An artist’s dilemma - I don’t like drawing. What can you do about it?

Detail from a painting by Peter Howson.

His paintings are usually drawn from imagination with little planning in advance, which is a real test of his drawing ability. Luckily, his skills are more than up to it!

I reckon it’s not too common but I also suspect that I am not the only artist out there, who is not a huge fan of drawing. I can do it to an OK level but am certainly not a master of it! My level of ability allows me to make the art that I want to and get onto the fun stuff, like painting, swiftly. In the past I have found drawing as a creative block because the time, effort and frustration expended on the drawing process has meant I then lacked motivation to paint or, as was often the case, the drawing was not good enough or helpful in allowing me to produce a piece of work that I could be pleased with and proud of.

Etching by Peter Howson.

Always been my favourite. Howson’s paintings are unreal but he makes drawing look so easy too - his work should be in every gallery round the world but sadly it is not and mostly in private collections.

Painting by George Condo.

George Condo often refers to paintings from the history of art.

Since art college I have flittered between art and creative styles but never managed to settle on something to repeat and produce a body of work that related to each other stylistically. At the start of the first lockdown I wanted to use the time productively and focus on my art, as I had some time away from work. I knew I needed to address my drawing if I was going to make any progress because it had been a decade since leaving art college and nothing had worked yet. I studied, read and worked hard with the extra time. I have always loved Peter Howson’s art but knew my drawing and understanding of anatomy was not up to his level so needed to look elsewhere - step up George Condo and Yoshitomo Nara! I have loved Yoshitomo Nara for as long as I have loved Peter Howson, and George Condo had grown on me over the years. I thought their drawing was simple (that is not to say easy) and something I could refer to in trying to make the drawing process easier and less frustrating for me - to save you reading anymore, it worked!

Paintings and drawings by Yoshitomo Nara.

Got to love Yoshitomo Nara’s work - so fun but serious.

I produced a drawing on paper (it was a self-portrait) that I felt just worked and thought it was a simple approach that I could repeat. It has evolved a bit over time but I have kept certain rules. I now use technology a lot more in the drawing and planning stage. Working with an iPad and Procreate. The iPad was expensive but Procreate is super cheap, especially given how brilliant the program is! Similarly the iPad saves me money, time and energy in terms of not needing more art and drawing equipment, paper etc… but also all the failed attempts strewn all over the place that need tidying up.

Self Portrait: Artist as a Young Man (Boy) or Clean Shaved - 2020 - Oil on canvas

Sort of where it started. Draw a round shape, divide it into four sections and add features to match.

Digital drawing of If found, please return to Alan Measles

The initial Procreate drawing that will be used for a range of mediums and finished pieces.

Once I have my completed drawing I then use it as widely as possible. Generally I intend to turn the digital drawings into oil paintings but these take a lot of time and so there is quite a queue and some won’t ever end up on canvas. Instead they will be digital paintings and posters for everyone to enjoy. But that is not the end of it! If the drawing works, why stop there? I have adapted the drawings to turn them into pixel portraits but also drawings for alcohol markers (and watercolours but these have not been as successful) and other general play with different digital styles. I have even just started editing some for stickers - coming soon!

Digital drawing of If found, please return to Alan Measles

This a variation of an original drawing of Grayson Perry, destined to be an oil painting, that will also be used for a drawing with alcohol markers.

Digital drawing of If found, please return to Alan Measles

This digital painting of Grayson Perry is available as a poster but will also be minted as an NFT!

All of that with just one drawing - repair, reuse, recycle or rinse and repeat?