Become a Better Instrument of Creativity

Snail With Stars
Snail With Stars

Good draftsmanship is the ability to record what you see with a drawing tool, but that skill does not necessarily lead to creativity. Creativity in drawing is the ability to interpret what you see or feel in a way that others connect with emotionally or visually. That certain something that makes art connect with others, and become more than the sum of its parts, is unique to each artist

Many people I meet are a little confused about the difference between creativity and skill and why we need both to make expressive art. Some tend to think that precise drawing is always a creative act, even if they are merely copying a photo from a magazine. Others think that each stroke they make should be unique and expressive even as they’re learning to draw. The first group may learn how to draw well, but their precise drawing style won’t necessarily produce creative art. The second group struggles with learning how to draw well because the principles of good draftsmanship feel so limiting that practicing becomes a nearly impossible chore, and their poor drawing skill may limit their range of expression.

The path, as always, is somewhere in the middle. If you want to draw creatively, learn good draftsmanship first. When you learn how to play music, there isn’t much art to it while you learn how to use the instrument, and that’s true about drawing too. After you know how to draw though, the muse has more to work with and you’ll be inspired to use all of your skills in the most creative ways possible. Knowing how to draw well makes you a more finely tuned instrument of the creative force, and that’s deeply satisfying.

carol

Author: Carol

I'm an artist, an accidental author, and lover of life. I grew up in Yorktown, Indiana, and I've been writing (and drawing) this website since 1999.

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