Thought of The Day Jan 25, 2010

Five-Step-Solution for those who find it intimidating to fill a 100-page sketchbook: 

Step 2- Go to the last page of the blank spiral sketchbook and open it wide. Pry the wire loops open carefully, one at a time. 

Remove 80 sheets and close the gaps. Now you only have 20 sheets to draw in and the book is not so intimidating. 

Once you fill those, add another 10 or 20 sheets until your fear is gone forever!

F.U.  True story: (no donkeys this time)

Throughout my adolescence, friends and family members who knew I liked to draw, gave me all kinds of sketchbooks as gifts.

Generally, I couldn't wait to break them in but inevitably I ended up drawing in just a few pages and putting them away. So I have all these sketchbooks with one or two drawings and not much else. 

Fear of failure, fear of success, fear of anatomy, fear of ruining the book. Fear is a powerful thing. Remember: "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering, suffering leads to ugly drawings"

Back then I used to envy those compulsive sketchers. Me? I used to draw once a week and sometimes (when I got funky) I wouldn't pick up a pencil in months, so I know how that feels. Fear can paralyze you unless you take action and beat it.

Once I destroyed my fear of failure, the sky was the limit. I fear nothing and no one now, not even myself :)

Thought of The Day Jan 24, 2010

Five-Step-Solution for those who find it intimidating to fill a 100-page sketchbook: 

Step 1-Buy a cheap spiral bound, all-media sketchbook. Stay away from fancy books such as moleskins or leather bound books. If the sketchbook is luxurious or expensive, you'll be even more reluctant to draw in it and—god forbid— ruin its pristine pages. 

Leave the moleskins to professionals (and to the trendy fools)

Thought of The Day Jan 23, 2010

Today's Thought of the Day is being brought to you by the letter "H"

Thought of The Day Jan 22, 2010

Pornography is Erotic Art without the pretense. 

When my mother in law saw my books for the first time, she said: "Oh, I didn't know Alberto drew pornography!" my sister in law 'corrected' her: "No, it's not Pornography, it's Erotica" 

Personally, I don't know which one is worst. Ever since that day I quit explaining to people what I do, whenever I'm asked I just say "I Draw Naked Women"

Thought of The Day Jan 21, 2010

Most artists draw tiny comprehensive sketches (thumbnails) before they draw a final. This is so helpful in so many ways, I highly recommend it. 

But for those students who want to simplify the form I suggest doing thumbnails AFTER the final. Trust me, you'll learn lots from deconstructing your own drawing. 

I Often end up scrapping the final and keeping the thumb. 

F.U.  Usually a 'finished' piece is a dead piece, this is why Anthony Ryder and people like him do more harm than good to students of the form. So by re-drawing it the size of a thumbnail you'll get some of that energy back and a totally different drawing will emerge.

Thought of The Day Jan 20, 2009

Motivation works in mysterious ways. Mr. Tandazo, my life drawing teacher, whom I adored, back in the 10th grade told me: "You're all over the place, you lack discipline, you'll never become a successful artist" He was right, of course, but I hated him for saying it and vowed to one day prove him wrong.

I was so hurt that it never dawn on me (until fairly recently, anyway) that this was precisely what he wanted me to do.

Thought of The Day Jan 19, 2009

Never leave for tomorrow what you can do in about a month.

Thought of The Day Jan 18, 2010

Line drawing is the most important, hence the most difficult to master of all the disciplines in figurative art.

Most painters and sculptors are lousy at drawing. I guess they feel as if drawing is just a step towards the end result (which is true but it doesn't need to be)

It's a shame because if they'd learn how to draw, their work could gain greater insight and even more depth.

When I paint I solve complex foreshortening issues with specks of certain colors, in drawing I can't hide my ignorance behind cheap tricks.

Thought of The Day Jan 16, 2010

Back when I started drawing women I wished for long flowing lines to match the ideas in my head.

I found that the vellum paper finish (tracing, onion paper) against the wax of the Col-erase pencil made my lines smoother with minimum smudging. The strokes seemed to flow with almost effortlessly. I stopped using vellum but I do believe it helped a lot.

If you're looking to achieve more fluid and cleaner lines, give tracing paper a try.


F.U. After you have done the preliminary sketch, lay another sheet of vellum on top and go over it with the pencil as if you were inking it. Only this time you draw faster and without fear, using longer (and less) strokes. I used to do this several times until the drawing became sharper and streamlined.

By the third or fourth re-draw, you will clearly see the difference between the first and last sketches.

For really long lines, do what architects and industrial designers do when they project, put a dot on each end and draw the line in one take from dot to dot.

The idea is to gain confidence in your stroke, not much different than playing baseball or throwing a football around, the more confidence the more chances you'll take.

By drawing on top of your own sketch you won't be ruining the original so you can be as bold as you can be.

Thought of The Day Jan 13, 2010

There are two lines of work in the USA, which (in order to operate) don't require a state issued license.

Two industries where prices aren't regulated or determined by the market but rather set arbitrarily by the parties involved. Both businesses are so remarkably similar in nature that at times it's hard to tell one from the other.

The first profession is Art, the second one is called Prostitution.


Comment by Mary Apikos: But both are mediated by dealers and trafficers/pimps. Both involve people in power relationships in which one person usually gets fucked.