Feel all the Things!
Drawing is excavation
“When I’m drawing a wooden fence, I’m thinking wood, when I’m drawing grass… I’m thinking grass. I feel it as I'm drawing and it just comes out of the pen". -
Charles M. Schulz
Mr Schulz makes drawing would like making magic.
Well it kinda is. But sometimes we reduce it to a mechanical thing, more science than art. I felt this more than ever when I was in drawing class measuring and studying with my pencil like some schmuck.
If you want to put more feeling into your drawing, you need to draw with more feeling.
Everyday I pick 3 memories. Some big some small. I have some favourite ones that I revisit. I enjoy them for a minute and give thanks for them. Some times the positive emotions from the memories bleed into each other, creating an even stronger feeling.
It’s a really nice alternative to social media. And it’s a great way to get into the ‘mood’ for drawing.
Drawing is excavation.
TEN MINUTE ARTIST PROMPT
Draw with feeling
Pick a moment from life that you cherish, revisit it in your minds eye, go there, I recommend a joyful moments one you are grateful for. It can be from today or from 30 years ago.
Experience it up close, recall all the sights, sounds and emotions in vivid detail. You’re going for the visceral, ask your body to remember that moment. Enjoy it for a moment.
Draw it, with feeling.
Share your map in notes and tag Ten Minute Artist: Daily Creative Joy
Do you draw with feeling?
How do you go about expressing emotion in your art? Share your techniques in the comment section below and if you found this prompt valuable, why not pass it along to an artist friend, peer, or student who might appreciate these insights too?
If you would like to support my work you can:
buy my books, get a subscription to this newsletter, shop at my moms stationery shop, or try Typeshare for free : I use Typeshare like as a Cabin in the Woods, a quite place to write short pieces that I can schedule across social media like Threads, X, LinkedIn and Bluesky. Try it for free with my link
