Blades of Grass
Last night I was working on some pencil drawings, and I realized that this is how it all started, how I became an artist...with a simple pencil and paper. I had always liked to draw when I was a kid, mostly cars. But I never took it very seriously. Then when I was in college, I took a class, Drawing 101, that's when everything changed.
I had no idea what I wanted to be when I was growing up. My parents insisted that I be a lawyer, or a dentist. I had no real desire of becoming either one, but since I didn't know what I wanted to do, I just went along with it. Soon, it became apparent that they EXPECTED me to become a laywer. (me, a lawyer? ha!)
So when I took that class, it was like a personal revelation. I had a great teacher, he would take personal time with each student. The most important thing I learned was simply to 'draw what you see'. So I took that very literally and drew as close to real as I could. The assignments were pretty straightforward, the teacher would assign a topic for the week, then we would draw something, then on Friday everyone put their drawings on the wall and the class would critique them. This drawing was the first one I did. I was astonished at the positive feedback I got, this was the first thing I was ever 'good at'...and more importantly, I loved doing it. From then on, I drew all the time, dozens and dozens of drawings. It was like a blade of grass had sprouted in my soul and was now flourishing into a lush garden. Friends and family were very impressed, and I would draw things for them, portraits, their houses, things like that. My parents were very proud, but they only saw it as a pleasant diversion, like a hobby. they had no idea that I had discovered what I wanted to do...what I wanted to BE. They were still dead-set on the lawyer thing. So when I told them that this is what I wanted to do for a living, they hit the roof. They felt angry and betrayed, and would never cease to discourage me from taking that path. But I resisted, and I did compromise by completing my business degree 'just in case'....
So as I entered the Real World, I landed a job at a computer company, drawing technical illustrations for user manuals. It didn't pay a whole lot, but I was making my way in the world, doing what I loved...drawing.
I got laid off, and it was a struggle in the 80's, doing temp jobs here and there. Then in 1988, a new medium was emerging, computer graphics. And I was lucky, I got a job at a game company and things just took off from there. Somewhere along the way, I stopped drawing, but I did take up painting, and did that as a hobby.
In 2001, I got laid off again...and again it's been a struggle, as I take on gigs here and there. Sometimes I think, well, maybe my parents were right after all....but lately I've been drawing with pencils again, and I realize I've come full circle. It feels good to draw...like a blade of grass coming up through a crack in the sidewalk.
I had no idea what I wanted to be when I was growing up. My parents insisted that I be a lawyer, or a dentist. I had no real desire of becoming either one, but since I didn't know what I wanted to do, I just went along with it. Soon, it became apparent that they EXPECTED me to become a laywer. (me, a lawyer? ha!)
So when I took that class, it was like a personal revelation. I had a great teacher, he would take personal time with each student. The most important thing I learned was simply to 'draw what you see'. So I took that very literally and drew as close to real as I could. The assignments were pretty straightforward, the teacher would assign a topic for the week, then we would draw something, then on Friday everyone put their drawings on the wall and the class would critique them. This drawing was the first one I did. I was astonished at the positive feedback I got, this was the first thing I was ever 'good at'...and more importantly, I loved doing it. From then on, I drew all the time, dozens and dozens of drawings. It was like a blade of grass had sprouted in my soul and was now flourishing into a lush garden. Friends and family were very impressed, and I would draw things for them, portraits, their houses, things like that. My parents were very proud, but they only saw it as a pleasant diversion, like a hobby. they had no idea that I had discovered what I wanted to do...what I wanted to BE. They were still dead-set on the lawyer thing. So when I told them that this is what I wanted to do for a living, they hit the roof. They felt angry and betrayed, and would never cease to discourage me from taking that path. But I resisted, and I did compromise by completing my business degree 'just in case'....
So as I entered the Real World, I landed a job at a computer company, drawing technical illustrations for user manuals. It didn't pay a whole lot, but I was making my way in the world, doing what I loved...drawing.
I got laid off, and it was a struggle in the 80's, doing temp jobs here and there. Then in 1988, a new medium was emerging, computer graphics. And I was lucky, I got a job at a game company and things just took off from there. Somewhere along the way, I stopped drawing, but I did take up painting, and did that as a hobby.
In 2001, I got laid off again...and again it's been a struggle, as I take on gigs here and there. Sometimes I think, well, maybe my parents were right after all....but lately I've been drawing with pencils again, and I realize I've come full circle. It feels good to draw...like a blade of grass coming up through a crack in the sidewalk.
posted by Olias at 2:44 PM
2 Comments:
You're an amazing pencil artist and I truly believe in your success.
Annnd, considerin' you're terrified of dentists and you don't have the personality of a lawyer, you make the most perfect artist. I really hope you continue with your drawings in a huge way!
Greets to the webmaster of this wonderful site! Keep up the good work. Thanks.
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