years ago before I went to art school when I was painting and drawing on my own at home, I used to do a still life about every six months or so. I was trying to push myself to see differently, and try new things but it was a little difficult sometimes to feel as if I was getting anywhere. So, I decided that I'd set up a formal still life every six months or so and paint it, so that I could use a classical genre as a sort of a marker. I was mostly painting at the time rather than drawing, and I do remember being quite surprised at the changes I noted over the first few. So, this morning, facing something of a drawing block in addition to the writing block (!), I headed in a similar direction - but without actually setting it up. Our fruit bowl is a little lacking in plenty at the moment...but there are always onions and lemons!

I did find a coloured conte and charcoal still life from a few years back - obviously another shot at getting myself motivated again. It's the second drawing of the same plate of fruit. I remember doing the first one, also conte and charcoal, and it's a more conventionally accurate representation. And then, the shapes got to me, so with this second one I just played. Of the two, I like it better.

I need to play some more. Basically, I need to just draw more - and more, and more... And play as well!