Museum Night-Asian Gallery

I got a chance to go to the DIA (Detroit Institute of Art) last night.  On Friday nights and Sunday afternoons the museum places drawing stations in different galleries for patrons to draw.  The bench/easel with paper and a pencil are provided.  The Asian gallery was for adults only and the Medieval gallery was for adults and children.  Some of the sketchers are from the university. It is inspiring to see some of their work.  Some of them will work on a sketch over time.  I don't get to go very often so I only do what I can in a hour or so.  This sketch took an hour.  I didn't work longer on it as I wanted to see the Picasso and Matisse exhibit.  It is a statue of Brahma-Shiva-Vishnu, made of granite by an unknown artist in the late 900's or early 1000's. Brahma is known as the creator, Vishnu as the preserver and Shiva as the transformer or destroyer. You can't see the one side of the statue in my sketch and I don't know which one is which, but I think that this might be Vishnu with Shiva face and hand showing on the one side.

Bitting off More than you can Chew!

The last time I went to the DIA to sketch I looked around and the statue I wanted to draw was already being worked on my a talented young artist. I hope to draw as well as she did. (The gallery selected was of revolution...both French and American.)  As I looked around to find something else to draw I noticed a display of funny heads, but I didn't feel like drawing them.  Some of the other statues had too much reflection from the lights on their cases for me to see clearly.   I noticed a plaster casting of men with an angel and although very detailed decided to try and draw it. I found out later that evening that the casting is from The Arc de Triomphe in Paris.  I got too caught up in the details at first and then started to get the heads of the figures positioned in the lower part of the drawing.  Of course this was too much for me to draw at my current level given the time of 3 hours.  If I go back and they are in this gallery I think I will take my sketch back to give work on it again.  I should next time pick an easier subject.  I think this drawing could take me at least 5 to 6 more visits to finish.  Although I got a good start on the heads and their location, but clearly I bit off more that I should.

Abstract Art

How does one express an emotion, the wind, or energy in drawing.  Modern art has tried to use methods, colors, shapes, and other techniques to go outside the box.  They wanted to move away from traditional ways and techniques.  Some modern art is hard to understand.  Some elicit very strong emotions.  I have found that I like some but there is much in this group of work that I don't  like or understand.  The drawing picture here is of a plaster sculpture called Between Lily and an Elephant Tusk. 
While in the museum drawing it I didn't see the sexual nature of the statue until I saw my drawing later.  In this drawing I wanted to do all my shading in cross hatching to improve in my use of that shading technique.  It was difficult for this large of a drawing.  I am trying to work on less is more in my drawings by not drawing everything.  This next week hope to draw several quick sketches with minimal line work.

Drawing in the Gallery with Friends

Drawing in the Islamic gallery was hard Friday night.  The lighting was concentrated on the art pieces so the rest of the area was pretty dark making it hard to see what you are drawing.  It didn't help that I was trying my new contacts out and they were bothering my eyes. 

The Islamic gallery doesn't have  statues or paintings of people.  I guess in the Muslim faith they don't believe in having paintings or statues of people.  The exhibit had pottery, mosaics, bottles, tiles, jewelry, swords, remands of rugs and tapestries.  I drew a bottle and an ewer.  An ewer is a pitcher.  I had to look up the term as the ewer looked like it might be a tea pot.  The ewer's metal work was so intercate that I didn't draw the patern because of time constraints. 

 My friend and co-worker Sharon and her daughter McKinsey join me.  They had the same excitement and fun that I have experienced and want to go again.  Which I hope to join them again.  Sharon was afraid to draw a mosaic she loved.  I hope like me she will next time give it a try. It was also nice to see a few artist from the last time.  One of them was reproducing the silver scroll work on one of the scabbard on the swords.  It was beautiful.

I am still working on doing a small sketch or drawing each day.  I want to work on my basic drawing skills.  I am going to keep my small sketch pad and pencil with me so I can use whatever opportunity comes my way.

Drawing in the gallery..

I found out that the Detroit Institute of Art has free drawing classes on Friday night and Sunday afternoon.  It was my first time drawing the human form.  It was so exciting and terrifying at the same time.  People are walking by as you draw.  I was so afraid that someone might say something negative.  The other artist drawing were very supportive and encouraging.  It was nice to see the various drawing techniques and skills of the other artist.  The class is held in various parts of the museum.  When I saw the statue of the girl bathing I pick the easel behind her as I found the view interesting.  I didn't draw her legs so I could make another drawing of the standing youth.  When I got home with the drawing I was so excited I couldn't sleep at first.  I also kept the drawings out for a week.  It was very satisfying to look at them.  I plan on going back soon.  Next time I need to work on drawing legs.