part 1 (drawings of Dido)
Yet more house tidying, yet more exciting discoveries of my ancient artwork. This time, of long-lost simple line figure studies, of my then-young wife Dido and of her friend and former ballet colleague, Frin.
Both, were natural and highly sketchable models as the images here attest, plus, I seem to have been in unusually relaxed with the old charcoal stick and conte crayon. My muses’ unaffected air and my good drawing form was a happy combination which I now look back upon, some 30 years later, with a deal of pride and not a little amazement.
Regular visitors to these posts will be aware of my respect for skilled drawing, and that I regard an ability to draw well as being the prime tool of any artist. Picture making without this tool is like attempting to speak without a tongue, with similar, incoherent results.
Sadly, modernism and later, abstract expressionism (admittedly with a few glorious exceptions – from Modigliani to Rothko), inadvertently gave free license for non-drawers to thrive, resulting in the often talentless gimmickry that infests so much of today’s “art world”.
Ho hum…
Fortunately, my utter disillusionment expressed above, came after I had time to make my own joyous-if-modest contribution to the corpus of half-decent picture-making, as these humble sketches bear evidence…
ARKS, ADAM AND AXARQUIA 
Most people never realize how difficult it is to do a simple line drawing like these.
I’m glad you found them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Ray. They remind me how pleasurable drawing can be, when one is in the right frame of mind.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for this, Adam. I really enjoyed the read and the look.
I have a great many of my dad’s fine line drawings gathering dust in the attic.
Your words in this piece, about the value of drawing skill, might have been a transcript of a conversation with my dad.
Your line drawings have a style of their own. While they share the “simplicity” quality, I wouldn’t mistake yours for his or his for yours.
Thanks again.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was thinking Ian that you should show some of your dad’s art on your blog – if you haven’t already.
LikeLike
You are right, of course, Adam, I should.
It would require some “attic archaeology” for most of them, although there are a few in frames around the house and flat, making them more accessible. I might attempt the “unframing/scanning” that would be required for one or two of those when I am in the mood.
LikeLiked by 1 person