An endearing little mouse named Celestine proves that it takes determination, and oftentimes courage, to keep drawing—even when being told by over-bearing adults that drawing is a complete waste of time.
In the 2014 Oscar-nominated animated film “Ernest and Celestine”, the young mouse forms a forbidden relationship with a bumbling bear, thus beginning a heartwarming journey from fear to true friendship. Although the story’s main theme is about the power of friendship, the sub-themes of being steadfast in your art and the importance of nurturing creativity—in particular, drawing!—resonate with me. Continue reading Born to Draw→
I learned to draw flowers at a young age. You probably did too. As children, we were encouraged to make each flower an object of beauty. But what about wilted native sunflowers? Why would anyone spend time drawing such dreadful looking things? Continue reading In the Eye of the Beholder→
Every drawing you do has the potential to suck. Or not.
The fear of making mistakes is what keeps many of us from even trying to draw. However, it is possible to embrace failure and actually enjoy salvaging a drawing from the brink of disaster. Sketching through your mistakes on paper is an important and fun part of learning to draw accurately. Continue reading Practice Failure→
I think Werner Herzog’s 2010 documentary film, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, answers the question by illuminating the spirit of an ancient drawing hand that may dwell in each of us. Although the emphasis of the film concerns paleontological aspects of cave rock art, I’d like to offer an opinion from the perspective of an avid sketcher. Continue reading Return to Your Cave of Forgotten Dreams→
Imagine yourself playing your favorite sport. Forgetting all limitations, you perform flawlessly and are unstoppable as you tally up point after point. You’re in a state of mind where time is suspended and movement flows without having to think of fundamental skills. This is called being in the Zone, and it’s the state of mind you want to strive for while drawing. Drawing from the Zone can be a peaceful meditation for sketching quick ideas or creating deeply inspired work. Continue reading The Zen of Drawing In the Zone→
The very first thing my students learn is how to hold the pencil on its side while drawing basic lines and shapes. The overhand grip, as it’s called in the art world, is a bit awkward at first. But with practice, it quickly becomes second nature to sketchers. One advantage of the overhand grip is how much easier it is to create sweeping pencil strokes and large shapes. Another advantage is that you gain control and flexibility of your wrist when drawing angled and curved lines. You’ll also see increased sensitivity and control when varying line widths and adding tonal values (shading). And the overhand grip is less fatiguing, allowing for longer, more relaxed drawing sessions. Continue reading Getting Sideways With Your Pencil→
Happy sketchers, young and old, visited our booth at the 2013 Church Street Fair in Santa Cruz. We offered free lessons as well space for sketchers to unleash their freestyle drawing powers. Many stayed for a couple of hours or returned the next day to draw. The fair is part of the Cabrillo Contemporary Music Festival and attracts a huge Central Coast crowd as well as visitors from around the world. Continue reading SI Currents: Drawing at the Fair & Museum→
WE MADE IT AT LAST! The final days of school are a wonderful time for taking pics and remembering the year’s highlights. The dedicated sketchers shown in the following photos worked with Rob for one or two full years. Whew! Lots of drawing sessions! Photo above is of the exceptionally creative sketching crew at Natural Bridges High School in Santa Cruz.
Special thanks to Sandy Mast, Santa Cruz Office of Education and Gary Vincent, Monterey Office of Education for bringing the Scribbles Institute Drawing Lab to eight Central Coast schools. And thanks to the teachers, staff, and wonderful students for the great moments over the five years I’ve been working with them.
