Circles, Spirals, and Waves

Leave a comment on Day 2: Mastering the Stroke: Circles, Spirals, and Waves

Hello and welcome to my blog!

Today is the second day of my ambitious self-challenge:

CREATING A REALISTIC PORTRAIT IN 21 DAYS WITH MY RIGHT HAND!

The first 7 days of this challenge will focus specifically on learning to master the hand by performing seemingly very easy exercises involving circles, straight lines, curves, etc.

All of this might seem trivial compared to the final goal of this challenge, but hidden within these simplistic exercises lies the FOUNDATION of the technique essential to drawing: mastering the stroke!

For those of you old enough to have seen the movie KARATE KID, a cult classic from the 80s, what I am doing strongly resembles the thankless tasks that Miyagi, the old Karate master, imposes on young Daniel who came to him seeking knowledge of this Art! Indeed, the master makes him repaint his rickety fence, asks him to wash his old car over and over, asks him to catch flies with chopsticks, and other thankless, seemingly pointless tasks! And yet, it is by doing this—this tireless repetition of gestures that seem light-years away from the intended goal—that the wise old Miyagi teaches young Daniel the basic movements of karate!

We should take two essential lessons from this film, in my opinion:

 * even if we don't always understand why certain things must be done, when we are addressing someone who knows how to do it, it is better to listen!

 * and above all, you must DO!

It seems obvious, but in my experience, I have found that the opposite is more common!

There! That was my philosophical moment!!!

Drawing takes back its rightful place with the illustrated exercises below!

Exercise N°1: Waves

Still with the goal of controlling my hand movements and having a fluid stroke, I draw a wavy line, similar to a succession of waves!

 * I draw 5 complete lines of very regular waves, still using the lines and squares of my paper.

Correction: It took me no less than 12 lines to manage to draw one that was more or less correct!

Exercise N°2: Spirals

The goal of this exercise is to get the hand used to drawing with fluid movements without jerking! After the "appetizer" of the waves, we are increasing the difficulty!

 * I start with regular spirals over 3 lines,

 * I follow up with 3 new lines but by widening and then narrowing the spirals!

Well, the result is more than mixed, but the clock is ticking and I am very far from the expected result!

Exercise N°3: Circles

Like the first day, I draw 3 lines of perfect circles that I align like pearls on a necklace!

Then, I increase the difficulty by drawing 3 garlands of circles that grow larger and then smaller alternately and as regularly as possible!

challenge 2 exercise 3

There! Phew! The 15 minutes are up!!! Yesterday I was quite comfortable with the exercises, but today my hand is showing me its limits, and the urge to switch the pen to my other hand tickled me more than once, I must admit!!!

Can't wait for tomorrow!

See you soon!