Blind Portrait Challenge 2020
Each day, from Monday 23rd to Friday 27th November, I went live on my new Facebook group Creative Hands Tribe, and gave new instructions and variations on how to draw without looking at the page you are drawing on!
Blind drawing means simply gazing at the person or thing that you are drawing and letting your hand, holding whatever drawing tool you like, traces it's way...without lifting from the page, in one continuous looping, retracing, searching line....without you peeking at the drawing!
Why do this? When you are looking at what you are drawing, each line, each movement is a judgement, often subconscious or instinctive, but with an eye to "is this right?"
Drawing blind removes that judgement, that control. It can be incredibly liberating and some of those who took part said they would now be incorporating this practice into their usual drawing routine, for example, as a warm up exercise before a live portrait drawing class.
When you gaze at the face opposite you, for some this was another person (who may also have been drawing them at the same time...do give that a whirl!), themselves in a mirror or on their phone, or me in the live video, you start to see things in the face, in the person, that you don't see from glancing. When you then feel you have drawn the face, features, hair etc and look down to see what you have made, you are always surprised by what you have managed to find in a blind drawing of that person.
Over the week we varied the challenge, trying drawing with crayons, highlighter pens, sharpies, chalk, drawing on cardboard, packaging and envelopes. We tried drawing calm after a few tides of calming breath, we tried varying the energy with music and getting playful with colour.
You can see many of the results on Instagram #blindportraitchallenge2020 or come and join the Creative Hands Tribe group on Facebook. This group is open to artists and non-artists alike, for anyone who wants to have a little more creativity in their lives. It is open for you to share whatever you are working on and to offer or ask for a Creative Hand.
I will be adding more creative challenges to the Creative Hands Tribe and on social media in general...these are leading somewhere....yes...it's time for me to give you Online Courses in 2021! I know there are many people who, like me, long to be more creative, practise an artform, but feel nervous, unqualified, unprepared, stuck or just plain not-good-enough. I also know that these feelings are lies our psyche tells us to keep us safe, safe from judgement, from hurtful comments, from failure. My courses are aimed to guide you through those old stories and our the other side to artistic liberation. I will also be giving practical tuition on techniques, tools, colour mixing, how to rescue unfinished artworks, plus business stuff like social media marketing.
Spoilers! You heard it here first!
In the meantime....have a go at the blind portrait challenge. I can send you the instructions if you wish, but they are also in the Creative Hands Tribe. Post and tag #blindportraitchallenge2020 and #katemooresartist.
Let me know how you get on and what you might like to try your hand at in the future!
Enjoy!
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