Today in class I experienced blind contour drawing. In this exercise, one draws an object without looking at one’s drawing or lifting one’s drawing implement from the page. This is a process of intense looking and slow and careful drawing. We did this exercise while listening to music. This was especially helpful in that the tempo of the music allowed me to set a pace for my drawing, which kept me from rushing or running out of time. I used both sharpie to draw my hands and both sharpie and pencil to draw a complex still life. I preferred drawing with the sharpie because it was fluid and easy to manipulate. The following are some of the drawings I produced in class today.

At the beginning of class we discussed the differences between being and doing. I found it helpful to think of this as a “being” exercise where my primary task was looking. Drawing becomes an extension and record of this. If, instead, I had approached this as a “doing” exercise, I might have become too caught up in concerns about my product and missed out on the details one can see when one is mainly focused on looking. This is an important lesson to carry forward into additional studio work. Looking is a crucial part of drawing and taking a moment to do this is worthwhile because it allows one to more easily create an accurate drawing. Even though my blind contour drawings were not photo-realistic, they each surprised me with certain areas that seemed surprising lifelike and realistic. One example of this is the thumb on the drawing of my left hand. Another example is the telephone cord, which I especially enjoyed drawing. For me, one of the hardest parts of this exercise was transitions. I was often unsure of how to move between fingers or objects in the still life. However, as I focused more on looking and allowed the drawing to become a subconscious movement, I began to notice more intersections. Looking allowed me to gain a better sense of the relationship and connections between different lines and contours. In one of the longer sessions, several songs were played. I found these changes in music extremely helpful in transitioning between objects in the still life. New music gave me a new energy and helped my brain and body make transitions.

Observation is crucial in art. One must fully understand an object and its place in space before attempting to render it on paper.