Asking for Help

Recently I shared my packing list for my upcoming trip to outer-space to search for slimy space slugs. This week I've been focusing on quick ink doodles as a means of loosening up and denying my inner perfectionist the satisfaction of drawing with a pencil and over-worrying and making too many edits. It's been good practice. But the one thing I just didn't love was how my quick sketch of Fox (my stuffed rabbit) was disproportioned. So I sought some help to learn how I could have improved my doodle of Fox.

Benjamin took the time to sit down with me and walk me through the whole process of making this sketch of Fox. He demonstrated what he was looking for and how he was assessing the subject and taught me a lot about observation and perspective. This is the sketch that he made for me as I observed his work.

Learning to draw and paint is a super vulnerable process for me and I feel inadequate, tender, private and reclusive about it all the time. So I'm especially grateful for people in my life that I can feel safe with who are able and willing to patiently share their skills and knowledge with me because I really do want to be an artist. I just have to come out of my shell sometimes... and that's really hard to do.

Benjamin is the safest person I know to be out of my shell with. My only regret is that he drew this gorgeous portrait of Fox on newsprint. I'll pick better paper next time, because everything he draws is great and something I'll want to save!