When Lenore came to my studio eleven years ago, she enjoyed making art but wasn’t confident in her ability to draw what she saw.
“I never learned to draw, and I thought that if I wanted to continue painting, I needed basic drawing skills. It wasn’t easy for me.”
The years that followed were transformative for both of us. During countless hours of private sessions and evening Drawing Lab sessions, Lenore found her creative voice while I fine-tuned my Block/Sketch/Draw method.
But there was much to learn and unlearn.
Through study sketches and learning to visualize a framework of abstract life lines and shapes, Lenore developed a new understanding of realism and drawing from observation.
“I found that the step-by-step process really helped me look at things differently and it made it easier for me to draw what I was looking at,” remembers Lenore.
Our workflow was straightforward: begin by finding the subject’s largest shapes while using light, sweeping lines. Then develop the smaller, specific shapes and contours while adjusting proportions. Finally, add only the essential details and values needed to communicate the form.
“It took a great deal of concentration and energy to train my eye and hand. It didn’t come naturally as it does for some people,” said Lenore.
Instead of aiming for a perfectly finished drawing, Lenore pushed aside the demons of perfectionism by keeping her drawings alive and unfinished for as long as possible. As she remained focused on capturing a satisfying likeness of her subject, her studies became more and more accurate.
As her skills improved and our studies became more challenging, Lenore sometimes got lost in the complexities of her drawing. That’s when the abstract framework came to the rescue.
I remember a particular session when Lenore got lost traversing the peaks and valleys of the folds in a drapery still life (above photo). Her preliminary abstract sketch of triangular shapes became the map that guided her back to the foundation of her drawing.
Through confident charcoal strokes and corrections, she found the path to accurate proportions and the finishing touches of a satisfying composition. Her drawing beautifully captures lighting and shadows while depicting the weight of suspension of the cloth. Sessions like this were pivotal in making the next turn in her creative journey.
After many months of training her eye and hand to draw realistic structural form and textural patterns, Lenore made a radical perceptual shift and let her imagination run wild as she dove into abstract expressive drawing.
“I’m an emotional artist. I love color and letting my arm and hand move on the canvas without thinking too much. But I needed and still need the discipline in order to express what I want on paper.”
Lenore gained confidence and creative momentum as she prepared for a group art exhibition with the Santa Cruz Watercolor Society in August 2019.
As Lenore and I look back on the blend of realism and abstraction in her paintings she says, “The sessions I had with you must have influenced my art. I look at all the drawings I did with you and I know it gave me the confidence to do what I did for the show. That is to go from realistic art to abstract.”
Lenore’s story reminds me that learning to draw is rarely about learning to make pictures. More often, it’s about learning to see, trust the process, and discover what is possible through sustained practice.
Epilogue:
The COVID years eventually brought my studio chapter to a close, and Lenore has long since retired to Morocco, but our long-distance collaboration continues as she explores various media and subject matter.
She says with excitement, “My journey to Morocco has been and is a wonderful one. And I have a wonderful atelier and all the encouragement from my husband Abdoû. Perhaps I’ll start drawing again from the beginning.”
When coaching students, I enjoy meeting them where they are—whether they’re beginners or practicing artists, interested in drawing realistically from life or exploring the imagination.
Want to draw with me? Start your drawing journey now!
Finding Her Creative Voice Through Drawing
