From Drawing to Painting

Emily

above: charcoal on paper

below: oil on canvas

It is interesting to think about whether an artist is born with natural, God-given ability or whether it is learned. I think it's a bit of both. I believe that God created me the way I am for a purpose... I have a passion for art and He wants me to use it. At the same time, I know that much of my ability comes from hours and hours of practicing my drawing skills. (He gave me the interest so I wouldn't get bored though!)

Drawing is really a prerequisite for painting.  If a person struggles with being able to draw proportionately, he will still struggle with it whether he uses a paintbrush or a pencil. Achieving a likeness of someone means being able to measure proportions. A successful drawing also has a variation of values, good composition and perhaps some interesting texture. Paint adds another challenge on top of all that (not to mention color!) Mixing the paint, making sure the edges are visually compelling, waiting for it to dry... these all create their own challenges. I have found that it is very important to keep up my drawing skills because it makes my paintings go that much more smoothly.  I have enough to worry about without having to redo something because it was laid out incorrectly! Painting isn't necessarily more difficult, there are just other things to think about. It can actually be a lot more difficult to fix a drawing than an oil painting. Drawing and painting are very different mediums, but they complement each other so well!