If you're new to Art Journal Every Day, there is a short introduction here. All of the previous posts can be found archived here. There is a flickr group for sharing right here. Remember, it's just ten minutes of nourishing your creative self every day! No need to finish anything or even like it. If you've done some art journaling this week and you've blogged about it, or put it on flickr, please leave a link in the linky list at the end of this post. Thanks!
Today we have a guest post from Michelle Mathey. As soon as I spotted her beautiful faces in the linky list, I knew I wanted to hear all about how they evolved.
In Pursuit of a Drawing Style
My journey into artsy play is a recent one – I started to
learn to draw two years ago and have discovered that my absolute favorite
things to sketch are faces! It must be
partly because of the fact that our eyes are drawn to anything that looks like
a face. What is the first thing that you
drew as a child? Chances are it was a
face.
Two eyes, a nose and a mouth constitute a face and we see
them everywhere – even when we aren’t looking for them – in clouds, the pattern
on the shower curtain, rain on a window, etc.
A bad drawing of a face is still recognizable as a face so
you really can’t mess up, right?
But then the ugly little voice starts up, the one that lives
in your head and says, “Your faces aren’t that good” or “Why can’t you draw
like ___________ (insert favorite artists’ names here)?” or “Why don’t you have
a recognizable drawing style of your own?”
It is a long journey to drawing pics that reflect “you” and there are lots of
different avenues you can take to get there.
My chosen route has mostly involved using the computer. Learning to draw is easier than ever before
now that we have access to the Internet.
Do you have a favorite artist that has a blog? If she/he offers an online drawing class, hop
on board and take it (if you can attend classes in real life, even better). If you’re a fan of their style of
drawing/sketching than the chances are great that you will enjoy the class
too.
What often happens while taking a class is that you try to
emulate what you are learning and your drawings will often be in the style of
your teacher. That’s okay!
Remember when you learned to cook? Did you start with your very own improvised
recipe? Of course not, you didn’t have the experience for that. You start cooking with someone demonstrating
a simple, tested recipe for you and then you copy it yourself. How pleased you are if the recipe turns out
just like how your teacher’s did, right?
With time and experience you can begin to tweak recipes to make ones
that are “you” and those are the tastiest ones of all!
In the beginning while learning to draw, I would actively
try to copy the teacher and would be quite disappointed when my drawing wasn’t
the same. Slowly I became more
comfortable with the ingredients (paints, markers, pens, etc.) and my “recipes”
started to turn out correctly. Then one
day I drew a face that was more “me” and it was good – go figure!
With time I’ve discovered recurring themes with my girls
that include: long necks, big eyes,
white dots, quirky book quotes and lots of India ink. I’m attracted to clean and simple backgrounds
with minimal journaling and I love to try different techniques and play with lots
of different mediums.
Participating in challenges is another great way to develop
your style too. I link to Julie’s Art Journal Every Day post every
single Friday. It gives me something to
look forward to and a bit of responsibility toward my blog to post at least
once a week.
After linking your work to Art Journal Every Day start
clicking on the links of the other artsy folks who post there to get inspired
to try something new. The AJED community
is full of supportive people that will encourage you on your artsy journey.
What about when you get stuck and can’t figure out what to
draw – There are a few things that I do to jumpstart my creativity.
Visiting a museum and getting up close and personal with art
is a great way to inspire yourself to try new things. Modigliani is a favorite of a lot of people
when choosing an artist’s style to imitate.
Even a small art museum may surprise you with its permanent collection
of truly great art.
Have you visited Pinterest
yet? A quick word of caution – one can
easily get sucked into that world and not resurface until you are late picking
up your kids from school (not that I’d ever do that – yikes!) My Pinterest board called All About the Face
is chock full of gorgeous visages that might revitalize your desire to draw.
Finally, the best way of all
to develop your personal style is to draw, draw and draw some more! Nothing will ever replace the time spent
drawing – some will be great, lots more won’t but you will never get any better
if you don’t put in the work!! THANKS so
much Julie for this opportunity to be part of your blog and for your endless
inspiration to all of us who visit daily!!
Here is this week's linky list:
Thanks for stopping by!
About Michelle:
Michelle lives in Owensboro, Kentucky with her husband of
22+ years and their two sons. She loves
doing artsy/crafty things and spent years teaching rubberstamping and
papercrafting at local stores. Several
of her card designs have been featured in magazines, including Paper Crafts and
Stampington publications, and the a•muse|studio 2011 Catalog and
Inspiration Guide. Her blog is Pigment of My Imagination. Find her etsy shop here.
I love the faces! Wish I could draw like that!
I love the faces! Wish I could draw like that!
I love the faces! Wish I could draw like that!
I love the faces! Wish I could draw like that!
I love the faces! Wish I could draw like that!
Michelle, Thank-you so much for sharing your advice and your gorgeous artwork. You are right about eyes…they are so engaging.
Michelle, Thank-you so much for sharing your advice and your gorgeous artwork. You are right about eyes…they are so engaging.
Michelle, Thank-you so much for sharing your advice and your gorgeous artwork. You are right about eyes…they are so engaging.
Michelle, Thank-you so much for sharing your advice and your gorgeous artwork. You are right about eyes…they are so engaging.
Michelle, Thank-you so much for sharing your advice and your gorgeous artwork. You are right about eyes…they are so engaging.
What an amazing post! Michelle, your girls are stunning and they look so gorgeous en masse! I’ve followed your artistic journey and it’s been exciting to see your drawing style evolve over time. The faces you draw are beautiful and I love your quirky sense of humor and the funny book quotes you include in your backgrounds. You are a unique and talented artist, and I’m so happy to see you featured here!
What an amazing post! Michelle, your girls are stunning and they look so gorgeous en masse! I’ve followed your artistic journey and it’s been exciting to see your drawing style evolve over time. The faces you draw are beautiful and I love your quirky sense of humor and the funny book quotes you include in your backgrounds. You are a unique and talented artist, and I’m so happy to see you featured here!
What an amazing post! Michelle, your girls are stunning and they look so gorgeous en masse! I’ve followed your artistic journey and it’s been exciting to see your drawing style evolve over time. The faces you draw are beautiful and I love your quirky sense of humor and the funny book quotes you include in your backgrounds. You are a unique and talented artist, and I’m so happy to see you featured here!
What an amazing post! Michelle, your girls are stunning and they look so gorgeous en masse! I’ve followed your artistic journey and it’s been exciting to see your drawing style evolve over time. The faces you draw are beautiful and I love your quirky sense of humor and the funny book quotes you include in your backgrounds. You are a unique and talented artist, and I’m so happy to see you featured here!
What an amazing post! Michelle, your girls are stunning and they look so gorgeous en masse! I’ve followed your artistic journey and it’s been exciting to see your drawing style evolve over time. The faces you draw are beautiful and I love your quirky sense of humor and the funny book quotes you include in your backgrounds. You are a unique and talented artist, and I’m so happy to see you featured here!
Julie – Thanks so much for letting me be part of Art Journal Every Day! I am a happy girl today!
Julie – Thanks so much for letting me be part of Art Journal Every Day! I am a happy girl today!
Julie – Thanks so much for letting me be part of Art Journal Every Day! I am a happy girl today!
Julie – Thanks so much for letting me be part of Art Journal Every Day! I am a happy girl today!
Julie – Thanks so much for letting me be part of Art Journal Every Day! I am a happy girl today!
Love looking at each of these! I cannot draw to save my life but I do dabble in mixed media and posted a canvas I made.
Love looking at each of these! I cannot draw to save my life but I do dabble in mixed media and posted a canvas I made.
Love looking at each of these! I cannot draw to save my life but I do dabble in mixed media and posted a canvas I made.
Love looking at each of these! I cannot draw to save my life but I do dabble in mixed media and posted a canvas I made.
Love looking at each of these! I cannot draw to save my life but I do dabble in mixed media and posted a canvas I made.
Great blog post. Thanks for the encouragement
Great blog post. Thanks for the encouragement
Great blog post. Thanks for the encouragement
Great blog post. Thanks for the encouragement
Great blog post. Thanks for the encouragement
What a delightful and inspiring post. Thanks Michelle for sharing your fairly new journey with drawing. Your ladies are so elegant and I just love the quote about running!!!
What a delightful and inspiring post. Thanks Michelle for sharing your fairly new journey with drawing. Your ladies are so elegant and I just love the quote about running!!!
What a delightful and inspiring post. Thanks Michelle for sharing your fairly new journey with drawing. Your ladies are so elegant and I just love the quote about running!!!
What a delightful and inspiring post. Thanks Michelle for sharing your fairly new journey with drawing. Your ladies are so elegant and I just love the quote about running!!!
What a delightful and inspiring post. Thanks Michelle for sharing your fairly new journey with drawing. Your ladies are so elegant and I just love the quote about running!!!
Thank you Michelle! Your words are exactly what I needed today (and yesterday, and the day before that…)!! The cooking analogy is so true, and I never related that to my art style, but have become a pretty good cook over the years thanks to the Food Network and practice. 🙂
Thank you Michelle! Your words are exactly what I needed today (and yesterday, and the day before that…)!! The cooking analogy is so true, and I never related that to my art style, but have become a pretty good cook over the years thanks to the Food Network and practice. 🙂
Thank you Michelle! Your words are exactly what I needed today (and yesterday, and the day before that…)!! The cooking analogy is so true, and I never related that to my art style, but have become a pretty good cook over the years thanks to the Food Network and practice. 🙂
Thank you Michelle! Your words are exactly what I needed today (and yesterday, and the day before that…)!! The cooking analogy is so true, and I never related that to my art style, but have become a pretty good cook over the years thanks to the Food Network and practice. 🙂
Thank you Michelle! Your words are exactly what I needed today (and yesterday, and the day before that…)!! The cooking analogy is so true, and I never related that to my art style, but have become a pretty good cook over the years thanks to the Food Network and practice. 🙂
Beautiful!
Beautiful!
Beautiful!
Beautiful!
Beautiful!
How true is this post! I’ve been using my daily doodles on my iPad to experiment with face styles. While I can get detailed and do great graphite portraits, I’m finding I love illustrated faces more, and well trying, drawing, looking for the common thread, experimenting, naturally finding my groove. Plus, it’s fun!! Love these faces!
How true is this post! I’ve been using my daily doodles on my iPad to experiment with face styles. While I can get detailed and do great graphite portraits, I’m finding I love illustrated faces more, and well trying, drawing, looking for the common thread, experimenting, naturally finding my groove. Plus, it’s fun!! Love these faces!
How true is this post! I’ve been using my daily doodles on my iPad to experiment with face styles. While I can get detailed and do great graphite portraits, I’m finding I love illustrated faces more, and well trying, drawing, looking for the common thread, experimenting, naturally finding my groove. Plus, it’s fun!! Love these faces!
How true is this post! I’ve been using my daily doodles on my iPad to experiment with face styles. While I can get detailed and do great graphite portraits, I’m finding I love illustrated faces more, and well trying, drawing, looking for the common thread, experimenting, naturally finding my groove. Plus, it’s fun!! Love these faces!
How true is this post! I’ve been using my daily doodles on my iPad to experiment with face styles. While I can get detailed and do great graphite portraits, I’m finding I love illustrated faces more, and well trying, drawing, looking for the common thread, experimenting, naturally finding my groove. Plus, it’s fun!! Love these faces!
You are so very talented love your work, so colorful, great compostion and so arty!
You are so very talented love your work, so colorful, great compostion and so arty!
You are so very talented love your work, so colorful, great compostion and so arty!
You are so very talented love your work, so colorful, great compostion and so arty!
You are so very talented love your work, so colorful, great compostion and so arty!
Julie, it is so cool of you to have guest posts. So much fun. I got a lot out of this. I really like your style Michelle. I love the big eyes and the dots. And that photo/portrait at the end is so clever.
Julie, it is so cool of you to have guest posts. So much fun. I got a lot out of this. I really like your style Michelle. I love the big eyes and the dots. And that photo/portrait at the end is so clever.
Julie, it is so cool of you to have guest posts. So much fun. I got a lot out of this. I really like your style Michelle. I love the big eyes and the dots. And that photo/portrait at the end is so clever.
Julie, it is so cool of you to have guest posts. So much fun. I got a lot out of this. I really like your style Michelle. I love the big eyes and the dots. And that photo/portrait at the end is so clever.
Julie, it is so cool of you to have guest posts. So much fun. I got a lot out of this. I really like your style Michelle. I love the big eyes and the dots. And that photo/portrait at the end is so clever.
Michelle, what an awesome post this was!! I LOVE your faces, read thru this twice and still can’t pick just one favorite. That last one was so creative and cool though.
Thanks so much for the cooking story, this is so true!!
Congrats on being a guest, was so nice to meet you!
Michelle, what an awesome post this was!! I LOVE your faces, read thru this twice and still can’t pick just one favorite. That last one was so creative and cool though.
Thanks so much for the cooking story, this is so true!!
Congrats on being a guest, was so nice to meet you!
Michelle, what an awesome post this was!! I LOVE your faces, read thru this twice and still can’t pick just one favorite. That last one was so creative and cool though.
Thanks so much for the cooking story, this is so true!!
Congrats on being a guest, was so nice to meet you!
Michelle, what an awesome post this was!! I LOVE your faces, read thru this twice and still can’t pick just one favorite. That last one was so creative and cool though.
Thanks so much for the cooking story, this is so true!!
Congrats on being a guest, was so nice to meet you!
Michelle, what an awesome post this was!! I LOVE your faces, read thru this twice and still can’t pick just one favorite. That last one was so creative and cool though.
Thanks so much for the cooking story, this is so true!!
Congrats on being a guest, was so nice to meet you!
I enjoyed this immensely! Thank you for introducing us to this wonderfully inspiring artist! Going to follow her blog and Pinterest board for that push in the right direction. 🙂
I enjoyed this immensely! Thank you for introducing us to this wonderfully inspiring artist! Going to follow her blog and Pinterest board for that push in the right direction. 🙂
I enjoyed this immensely! Thank you for introducing us to this wonderfully inspiring artist! Going to follow her blog and Pinterest board for that push in the right direction. 🙂
I enjoyed this immensely! Thank you for introducing us to this wonderfully inspiring artist! Going to follow her blog and Pinterest board for that push in the right direction. 🙂
I enjoyed this immensely! Thank you for introducing us to this wonderfully inspiring artist! Going to follow her blog and Pinterest board for that push in the right direction. 🙂
I love your faces! Beautiful!
I love your faces! Beautiful!
I love your faces! Beautiful!
I love your faces! Beautiful!
I love your faces! Beautiful!
I love your faces and the sayings make it for me, too. They are funny mostly which I love and ring with truth. I like the clarity of your drawings and even though they don’t “take-over” your faces they certainly add to the composition.
I love your faces and the sayings make it for me, too. They are funny mostly which I love and ring with truth. I like the clarity of your drawings and even though they don’t “take-over” your faces they certainly add to the composition.
I love your faces and the sayings make it for me, too. They are funny mostly which I love and ring with truth. I like the clarity of your drawings and even though they don’t “take-over” your faces they certainly add to the composition.
I love your faces and the sayings make it for me, too. They are funny mostly which I love and ring with truth. I like the clarity of your drawings and even though they don’t “take-over” your faces they certainly add to the composition.
I love your faces and the sayings make it for me, too. They are funny mostly which I love and ring with truth. I like the clarity of your drawings and even though they don’t “take-over” your faces they certainly add to the composition.
Michelle, Wonderful works and your works and words are very inspirational. i myself am trying to figure out my drawing style. I’m fearful. But I will draw and draw some more.
Michelle, Wonderful works and your works and words are very inspirational. i myself am trying to figure out my drawing style. I’m fearful. But I will draw and draw some more.
Michelle, Wonderful works and your works and words are very inspirational. i myself am trying to figure out my drawing style. I’m fearful. But I will draw and draw some more.
Michelle, Wonderful works and your works and words are very inspirational. i myself am trying to figure out my drawing style. I’m fearful. But I will draw and draw some more.
Michelle, Wonderful works and your works and words are very inspirational. i myself am trying to figure out my drawing style. I’m fearful. But I will draw and draw some more.
oh Michelle…SO fabulous to see these!! i just LOVE the one that reads ‘art is for everyone and no one’. Such beautiful faces here. i could pick out your style in seconds. Gorgeous! xox
oh Michelle…SO fabulous to see these!! i just LOVE the one that reads ‘art is for everyone and no one’. Such beautiful faces here. i could pick out your style in seconds. Gorgeous! xox
oh Michelle…SO fabulous to see these!! i just LOVE the one that reads ‘art is for everyone and no one’. Such beautiful faces here. i could pick out your style in seconds. Gorgeous! xox
oh Michelle…SO fabulous to see these!! i just LOVE the one that reads ‘art is for everyone and no one’. Such beautiful faces here. i could pick out your style in seconds. Gorgeous! xox
oh Michelle…SO fabulous to see these!! i just LOVE the one that reads ‘art is for everyone and no one’. Such beautiful faces here. i could pick out your style in seconds. Gorgeous! xox