The Philosophy Discussion Forum

Pluto wrote: Do you think the drawing below is made by someone who cannot draw?

Is this a trick question?

Of course not, it's a serious question. I drew those four images from memory, didn't need to copy or reference them from photos are stills.

Pluto wrote:Of course not, it's a serious question. I drew those four images from memory, didn't need to copy or reference them from photos are stills.

I'm not surprised. Why would you want to reference any thing for that?
Can I ask how old you are?

It's a beautiful drawing. What has my age got to do with anything?

Pluto wrote:It's a beautiful drawing. What has my age got to do with anything?

What drawing?
Attitudes to art change through life, just wondered where you were at.

Good answer, tell me how old you think I am first then I'll tell you.

What drawing you say, the one I posted last, the one I used to show my drawing skills.

Pluto wrote:Good answer, tell me how old you think I am first then I'll tell you.

What drawing you say, the one I posted last, the one I used to show my drawing skills.

I think you've hung on to a belief that "copying" something is bad art, whilst only using your imagination is good art.
So I thought you were not long out of childhood, though mature enough to express yourself clearly, and with ideas you can put into practice. There is also some evidence that most of your art lessons (where ever they might have been) have not involved much technique but are totally concentrated on self expression.
Obviously there is not a set formula here, but I doubt you have reached 30.

As for myself I did have some limited technique lessons during my 1970s schooling but precious little to encourage a budding craftsman, which skill remained unrecognised, even by myself until I discovered the world of DIY and oil painting, which was all self taught.
During my adulthood I witnessed the hideous take-over of shit artists encouraged by the 'establishment' of invoice makers who demanded that 2 layers of un-mortared bricks, and piles of used tires in the shape of a submarine - were "Art".
Add to that the cynical and empty headed bed of Tracy Emin, I looked for the finer things in art.
Excellence is a worthy goal.
After I had cancer 8 years ago I was looking for something new. After a History MA: interesting but a dead end. I was thinking of signing up for Photoshop with Photography for an autumn course. Being a bit late I missed the sign on date , and looking through the list of "Adult Ed." classes suggested sculpture.
I like it. After a year, I did a year on stained glass, to test my love of sculpture, and decided that sculpture was the thing for me. I've done little else since, so I now clocked about five years starting from nothing.
I regard my art as a learning process and that this is an end in itself.
I'm 56 next week.

As for copying. Ask any of the great sculptors. The human body is an amazing thing. It takes experience, skill and verve to capture the textures, sinues, and the weight through the model. In a standing figure, when a small movement of the head changes every inch of the body right down to the angles, it is no mean feat to make a convincing figure.
Sculptors having worked their whole lives in dedicated study prefer to "copy" models from life.

Using models to hone your craft provides you with an artistic vocabulary.

When you are ready for a more abstract piece, you have a large pool of inspiration from which to work.

These four pics are of the same object.

Copying is fine. I copy things all the time, from films, tv, things I see, etc. This was copied (to the exact) from a news show on the 2005 Paris riots. A piece of graffiti caught my eye, the network chose to show it. The camera panned and stayed there for a 5 seconds I was recording and went back and copied exact what I saw. Why? So that the graffiti would exist in another form elsewhere, and also that it would be brought within the fold of art.
I can copy a statue and copy a graffiti, it is the same.

I'm nearly 50 years old.

Why did you make the sculpture of twisted heads and hands?

Pluto wrote:Why did you make the sculpture of twisted heads and hands?

And why isn't Jeremy Corbyn on it?

Hobbes' Choice wrote:

Screen Shot 2016-02-13 at 12.21.58.png

These four pics are of the same object.

WTF!

Did you make that?

Digging structures out of the firmament should pay dividends with artwork like that squire!

Pluto wrote:Why did you make the sculpture of twisted heads and hands?

I had a pile of hollowings from a sculpture just prepared for firing, and I decided to let rip with formal expression. Looking back I can see some influences; Munch, Dali, Lewis Chessmen, classical - abstract forms.
"why" is never a good question about art. It's like why did you decide to be born.

attofishpi wrote:

Hobbes' Choice wrote:

Screen Shot 2016-02-13 at 12.21.58.png

These four pics are of the same object.

WTF!

Did you make that?

Digging structures out of the firmament should pay dividends with artwork like that squire!

Yes I made it. Thanks for the compliment. If I were as good a salesman as I am an artist I might make enough money to carry on, and cover my costs.