The ability to draw has helped enormously...here are some sketches that help to expand the mind, train the eye and quickly capture a moment. Many people in modern art deny this as a necessary skill. If the basics of drawing are there then a better painter you will be. Perspective, light and shadow and all those other things you need are so integral in any work that they are a must to master.
Most people would like to be able to draw like Michael Angelo or Leornardo Da Vinci, and its true that this ability to capture the world about us is an advantage. It is not so much about capturing the actual image in front of you it is more about arranging shapes on a page...perspective and composition.
A Preparatory Sketch:
This was done in "one sitting" and took about 15 minutes. It is a direct representation of the scene except for the removal or leaving out of telegraph poles and other items that are deemed to be non essential/non artistic.
The position of the "artist" is essential in order to give it the right perspective on the paper...It could be sketched from all sides, however this was the most pleasing composition.
This has not made it to the next stage (painting) and remains a project for a rainy day.
A Preparatory Sketch 2 :
L'Arch: I found this place off the autoroute on the outskirts of Grenoble in France in 1991.
It is I believe a chimney from an old house, however absolutely no other element exists around it to verify that hypothesis. The tree has grown on both sides...I have passed over the years and it still exists today.
Nature wins every time - reclaiming the land.
