Title: Draw Like a Shark Is Literally Behind You
Goals
It’s easy to become satisfied with one’s skills level and get into a comfy, soft rut. This is why I’ve titled my project “Draw Like a Shark Is Literally Behind You.” When I remember my mortality and think about what I fear most (sharks), it motivates me to do what is difficult. I also considered the titles “Draw Like Your Arm’s On Fire,” “Draw Because You’re Going to Die,” and “You Have No Choice; You Have to Do This.”
One of my biggest professional goals is to become an excellent drawing teacher. Becoming a disciplined master of the “seeing-and-drawing act” is the fundamental artistic skill. I would like to absorb the concepts of drawing so completely that I can articulate them to anyone. With this in mind, I need to start rapidly upping my game and treating my discipline with the proper respect it deserves. After graduating school, I’ve allowed myself to become distracted by my job and now by graduate school. I tell myself that other things are more important. But I’m very tired of making excuses for myself. I’m determined to get back on my drawing horse.
This is not a project that I will be able to complete in a few short weeks, but it will be a good way to get started.
The following are my learning objectives:
- I will understand the planes of the head backwards and forwards and be able to invent a head from any angle.
- I will be able to invent a simplified human figure in a number of positions.
- I will also make an outline of knowledge and skill goals for myself. If I don’t write these down, my course of study in the future will be aimless, and I will have no idea how to judge my progress. This will also help me when I’m a teacher.
Resources and Learning Materials
I will be using books and online resources as guides. I plan to make endorsements of the materials I reference on my blog.
Among the books I will refer to:
- Drawing by Seeing by Hoyt L Sherman
- Art Fundamentals: Theory and Practice, 6th edition by Otto G. Ocvirk et al.
- Classic Human Anatomy in Motion by Valerie L. Winslow
- Human Anatomy & Figure Drawing by Jack Kramer
Among the online resources I will reference:
- Proko (YouTube channel by artist and teacher Stan Prokopenko)
- Guidetodrawing.com (artist Bill Martin’s website)
- Other Youtube channels
Documentation of Progress
I plan on doing written blog posts, sharing lots of photo documentation, and maybe even some videos. As I stated before, I will be sharing my thoughts and reflections on the drawing books and online resources I use.
Planned Timeline* will flesh out in more detail
Week 1 (Oct 12) Outline of skills, Head drawing, simplified features of the head
Week 2 (Oct 19) Study body landmarks, invent simplified forms for all major body masses
Week 3 (Oct 26 More head drawing
Week 4 (Nov 2) Put the body masses together
Week 5 (Nov 9) More head drawing
Week 6 (Nov 16) Putting the whole body together
Possible Challenges
My biggest challenge will be willpower. When a day passes by without drawing, the inertia of inaction will grow. My biggest fear is that I’ll end up doing drawings which don’t push myself to my personal limit, knowing that my drawing capabilities are already above what most people are capable of. I want to feel at the end of this that I’ve genuinely made gains, not just settled by making average drawings that I know will be sufficient to impress others. I don’t want to settle with my present ability, which is something I know I’m guilty of doing.
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