Learning to Draw ... Naturally - Mission Statement

Hello,

Although, I'm an architect and should be drawing all the time, my work is largely about writing, meeting, talking on the phone and crunching numbers.  Even so, I've drawn all my life and, while some days I'm ok at it I'm never really better than just ok.  Sometimes my efforts to depict the unfamiliar are doomed and I've turned out some serious rubbish.  But that's ok - it's practice.  Now, at age 61, I want to learn and relearn how to draw to be able to connect better with the world, my brain and the paper I'm working on.

And ... I want company.

Jeff, who lives down the street, shows an interest (and aptitude) in learning to draw and paint. As the second youngest of 5, he's the only one in the household who has this strange gene.  We thought it would be fun to go through exercises on 3 seminal books on drawing together:

• The Natural Way to Draw by Kimon Nicolaides, 1941
• (The New) Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edward, 1999
• Lessons in Classical Drawing, Essential Techniques from inside the Atelier by Juliette Aristides, 2011

I'd also like to acknowledge a suberb Toronto Beaches area watercolourist, Elizabeth Berry who patiently teaches the "seeing brain" approach to painting without lines. 

So, here's what I do - 

When life hands you lemons - M Potter (Pencil53 on iPad) 2016

20 minute sketch, Piggott building, Hamilton, Ontario - M Potter (pencil on paper) 2015

Fried eggs - C. Potter (watercolour) 2015

First some inspiration:

“All art is but dirtying the paper delicately.” 
― John Ruskin, The Elements of Drawing

“I cannot rest, I must draw, however poor the result, and when I have a bad time come over me it is a stronger desire than ever.” 
― Beatrix Potter

“The supreme misfortune is when theory outstrips performance” 
― Leonardo da Vinci

On to the exercises then.