Every morning and night, seven days a week, I draw to think. This practice has become an essential part of my life, helping me process my studio work. Even when I don't have a specific goal, the act of drawing leads me to new ideas, creating prompts that allow me to explore and dig into new areas of interest.
I had an interesting experience drawing last week. It was for work, I had to do a scale architectural drawing of an old marble gothic style fireplace for a new sculptural edition. I found that measuring and then putting the information to scale on paper, I became fascinated by the geometry of the fireplace and what felt to me a very different way to build or construct something that was made 100 years or so ago vs today's builds. It was a drawing I made to provide information for present use, but I felt as if I had opened a door to a different way of seeing and making something. All this prompted by a very fact based drawing that was about gathering information, but that aroused a curiosity in me that wasn't there beforehand.♡
I never looked at it this way. When I draw very detailed abstract piece, I go in a trance. I feel the more complicated the piece is the more I unwind the knot of thoughts in my head.
I'm currently reading your book, Drawing Thought. I'm on chapter 5, and struggling to put it into context. I've been drawing for just over a year, but exclusively from a reference, either live or a photo. That experience seems quite different from what you are inviting in your book, which is drawing thoughts. I would call 'thoughts', imagination. In drawing from reference there are times when I have made parts of my drawing different than the reference for various reasons. I think this is perhaps drawing from imagination, in a small way. I'm tangled up with thoughts vs imagination. Can you untangle me?
Thanks for your comment! By “thoughts,” I mean all the different kinds of thoughts we have, imagination included, but not limited to it.
Have you tried any of the exercises in the book? For example, in Chapter 2 there are several prompts grounded in direct perception, but not necessarily in the usual “drawing from observation” way people expect.
One other note: when you do draw from observation, I recommend drawing from real 3D objects and situations when you can. There’s a lot of thinking involved in translating a three-dimensional experience onto a two-dimensional surface, and that translation is part of how I think we think through drawing.
Every morning and night, seven days a week, I draw to think. This practice has become an essential part of my life, helping me process my studio work. Even when I don't have a specific goal, the act of drawing leads me to new ideas, creating prompts that allow me to explore and dig into new areas of interest.
Your drawing practice is so amazing, Scott! I am in awe of your boundless creative energy and discipline.
I had an interesting experience drawing last week. It was for work, I had to do a scale architectural drawing of an old marble gothic style fireplace for a new sculptural edition. I found that measuring and then putting the information to scale on paper, I became fascinated by the geometry of the fireplace and what felt to me a very different way to build or construct something that was made 100 years or so ago vs today's builds. It was a drawing I made to provide information for present use, but I felt as if I had opened a door to a different way of seeing and making something. All this prompted by a very fact based drawing that was about gathering information, but that aroused a curiosity in me that wasn't there beforehand.♡
That's so cool - thanks for sharing!
This is why I keep a sketchbook too - thinking on paper about my frame of mind and even redirecting my mind with my marks in my sketchbooks.
I never looked at it this way. When I draw very detailed abstract piece, I go in a trance. I feel the more complicated the piece is the more I unwind the knot of thoughts in my head.
I'm interested in drawing as a way to play, to experiment and pursue fearlessness. I'll start a fresh sketchbook and see what happens.
thank you @Valerie Samuel Henderson! I hope you share your drawings with us!
I went back and tried FEEL YOUR THOUGHTS". It took my brain a while to conjure an image for RELIEF. I will work my way through the other exercises.
I am new to this, and looking forward to it.
https://open.substack.com/pub/jopaoletti/p/work-in-progress?r=1s15h4&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlay
Yessss!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm currently reading your book, Drawing Thought. I'm on chapter 5, and struggling to put it into context. I've been drawing for just over a year, but exclusively from a reference, either live or a photo. That experience seems quite different from what you are inviting in your book, which is drawing thoughts. I would call 'thoughts', imagination. In drawing from reference there are times when I have made parts of my drawing different than the reference for various reasons. I think this is perhaps drawing from imagination, in a small way. I'm tangled up with thoughts vs imagination. Can you untangle me?
Thanks for your comment! By “thoughts,” I mean all the different kinds of thoughts we have, imagination included, but not limited to it.
Have you tried any of the exercises in the book? For example, in Chapter 2 there are several prompts grounded in direct perception, but not necessarily in the usual “drawing from observation” way people expect.
One other note: when you do draw from observation, I recommend drawing from real 3D objects and situations when you can. There’s a lot of thinking involved in translating a three-dimensional experience onto a two-dimensional surface, and that translation is part of how I think we think through drawing.