My last post for the year is an inchie overview of July. Hands down, doing the inchie drawings have been my favorite.Here are a few thoughts on my journey for this project:
This journey started last year when I decided I wanted to improve my drawing skills. In July 2008, I took a three day workshop called “Spirit of the Sketch”. Then I read Margie Boule's column in the Oregonian about Marc Acito who was doing one new thing a day for a whole year. I thought it was a great idea and decided to that I would like to do a drawing a day for a whole year. I started at the end of July but after a couple of days, “things” started to happen. I realized that I needed to make a commitment, so to keep myself accountable I decided to start a blog. Thanks to Paula who helped me start and fine tune my blog. And a huge thanks to her for designing and making my new header!!!
I have drawn every day since last August 1st. I posted a drawing everyday to my blog except for a couple of times when I had computer issues. How this worked is that I drew everyday, even when I didn’t feel like I wanted to, sometimes for only fifteen minutes (only a few days were this short) and sometimes as much as three to four hours. I would guess the average was about an hour to an hour and a half a day. The drawing you see each day might have taken a couple of days to finish. I always drew enough to make sure I had a drawing to post.
Looking back over the past year’s drawings, I am not sure I have improved as much as I might have wanted. I feel that taking the Spirit of the Sketch workshop again has given me some new tools that I look forward to using. What my hopes would be going forward is to become better at on the spot sketching and I want to continue to improve my skills at drawing people. I plan to continue to draw on a consistant basis but haven't decided how much I will post. Hopefully I'll maybe post once a week. What I did learn was that if I make up my mind to do something and know how important keeping my word to myself is, that I can do it. My biggest surprise on this journey was giving my TV, something I never thought I would ever do.
Thanks to everyone who followed my journey and left comments. Everyone’s support was greatly appreciated along the way.
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30 comments:
Congratulations, that is really, really, really something to be proud of! Hope you won't stop, Leigh, or are you aiming at something different now?
I'm inspired to try the same kind of project, especially using your inchie grid - oh, I haven't forgotten that you blessed me with it, thank you so much!
It's really an inspiration to see your work.
hugs,
Pippa
What a wonderful accomplishment Leigh! Congratulations on reaching your goal and being so creative!!! I love this Inchie piece and see several items from the Sketch class. I think you've done a terrific job of drawing and posting daily over the past year. Your drawing has improved steadily thoughout the year. Like you, I want to keep drawing and sketching, and as you wrote, even 15 minutes a day is important. Thanks for sharing your year.
Good for you, Leigh!! Congrats on your fulfilling your commitment. Your drawings are wonderful!
Leigh, I am so proud of you and have seen a great change in you and in your art. Commitment changes us, doesn't it? I hope you will continue to draw daily! Your friend, Lenall
Congratulations Leigh! It's a huge accomplishment and I''m inspired by your journey!
You should be so proud of yourself. First, for setting a goal and sticking to it every day and second, for the improvement you have made over the year. You can see definite improvement from the first months to the last. You have a clean and simple style and a good sense of color. Good luck on your next venture. You can achieve anything you desire. Your friend and neighbor...Judy
Leigh CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!!!
You are awesome, one year OMG !
I love your on the fly sketching of people and I will look once a week for more. Way to go !!!
OMG is right. Do you know how inspiring this has been! Because of you I did a painting a day while on vacation. These kind of committments are really powerful. My favorites are the life drawings.
I wonder what you'll be up to next.
Fondly,
Suzie
You did it! What an accomplishment! And what a wonderful anthology of art you have created. It will be very fun in years to come to look back at it and recall the many challenging, productive and memorable moments of the past year.
So what's your next mountain to climb?!
Yours,
Art
My congrats as well! I started sketching daily in Jan 2006 and believe it is one of the most fulfilling parts of each day - even if it is only a 5 min figure sketch right before bed. It was great fun to look at your overviews - especially when you decribed some of the exercises from your workshop. Any other ones that you especially liked and will use again in the future?
Congratulations Leigh! This is truly a hard and meaningful work! And the result of the mosaic style I'd say it's absolutely astonishing :)
It gives a total mixed feeling, and each time says a little about something, and overall, a great story-teller piece! :)
Congrats!! What an amazing accomplishment! You should be so very proud of yourself.
PS- The inchies and mozaics are especially wonderful.
Congratulations! Happy Birthday! Keep up the great work!
Sherrie
Leigh, this is really amazing. You have accomplished a goal many of us still dream about ;). The continuity of your work is really powerful. The idea of the tiny inchies is GREAT. Congratulations with all my heart.
How very proud you must feel - to set such a daunting goal, and to meet it is nothing shy of AWESOME. and of course your work has improved and inspired. Love those inchies! As Minerva beautifully said:
Congratulations with all my heart!
Hi again Leigh, I posted my Sketch Class photos to my blog after seeing yours. Take a look if you get a minute. Congrats again and I hope you keep posting to your blog regularly!!
Leigh, what an amazing accomplishment this is. An ENTIRE year! One month of daily posting just about overwhelmed me last year. I can't imagine how very good you feel .. knowing that you've been SO productive.
HURRAH for you!
Congrats Leigh....it must be a gr8 feeling for you...Here's wishing you all the very Best to keep sketching and painting for years to come...
CONGRATULATIONS!!! And a Fabulous year!!
Way to go. What an inspiration to everyone. I'm sure it feels really good, and your drawings are wonderful! nancy
Good for you, Leigh!!! I know what a big accomplishment this all too well---I did the very same thing in 2006! Aren't you SO glad you've done it successfully ---and it's over? ;D.
I've enjoyed looking at your sketches and seeing you change and grow. Here's to another year of drawing (but NOT being tied to an every day deadline!)
Congratulations Leigh!! I am so glad that you have shared this journey with the rest of us - it is truly inspirational!
Your new blog header looks great :-)
Congratulations, Leigh, for sticking to your drawing-a-day commitment and creating a year full of inspiration. Your different techniques with the same subject, inchies and life drawings inspired me the most. Thank you for sharing your journey.
You did it!!!! Congratulations on completing the year. That is truly awesome. Thank you for sharing your journey and your beautiful art!
Congratulations, Leigh! Your drawings are wonderful!
I've been drawing every day for over a year too, sometimes 2-3 a day. I don't have pictures of all of them yet, but it has really helped my drawing skills and my confidence. I used to hate drawing, and now I love it. I don't want to get out of the habit if I can help it either. :)
Congratulations, Leigh! I'm so in awe of you for attempting -- and finishing -- a challenge like this. Remarkable!
Leigh-
You are an inspiration. Such great work. You should work on a graphic novel now!
Debby
Congrats! I really loved your pill drawings. Your classwork was terrific too.
I think your drawing improved over the year even if you don't see it.
Jill
Leigh,
I just looked at your blogspot and realized that you had COMPLETED your year. I had forgotten just when you had started. I am so proud of you and amazed at your drawing skills now.
It was a really big commitment you made to yourself and your art. You should be really, really proud of yourself.
--Blessings,--Judi
Awesome idea! I'm going to try the 'inchies' with my students... that oughtta get them drawing! How could a square inch of paper intimidate anyone?
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