Blog

Categories
Archives

Follow this Blog

Short Drawing Tip #2

By sheona Hamilton-Grant on 5/14/2013 5:00:22 AM Comment on this

Warm-up your drawing hand inside and out! Sounds weird? Over the last few years I have started to feel the flexibility leave my nibble fingers. The result of 20 plus years of heavy carrying, pulling, lumbering and shovelling I donated to equine maintenance. Two years ago, I wrote this post Hot mugs and sketched circles  in which I explain the benefits of holding a hot mug of water for as long as possible letting the heat penetrate as deeply as possible (outside warm-up) and how I then follow-up by scribbling in quick succession a series of mad circles swooping them in all directions (inside warm-up). Actually, the post gains a wee bit more depth and explains how Renoir battled with arthritis ... ( if you have a minute you really should have a read or re-read: it's still amazes me how he (Renoir) overcomes crippling pain to produce such beauty.) Today, I have added another step  to my routine and that is to scrunch (10-20 times) a miniature rugby ball (gets the blood flowing nicely).

Tip #2 Warm up your hand, arm, shoulder, body before starting a drawing session. This really makes getting into a flow and finding a good rhythm that much easier. May sound mad but the result on paper has proved it to be well worth it!

Comment on or Share this Article →

Short Drawing Tip #1

By Sheona Hamilton-Grant on 4/8/2013 12:40:31 PM Comment on this

The choice of paper is crucial to a successful drawing yet in it's importance (and choice) very overwhelming. All you need to do is start searching the internet to be confronted and snowed under by soooooo much information and choice.

Paper choice is very personal and something that has to be tried out, literally. Pencil (your pencil) has to make contact with the paper. No amount of reading what other artists like and use will guaranty your own success. Trial and error (sadly) are in this case your best friends. As a guide and to help you shed a little light on the question "what paper?" here are a few relevant points to watch out for:

  • If you want a drawing with strong contrast, lots of spontaneity and are not too bothered about detail and realism then a "toothy" rough paper would suit you well. Strathmore Drawing paper is a nice quality toothy paper as is Fabriano Artistico .
  • Always always make sure you choose a good quality art paper. All quality papers are acid free. This ensures your work of art does not turn yellow a few years down the line.  I also like my paper to be thick (at least 250g), this way it can withstand much more handling (or in my case manhandling) without creasing or showing too many signs of wear.
  • Determine which colour you like the best for your work. Each paper will be of a different white. I find that by putting a selection of different papers together you can really get a good idea about the variation in shades of white. As a rule of thumb : realism works well on a crisp white paper  whereas a softer more flowing drawing is better suited to a warm-toned paper.  
  • Once you have found your paper, made the paper choice you know fits like a glove, make sure you stock up  and have enough to last the waves of inspiration. Nothing is worse than running out of paper when you are under pressure from both your muse and dead-lines.
  • Make sure you use a piece of paper larger than you need. This will insure extra room for spontaneity, miscalculation and a all over nice drawing experience. (I've had a few drawings falling of the edge the paper and it is the most infuriating thing.)
SDT #1 
Take your time in choosing a paper. Make sure you like the feel, the look (ie colour), the quality and the way it responds to your drawing. Most art stores will allow you to sample papers, discover their qualities, before committing to buying. Use this opportunity to make your own personal choice, put a bunch of quality samples together, take them home and get scribbling!
p.s: this is #1 in my series of Short Drawing Tips. Hope you've enjoyed it. Stay tuned for #2....

Comment on or Share this Article →

The dissimilarities between professional and amateur

By Sheona Hamilton-Grant on 1/9/2013 10:31:27 AM Comment on this


Grandad' Story, Pencil on Paper

A short while ago, I mentioned, in passing, being a professional graphite artist and an amateur photographer. 
This led to the question: how do I draw the distinction between being a professional artist and an amateur photographer?
Now this turns out be a question laden with serious food for thought (and a rather long blog post)!

A pro is paid an amateur is not.
Rubbish answer.

After another quick head rummage, it became clear that this question had a mass of tangents to get lost down and that no straight forward answer would be possible.
Let’s go back to the question: how do I draw the distinction between being a professional and an amateur?
 Let’s see.
·       As a professional artist I draw for money as well as enjoyment.  As an amateur photographer for enjoyment alone.
·      Success, customer satisfaction and results are how I judge my graphite work whereas when I photograph participating is more important than the actual result.
·      I draw full-time, spend long hours in the studio; as an amateur photographer I shoot in my spare time.
·      I have to draw when commissioned but choose to shoot when I feel like it.
·      Drawing is my work, photography my hobby.
Where then does the line dividing being a professional and being an amateur lie?
Being a professional graphite artist has meant I have become more pragmatic, learned to  better my perspective, use a more systematic approach.
As an amateur photographer I still get easily lost in being over perfectionistic; sometimes overworking to the point where these improvements would not be worth the time and effort in the professional world.
As a pro I have also learned to make deadlines a priority. For many amateurs submitting work on time is far less important than perfectionism.
Being professional has also taught me how to accept criticism and how crucial this criticism actually is for my artistic growth.
(I know amateurs pretty hostile to it.)
As a professional a certain skill level is expected, not true for the amateur: there are no expectations. 

Once you start accepting money to draw you have to maintain high standards.
You have to stay in the game. 
This means keeping up to scratch, constantly improving and honing on skills be it by following workshops, self-teaching, reading, experimenting or interaction with other professionals. Never resting on your laurels.
Turning professional is one side of the coin, remaining professional the other.
You have to grow up, surpass mediocrity and stay focused.
You have to mature in both your work and as a person, deal with the lows just the same as with the highs, do the boring jobs as well as the fun ones.
Producing work with a “wow” factor is important, a passion that goes well beyond reason fundamental, but having the maturity to keep aiming for that end goal is crucial.
The line between being professional and amateur is complex, not as clear cut as I initially thought. 
It's a line that underlines a whole series of points aside from skill level (maturity, pragmatism, focus, resolve, integrity …)
 
In my case, I have drawn this division between my drawings and photographs simply because I am not ready to inflict the cold side of business, the performance pressure, the workload stress, encountered in my artistic career, onto my photography.
I don’t yet feel strong enough and consistent enough in my photography work to bring it into the professional world.
Sheltering, it behind the “amateur” shield gives me freedom and nonchalance never affordable as a professional.
While choosing to keep my photography on an amateur stand overindulging in the hunt for that perfect shot; it has to be underlined that I adore being a professional graphite artist. 
For over 15 years, my scribble friends and I have worked hard, grown strong, learned to take the pressure and thrive under scrutiny.
We are still chomping at the bit and ready to carry on up the sinuous twists and turns that make up the realities of our professional world.

p.s: for all of you now wondering what my photos look like here's a link that may help :D
http://sheona.pixyblog.com/page/Thumbnails

Comment on or Share this Article →

Where to (easily) find my studio blog Black on Grey on White

By on 1/8/2009 2:31:47 AM 1 Comment

Interested in finding out more about graphite art and my passion for pencils?

My studio blog "Black on Grey on White" is only ONE click away. (pssst: this is where all the insider info, works in progress and other interesting graphite art information is revealed!)

Click HERE and you will be escorted over to "Black on Grey on White"

Look forward to welcoming you there.

Sheona

 

Comment on or Share this Article →

When iron will falters...because of a kitten.

By Sheona Hamilton-Grant on 6/10/2008 8:03:32 AM 3 Comments

Sometimes iron will is just not enough.... and you really just have to go with the flow...

I had finished my morning session in the studio and was on my way to grab another cup of coffee before sitting down to do some research for my new post when... Jess appeared... out of a shoe box!
Deadlines were plugging at the back of my mind, phone calls had to be made, research started, end of the month exhibition logistically sorted out, washing sorted (yep I work from home!), printers organised (that's another story), promotional material indexed, shipping forms understood, prints priced, emails answered, filing done (not too difficult to postpone I agree) but, oh no, the list was still not long enough to shoo (no pun intended) away temptation!
No... I had to pick up my camera!
I had to get this cutie-pie on film (card!)
The battery was nearly full (good), the card empty (excellent), the light workable and the subject (Jess) in full action.
I shot nearly 50 pics before she stopped, shoe lace dangling from her tiny mouth, and looked round at me.
I'm sure the look she gave me was exactly the same as the one I received when disobeying as a child...
Why DID I pick up my camera?
Why didn't the amount of work hold me back?
Was it really the loss of willpower or was it something else?
I picked up my camera to follow my instinct.
I picked up my camera because the passion for my art, my work is forever present.
(Which artist doesn't keep adding crucial reference images either mentally or digitally?)
I picked up my camera out of sheer enthusiasm.
I picked up the camera because spontaneity had become stronger than common sense.
I picked up my camera because my iron will had let Beauty in.
As Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wisely said "Beauty is everywhere a welcome guest."
Quote taken from Robert Glenn's excellent pages of artistic quotes
I was stopped in my tracks by an 8 week old kitten.
This adorable beautiful feline has indirectly reminded me that art is all about enthusiasm, passion and spontaneity .
Here's one of the pics for your pleasure.
The other one is on the drawing board... I'll keep you posted...

Comment on or Share this Article →

Spring cleaning away my studio's winter blues

By Sheona Hamilton-Grant on 5/5/2008 4:04:02 AM Comment on this


Blue Sketch

For once the rain was not the "one" keeping me indoors....
No, the day was glorious unusually bright and sunny.  A real clichée of a spring day!
This, I am sure, is what brought on the urge, the incredible "not going to leave me alone" urge
to tidy-up, hoover, de-cluttered and refresh a studio still bogged down by the winter blues.

Don't run away yet, no cleaning, dusting or polishing technics will be  discussed or detailed in this post: promise.  
Allthought, I did get many household tools out and ended up using them 
(hoover, duster, glass cleaner, polish, rubbish bag...) and feel quite up on the subject.
Actually, I'd much preffer to show you what I found in my "organised" mess.
Apart from feeling on top of things again
(amazing how vanishing clutter can do that!),chuffed to bits for having conquered the pain of organising and knowing that no projects, commissions and tasks 
had been forgotten (found loads of ticked "to-do-lists"), I unearthed some little hidden sketches. 

Recovered from the under my pile of "must file" are a few of my naive attempts at colour.... 
Interesting how instead of destroying them I buried them...

Nice to be able today to revive them and give them a little light.
Here for your viewing is one simply known as "Blue Skech". 

p.s: Now the studio is done...the house really could benefit from a wee bit of freshning up.  
Good thing the urge has still not left me alone!

Cheers for now

Comment on or Share this Article →

Artist dedicated to art vs mother of two

By Sheona Hamilton-Grant on 10/24/2007 4:34:46 AM Comment on this

Ever had the feeling that your feet are never going to stop stamping out of frustration? 
Read on: this is my way letting off a little steam.
I'm a Mum.  I'm an artist. 
Both are driven by the heart, demand loads of love, energy, understanding and devotion. 
Are they compatible?  Absolutely. 
Are they rivals? Absolutely.
Both careers require time in bucket loads and are not 9 to 5 jobs. (Ironically, no matter how hard one tries 24 hours is the absolute max you can get out of 1 day!)
Both require huge amounts of flexibility (which eats up on the others time!) and both are rivals on the depletion of inner energy levels.
Who ends up winning?
Well at the moment my mother instinct has the upper hand (I am very glad to say!) so where does this leave my art? 
Gathering dust?
Hiding under piles of work?
On hold until tomorrow?
Waiting for the children to grow up?
NO, no no! (thank goodness!) 
Having to surrender, now and then, some of my art's needed time, flexibility and inner energy  leaves me with a determination and drive, when I am working, that I have never given it before. 
The determination to succeed and become the best artist I can, despite the unpredictability of motherhood, seems to be actually fueled and not hindered by this rivalry between being a Mum and an artist. 
It really has made me so much more determined and wanting to tackle bigger challenges.

So, back up to the studio: Xmas orders are coming in fast and so is the common cold!

Ciao ciao.


Comment on or Share this Article →

What is art?

By Sheona Hamilton-Grant on 10/6/2007 10:31:55 AM 1 Comment

What is art?  The question is huge.
Will answering this help me be more creative?
Will having answered this challenge me, make me grow?
Will giving an answer help me sell my art?
Yes on all counts.
Why? Quite simply because an answer will demand thought and careful thought at that. This will ultimately lead to having a good look out of the box , more knowledge,a better understanding of a vast subject and an increase in confidence.
The great thing is that the answer just like the subject of art can be as subjective and personal as one likes.
Art, is something that comes straight from the heart.
It is something which comes alive without boundaries. Making it unlimited.
Art is something that takes your mind places, your heart places.
In my case it has been a steady discovery of myself, a wonderful way of facing fear and dealing with life. A reason for stepping up to reality.
Art is the reward for patience, deep emotion and gritty determination.
Art causes the viewer to react, to feel, to think.
It connects with the viewer and becomes something that you (the viewer) cannot take your eyes off.
Something that stays anchored in ones memory.
Great art stirs thought and something very deep within.
(Interestingly enough The Fine art studio Newsletter's issue # 105 guest author Keith Bond covers this point in his good article "Art is language".....this is when I like to think that great minds think alike!)

There is something so intangible that makes art special and really, at the end of the day, it  boils down to what we like as individuals.

Have I come any closer to answering the question of what art is of what makes art art? Maybe not. One thing for sure is that I have been pondering about the answer for days now.
Tried to keep focusing on making some kind of sense of the ramifications the question has led to.
As I mentioned in the beginning , the nice thing is that there is no wrong answer and I feel as though have dotted my I' and crossed my T's...!
Back to the drawing board to let loose of some of that gritty determination...
Ciao ciao

Comment on or Share this Article →