As a child, like most children I drew constantly, mostly from my imagination. My father ran a shop and I would be placed on a high stool in the corner with a pile of newsprint and crayons. My mother worked as a secretary for my uncle, an architect in Holborn. During the holidays I would go with her and watch the draughtsmen working with their lovely pens and rulers. There is a family story that I don’t remember that when I was pre-school I found my mother sleeping on the sofa and with a pen drew in all the lines on her face. She awoke, and we went to collect my sisters from school, without checking in the mirror!
Drawing is all around us, Tim Ingold has written splendid books about the history of Lines; they are everywhere; in drawing, writing, town plans, nature. But when we talk about ‘drawing’ most people think of observational drawing and then shy away as it seems so hard, a chore, a hurdle. But like most technical skills, observational drawing can be learnt, some find it easier that others but it is possible with dedication and practice to replicate what you see with systems of measurement and shading. Such drawing has its place but it is only one way of drawing, there are so many others; Matisse drew with scissors, Calder drew with wire. Gombrich in the introduction to his classic Story of Art cites two drawings by Picasso; one he did as an illustration commission, the other purely for himself. The subject is the same in each but which one tells us more about the subject…and the artist?
Drawing is a way of responding to a place or time. A photograph will capture it in 1/250th of a second but sitting and making marks on paper takes time, while you are engaged the world stops, you hear sounds and see the light change, you are observing first hand, noticing things that the camera will not capture. I have a sketch of my grandmother I did when I was 13, if I look at it now it takes me back to that moment, that room, that relationship more than any photograph would. I use photography a lot but as a quick way to capture colours and texture. It is an invaluable tool but I am always aware it is a second hand reference, the camera made most of the decisions!
I do not use figures in my work but when possible I attend a life class, it’s a fantastic way of honing my hand-eye co-ordination and keeps me confident with media, lines and gestures. This confidence feeds into my paintings and keeps my lines loose. Small five-minute sketches done regularly work in the same way, keeping a sketchbook even if it just a few lines or scribbles will keep you in touch with the part of you that needs to make a mark.
I like to draw objects but I’m looking for the shapes rather than their three-dimensionality. Lately I have been exploring drawing around objects I find on the beach and I’m getting shapes I could not make up, shapes and lines that relate to the objects but in a different way.
Mark making has become increasingly important to my work. It is one aspect of drawing but by definition is less observational and more intuitive. One could argue that observational drawing flows from an adult place, whereas mark making is more in touch with your inner child. No one has ever asked me to teach them to be a tighter painter, most want to learn how to be looser, freer, and more intuitive.
I struggled with mark making for years, I could do it on paper or as part of a print but when I tried to do it directly on my paintings it seemed contrived and fake. But every January I sit and reflect on what I want to achieve and what am I afraid of, so a few years ago I made it my annual challenge to feel more confident with direct mark making. One of the ways I found helped was not using conventional tools, I saw an interview with the artist Lorna Crane and it led me into months of joyous tool and mark making. I buried my demon that year for sure!
I’m currently planning a short online course that will be launched soon about making tools for mark making. Its designed to loosen you up and have some fun, but on a more serious note to help you find your mark, as the marks we make are unique to us.
Below is the big brush in action and some collages I made from the drawings.
Your website and blog are so tastefully done. A real pleasure for the eyes along with well written content. Thank you. I have found my new pastime through you!
How nice of you to say so! 🙂
Sally, thank you again for such informative posts! You are an inspiration and I always enjoy reading everything you send out…..don’t ever stop!!
Stop!!!! Not a chance😂
You are totally inspirational. Like, why didn’t I think of that? I love learning and experimenting; reading your blogs and watching your videos has brightened my days. My art style is changing as I learn.
Thank you.
Anita Dellal
New Jersey, USA
Thanks!!! 😁😁
Love the beach photo of you with extreme drawing tools! You’re so right, it is both a lot of fun (child state) and Also aesthetically surprising to use self made markmaking tools, sometimes i forget about them though, so a short course sounds just the thing.
There will be 15 different tools to make one a day for three weeks with weekend tasks! 🙂
Loved the story from childhood! You continue to inspire me and who knows, I may become more confident with drawing. At least I WANT to try more.
Thanks! 🙂
Always enlightening Sally love your marks xxx
Thanks Lynda! 😍😍
You are very inspirational!! Love the mark making tools and drawing around objects.
Thanks! 🙂 So looking forward to starting filming this workshop!
That’s awesome Sally. I’ve made brushes from Poodle hair. I’d love to come to see the workshop. Will it be on a YouTube?
PhyllisJeanFulton
pjeanfulton@gmail.com.
No, it will be on the teaching platform Ruzuku..details will come out in the next week or two..😁
I’m so inspired to try mark making with new tools!
Thank you Sally!
It was a game changer for me! Sx
I love this so much! Can’t wait todo classes w /you and catch up! Love to hear more about your masters! Smiles, kathleen
Hi!!!!.😁😁😍😍
Great article, Sally. Can’t wait to hear more about the new courses! x
Taking longer than I thought as I keep changing and adding😂
Very interesting post Sally. Looking forward to meeting you next month!
Maureen😊
Yes!! 😂
Thanks for the inspiration. It is Winter in Taupo NZ and ideal idea for our new mixed media group. We are just beginning our Art journey after lockdown. When are you planning to launch the videos.? Thanks Wendy
Hi Wendy! They will be launched within the next two weeks. The ‘Make tools-make marks!’ and ‘Layering imagery into cold wax’ will be stand alone courses, not scheduled, so will be fine for your time-zone!Two level 2 courses ‘Composition Crisis’ and ‘Abstract Approaches’ will be scheduled and have live sessions as well as videos etc. I’ll need to look at time zones though as it’s clear there’s a lot of artists in the southern hemisphere wanting courses!
Hi Sally…. I look forward to learning more about the workshop.Will there be info on incorporating the marks in artwork ? I did a workshop with Matthew Harris a few years ago which led to me making marks like asemic writing!
HI! Yes, Its designed as a three week course making 5 different tools each weekday with weekend tasks to extend the use of them, and ideas for other uses etc. I discuss using mark making in painting on my other painting courses too.. Sx
Just looked up Matthew Harris..nice stuff!!
Loveing those big tools. I use smaller twiggy brushes but after seeing yours I have brush envy and ned to think big. Than you Sally.
Used a lot of ink!!😂
Beyond gorgeous. Each piece is doubly exciting!
Thanks!
Looking forward to starting something new!
Love your artwork, very inspiring. Thank you
Thanks!
Hi Sally! Thank you for your inspiration! I was just wondering what type of ink do you use?
Hi.. The inks I use are Sennelier ink and Golden High Flow.. 😊