Quick Timer Drawings

Life

13 May

I’ve always enjoyed life drawing - despite really NOT enjoying drawing people. I like the feeling of looseness and freedom that life drawing brings, especially for the quick drawings (1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes). I’ve taken a few online life drawing classes over the last couple of years, and I’ve really enjoyed them but couldn’t find a way to connect that practice with my usual work.

On a recent trip to Kew Gardens, I made a detour on the way home and stopped at The London Graphic Centre and the beautiful Choosing Keeping. Among many other treats (because I cannot be trusted in any art/stationery shop!), I picked up a pad of newsprint paper, with no real intention of what to use it for.

A few days later I was sat at my desk, stuck for what to draw but wanting to be creative. I grabbed the newsprint, found a reference image, and drew for a few minutes. The cheap paper made me feel less precious over the drawing I was creating and I noticed that I completed the image in only 5 minutes. So I decided to challenge. myself and for the next drawing I set a timer for 3 minutes. I did a few of these and they served as a great warm-up exercise, inspiring the artwork I did later in the day.

Without realising it, I found myself the perfect combination of life drawing and botanical art.

In just 15 minutes at the start of my day I can create 5 new drawings and feel inspired to get started on my work for the day.

So far these have all been 3 minutes, which is just enough to time for me to complete the drawing but not over think the details. I’m going to try some shorter times, and potentially some longer ones but bringing colour in to the drawings too. I’ve been struggling to find “my way” of working with colour, so putting a timer on that might help me make some quick decisions too.

I’m hoping to make this a part of my routine (although I’ll quickly run out of room for all the drawings!) and it’s a great use for any scrap paper lying around too!