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About Me
- brian h. jones
- received his BFA from Indiana University, and his MFA from the University of Cincinnati. Brian is currently Professor of Fine Arts at Indiana University Southeast in New Albany. His work has been exhibited in over 35 solo exhibitions and in over 200 international, national, and regional exhibitions, receiving numerous awards at each level. Brian’s work is further represented in museum, university, and corporate collections, including the American Print Alliance, the Amity Art Foundation, Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, Biblioteque de France, Paris, the Huntsville Museum of Art, the Utah Museum of Art, the University of Louisville, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Brian has received over 15 individual artist fellowships, including to such programs as the MacDowell Colony, the Corporation of Yaddo, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts.
Drawing is about confronting ideas, about expanding ideas, about taking an idea and looking at it from a lot of different perspectives. How many ideas can you generate from the concept of 'democracy'? That's at least ten pages in your sketchbooks, words and images.
ReplyDeleteLOL, are you saying that you think we should try to draw democracy in our sketchbooks?
ReplyDeleteYou know, actually, that might be kind of a fun way for some of us new to drawing to start out there at least. Maybe even keep it up over the semester. But, we could start a thread for suggestions on themes and see what we each come up with for that theme.
I think for me the hardest thing is actually putting the pencil to paper the first time and coming up with initial ideas.
Don't worry about that "initial" idea, just look around you at all the things that are begging to be drawn. As you become more familiar and confident with your tools, the ideas will come. Do you have a cup of coffee with you right now? Draw it.
ReplyDeleteA good and fun way to get ideas is to take a book/magazine/etc... and find one word, then just write the words that follow it in your mind on paper. They don't have to make a complete thought or anything, ha I remembered that the word I was given was December and I ended up drawing a waterfall scene in a forest or something (nothing to do with December). It was just an exercise that a previous art teacher taught her students.
ReplyDeleteJournaling is difficult for me also. I have never used it as a place for ideas, I develop ideas in many ways, but mostly internally. The only thing I've found good about a journal is to make myself draw for practice. I hope to get some ideas out of this blog to help me utilize it more for refining ideas. Susan
ReplyDeleteFor those of you that have done journaling and kept a sketchbook already I have a question. What supplies do you keep in your backpack? I'm thinking all the little sticks will just break. Maybe a regular pencil, woodless pencil .... Suggestions?
ReplyDeleteI usually have a couple of pencils, eraser (I kind of like those clicky kind), sometimes I thow in a couple of charcoal pencils.
ReplyDeleteI use a hardback sketchbook that resembles a book. They have around 200 pages and last for a long time. I also carry around a retractable pencil, the type they use in drafting. It resembles a mechanical pencil but the lead is much larger 2mm and it has a sharpener built into the cap. I use a 2B lead for sketching which gives me a full range. That's all I carry. I don't really need to erase in my sketchbook. I like to see the forms and lines in there. I keep my kit easy and small otherwise I would probably leave it behind too much.
ReplyDeleteI agree. The less you have to deal with, the easier it will be to quickly put something on paper when an idea comes to you. You may want to change out the pencils for charcoal or ink to practice with other types of media once and a while.
ReplyDeleteI started on my sketchbook. I don't know how well you'll be able to see the pictures here, but, I put some on Photobucket.
ReplyDeletehttp://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/daughter_liberty/sketchbook/
I think for me one indespensible tool to have with me at all times will be my camera. That doesn't lie like I might to myself. :)
Let me know if you can see the pictures or if I need to make them bigger.
I looked at you drawings. I love the design on your vase, its really cool. You might want to make the images a little bit bigger, they are kind of small. Its hard to see all the detail.
ReplyDeleteThanks Allison. I tried to increase the size a bit and I will for future photos.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, that's a good profile picture of you. :)
Good job, Connie. I'm glad to see you posting your work in other places for additional feedback, and that you've gotten over that initial hump of getting something on that first page. I agree with Greg's suggestion, maybe throw a few Sharpies in your bag, ones with color and b/w.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip. I'll grab some at the store today.
ReplyDeletei find that keeping a journal/sketchbook is essential to my development as an artist. It is a great opportunity to work on drawing skills without the pressure of pleasing anyone other than yourself. It also acts as a documentation of progress. I have sketchbooks from my first year as an art student. Sometimes seeing progress in your development strengthens one's confidence and can aid those 'creative blocks' that we stumble into every once-in-awhile.
ReplyDelete