{"id":1797,"date":"2016-04-21T15:30:53","date_gmt":"2016-04-21T15:30:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.elizabethfram.com\/Blog\/?p=1797"},"modified":"2016-04-21T15:30:53","modified_gmt":"2016-04-21T15:30:53","slug":"undeniable-practice-progress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.elizabethfram.com\/Blog\/undeniable-practice-progress\/","title":{"rendered":"Undeniable: Practice = Progress"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the many enjoyable aspects of traveling is that opportunities to pull out a sketchbook are plentiful, and doing so seems to be the best way\u00a0to cement detailed memories.<\/p>\n

\"DarkHorse\"

Dark Horse Espresso Bar<\/strong> \u00a92016 Elizabeth Fram \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 People working at their computers not only stay relatively still, but also assume some interesting, if subtle, postures.<\/p><\/div>\n

I love that there are multiple chances each day to\u00a0both make leisurely drawings, for example while lingering\u00a0in a restaurant,\u00a0or\u00a0to\u00a0squeeze in a quick sketch during a random 3-5 minute gap in whatever else we’re doing. I try to do likewise\u00a0in my regular day-to-day, but it’s much easier\u00a0on vacation when there\u00a0seems to be more time and\u00a0less to juggle.<\/p>\n

\"WaitingByElevatorsWeb\"

Waiting by the Elevators<\/strong> \u00a92016 Elizabeth Fram \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Filling a few moments while waiting for our car, I caught this young woman sitting with her pile of luggage by the hotel elevators.<\/p><\/div>\n

It’s one thing to draw an inanimate place-setting or the surrounding scene of tables and chairs, but images of people make a drawing come alive. And the more I sketch in public, the more I am finding my challenged ability to capture people quickly and accurately really needs to be addressed. The best and possibly only solution is practice.<\/p>\n

\"AllStarBandWeb\"

All Star Band<\/strong> \u00a9 2016 Elizabeth Fram \u00a0 Musicians make for great models.\u00a0Even though they aren’t static, their movements are repetitive allowing extra time to catch a shape or gesture. Drawing at\u00a0this jazz club had a couple of advantages:\u00a0we were close to the band and it was light enough that I didn’t have to strain to see the\u00a0page, benefits\u00a0one doesn’t usually have at a concert.<\/p><\/div>\n

I\u00a0rarely have time when I’m\u00a0out and about during the middle of the day to just hang out and draw people. And since it would be ideal to have a steady\u00a0stream of models whenever practicing,\u00a0for now I’ve decided it’s okay to\u00a0rely on my iPad and a timer in order to build up some practical capital in facility and speed. It works in a pinch, but I do keep in mind\u00a0that there is no substitute for working\u00a0“live”.<\/p>\n

\"Figure1\"

Checking Phone<\/strong> \u00a9 2016 Elizabeth Fram<\/p><\/div>\n

I bought\u00a0a cheap 100-page sketchbook in Toronto for just this purpose, and I’ve set a goal of filling it up by making 8-10 quick drawings at a sitting, giving myself about 3 minutes for each. I have a long way to go, but practice definitely makes a difference. I am at least\u00a0beginning to feel more comfortable placing features so that the figures aren’t just faceless beings.<\/p>\n

\"Figure2Web\"

Practice<\/strong> \u00a9 2016 Elizabeth Fram<\/p><\/div>\n

Also, I am using a mechanical pencil rather than a pen — not so that I can erase, but so that I can vary the line with pressure while keeping it, for the most part, in contact with the page in an effort to work on speed.<\/p>\n

Several of my trusty books have been\u00a0helpful resources:<\/p>\n