GroundHogsDay Art Challenge
As Ground Hog's Day just passed, it felt appropriate to write a blog post on a personal art challenge that I created for myself back at the end of 2019. The challenge was simple - to draw the same ballerina over and over again. Of course, each time I chose to do a different style to add some differentiation to the experience.
The first one is bottom right (pink dress) and the final is top left (dark grey). I chose this ballerina and pose as it was simple, elegant, and reminded me of Clara Stahlbaum in the Nutcracker. Plus, I thought the tutu dress was very beautiful.
In this blogpost, I wish to describe each style a bit. For the detailed images, feel free to check out my instagram @j.nadas.
1. Pink - She was done in the style of a Canadian artist Jeff Dillon. I really like the simplicity of his style by turning everything into wavy shapes that interlocked to form the larger shape. However, it became apparent that this style is not conducive in its current form to figurative.
2. Comic Minimalism - As a fan of comic books, I wanted to create a drawing where the thick outline was offset by the lighter lines inside. Although it turned out, I realized drawing her that her face was very difficult to get right. Especially, because the photo used a reference had the proportions appear off.
3. Realism - This one was done in my usual inked style where the line work attempts to capture the shadow and contours of the figure. Elegant and straightforward.
4. Comics - This took the comic book style with the dark shadows one step further. It is interesting to note, how much black actually exists in comic drawing.
5. Deconstructed Geometry - I do not recall where I saw this style, but it was the original method for creating 3D art. Where complicated figures were broken down into triangles. The smaller the triangles, the more computing power was required to render the image.
6. Shapes and Patterns - There was an artist on Instagram who drew the face of Frida Kahlo using only patterns, and it resonated with me. It's also the power of art, where random shapes and patterns can be formed together to create a totally different image; in this case a ballerina.
7. One line - Salventius is an artist that I follow on instagram, and he has perfected the one line drawing. This is where the artist does not pick up their pen as they draw the face, figure, or object. It provides simplicity in its complexity. You have to figure out where you will start and end. The pastel coloring was done to provide a 1970s retro look as well as to try out my new markers.
8. Picasso - This style is trying to mimic the masters penchant for abstract in a style that he invented. I find it always so interesting that when trying your hand at modern art, how difficult it is to make something beautiful. This is why artists like Picasso were geniuses.
9. Rough Sketch - The rough sketch is a difficult style to make look beautiful. But my first and one of my favorite contemporary artists, Derek Hess, has mastered this style. His artwork is primarily figures in a political or religious setting. There are many angels and demons struggling with the world around them. He has had many internal struggles that come through in his artwork, and he is open and honest about them to provide support to the rest of us.
All in all, it was a fun challenge. What would be even interesting, is to do the same style and see what changes would occur between drawing. However, this is probably where madness begins.