I gave myself an assignment during my daughter’s gymnastics lesson. On some newly-gifted-to-my-by-an-art-professor paper made for markers/pens (have I mentioned my paper-fanaticism? yes? yes, well, then good…) using light pencil at first I simply traced an outline of the image below.

Only having an hour and one pen, I made it work. Of course I only carry one kind of pen around, my Sharpie Fine Point, so saying such a sentence is rather pointless. But it did add to the drama, no?

So did a little scribble here, some lines there, and after an hour, I had the entire image complete, minus filling in the solid black using a regular Sharpie when I arrived home.

I must state here that I rarely use rulers and only when initially marking vanishing points on bigger projects. Everything you see is off the cuff utilizing my own steadiness and just winging it when it comes to perspective. Who needs straight lines anyways?

This is what artists call a ‘study’. One studies the lines and the shadows, seeing light and dark and then tries to recreate it. Most studies are rather boring, however they are indispensable for both burgeoning and practiced artists alike.

If you don’t understand the structure of what lies beneath, how can you fully understand the entire concept? This lesson applies to everything under the sun, not just art.

Food for thought.

Looks to me like the bull could have used more food.