My art time today was scheduled then executed with precision because today is very important as I begin a drawing of one of my heroes Dr Martin Luther King Jr.
Pattie and I talked about Fandom Fitness about a week ago and we determined that if the book is going to be about super heroes we should include some real life super heroes. Plus considering the climate where, once again, the dark undercurrent of racism and police brutality in the country has sent many of us into a negative spiral of hate and destruction. I felt that drawing a man that changed the world with peace and civility needed to be represented and remembered.
Hopefully my drawing and posts over the next few days while I create my vision of Dr King will change the mind and actions of at least one individual. If that happens I will be happy.
I want to bring to light one of my favorite speeches of by Dr Martin Luther King Jr. This speech speaks to me as an artist and a person training hard to become the best I can at my craft. Check out my art tip post on this for more detailed information also.
“Even if it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, go on out and sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures; sweep streets like Handel and Beethoven composed music; sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry; sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven and earth will have to pause and say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well.’
If you can’t be a pine on the top of the hill be a scrub in the valley, but be the best little scrub. On the side of the hill be a bush if you can’t be a tree. If you can’t be a highway just be a trail. If you can’t be the Sun be a star.
It isn’t by size that you win or you fail be the best of whatever you are.
When you do this you’ve mastered the length of life.”
Dr, Martin Luther King Jr.
I only had about 30 minutes on the drawing today after all my previous exercises but the beginning is going so well that I’m hopeful that I can finish it in only a few sessions.
Ever post I do while drawing Dr King will be accompanied by an inspirational video, an inspirational quote and an amazing fact of his life.
I’m not getting tired of gestures in the least. I’m constantly challenged by them and today was no different. Even after I finish Nicolaide’s book I going to try and keep a regular practice of gesture drawing.
Today I drew a phone stand that has some really difficult geometric shapes to get correct in a short time.
Then I drew a scene from our walk to the grocery store yesterday. There was this whole family that had walked even further than we did to the store for groceries. It’s wonderful to see other practice virtues of Zest, Love and Connection with their family.
I’m still drawing the illustrations from Steve Huston’s book. The more I do this the more I commit what he is talking about to memory as well as understanding how hard it is to render these illustrations and how much practice I need in drawing.
My art time was scheduled well and I kept to that schedule.
My drawing skills need a lot of work and I will continue to perfect them as I create.
At only 34 years of age Dr Martin Luther King Jr gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. WOW!!
