Muses Dancing
There comes a moment when you know that inspiration is about to hit. A drawing is finished as part of the daily practice and it is often forgotten a few minutes later. Other times a drawing becomes inspiration for something else, for something bigger. I draw everyday as part of a discipline not thinking too much about it specially now that I don’t have studio space. I am trying to remain calm and don’t try to start a new piece either painting or sculpture, but this sketch I just finished is inspiring me to put it up on a large canvas that is still sealed waiting for me. I can feel the muses dancing around. I was so close to unwrap the canvas and begin drawing. I had to stop myself. I’ve been worked too many hours in front of the computer and my eyes are getting tired. However, tomorrow is another day. I wonder how graphite pencil looks on canvas. Maybe I could add some splashes of color here and there. I’ll think about it tonight. Better yet, I’ll dream about it.
Tomorrow I’ll know if inspiration was strong enough. Maybe I can wait a little longer before I commit to it. There is no rush and it is possible that this hint of inspiration is just preparation for something else. Perhaps I should wait until the time is right to start a new ‘serious’ art piece. I have limited space and too many pieces to get rid of before I create anything else. I can keep enjoying the muses dancing for a little longer. Let’s see what the day brings tomorrow, or the next day. I’ll keep drawing in my little sketchbook.
Drawing is a great visual-spatial exercise that allows the artist to save an idea on a surface on which it can develop to become a piece of art. Some people consider that first draft or what we call gesture drawing as an acceptable technique to be in itself a work of art. Either way, the process of drawing is helping the development of visual coordination, space management, composition, proportions, angles, volume, shapes, light, and shadows, and other elements. The outline separates the main figure from the background and from other objects to understand the position of each in relationship with the others. These skills can be transferred to other domains as interior design, architecture, fashion, web design, and graphic design.
Drawing also provides relaxation, and meditation benefits. It is a good exercise to just draw for a few minutes as part of a daily discipline. In those moments those drawings might not seem or considered a finished product, but the fact that one is getting involved in the creating process, one is building bridges neurologically and cognitively that could lead to complete works of art in the future. The original idea might change, evolve, develop, or remain the same. It could be just a foundation, or a detail element. One might not use that idea for a long time if you use it at all. The most important aspect is that moment. Is about drawing for the sake of it.
At the moment I am going to some life transitions and my time in the studio was reduced to taking care of other things. However, forcing myself to draw daily not only keeps me connected to a studio like habit but also is a chance to connect to my artistic roots and to develop ideas for the future. Drawing is also a form of study. It helps me understand the figure a little better while I can continue improving my technique.
Drawing is also a lot of fun. It distracts the mind from the daily madness and relaxes the senses. It also sharpens the eye-hand coordination. “Practice. Practice. Practice…” its what I tell people. Of course, it is all about having fun with it too. Interestingly, I received messages and comments of people who identify with this drawings and feel connected to them. Specially women who find emotional healing in art. That is very good to know. It is inspiring, encouraging, and motivating.
Three Way Interpretation
The first
one has the extra long hair. It was a lot of fun adding all that extra paint around the figure. I tried to keep the figure as monochromatic as I could. Based on this result I decided to paint the other two on longer canvases I wanted to recycle. That’s something you maybe didn’t know. When people talk about the mysteries of Leonardo’s multilayered paintings I just laugh. Sometimes, not to say many times, I paint over paintings I don’t like that much, and over again. 
I can’t wait until someone decides to x-ray one of them. Nevertheless, I covered the previous paintings and continued the fairies. The third one was inspired on the pencil sketch. There is a sequence of the process in Instagram and Facebook. I didn’t stop there. I tried a sculpture with the same sketch. After all, I am a sculptor primarily.