THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY

They say (although I have never found anyone who could tell me who they are and how they know so darn much) that everything you have ever done, learned or been exposed to in your life is still inside your brain.  If that is so, my question is why can't I remember where I put my red scarf or my glasses or even sometimes remember what I meant to do after going upstairs "on a mission."     

It seems to be this way with art as well.  There are times that my head and hand are in perfect sync and the art gushes out effortlessly onto the paper.  But there are other times (more often) that my brain seems to have short circuited and is unable to even communicate directions to my hand even if it's something I have successfully done previously.  Like...how can you FORGET how to sketch in the same manner or with the same level of apparent expertise as you did the day before????   This is extremely frustrating, yet true with anyone who participates in any art form be they amature (that would be me) or professional (definitely NOT me). 

I think we all have an internal grading scale regarding our artistic endeavors.  Mine goes something like this:

1.  Wow...how did I DO that???
2.  Pretty good... has some saving elements
3.  Ummmmm not quite
4.  Absolute POO POO.  I am throwing all my art supplies away.



And with this being said, I thought it might be fun to share with you some winners and losers. 

For example, this is a sketch I did of Suzy some years ago sitting in her front yard.  She was NOT pleased.  This would have been a number 3.  It had some OK elements, but not quite a winner.  

  

So I did THIS one....which obviously was a better likeness and more importantly...SHE liked it.  LOL
I rated this one not quite a 1 but a little better than a 2.


  

These are some I did of a few of my daughter's 
friends from years ago.  These I actually rated
as a 1 because they were done rather quickly and actually looked like the girls..... Not flawless, of course, but I was happy with them.



  

    











And this is one of my very favorites.

It's a drawing I did from a photo of myself.  I must have been two or so.

And it doesn't look as though I was too interested in having my photo taken.



The lesson is (and I keep having to learn it over and over and over) is that the success in art (as in everything else in life) really is a process.  I don't think there will ever be a day when I am pleased with everything I do artistically.   

I still from time to time have a disappointment meltdown when after considerable effort the art turns out to be...well poo poo.  I don't know if the reason has been the stars not being properly aligned, the moon not being in the most favorable phase or if my muse simply forgot to take her medication.

What I have learned is to just let it go (well after a little pouting....OK OK sometimes after a LOT of pouting...) but I DO move on.  I just blame these "less than happy" art moments on my muse or the moon and stars.  But in the end the moon and the stars, as well as my muse, know that I will forgive them and that I will always be back to do what I love. 

I hope you too are doing what you love.   Thanks for stopping by today... And until next time...

Sketch on...
Bonnie