Old Sketchbook Page - 2003

Old Art - Sketchbook page from 2003-02-21

Somewhere after High School I realized that if I wanted to improve my art, I had to stop drawing out of my head so much, and start actually looking more closely at the world around me to guide me on my feeble attempts at anatomy.

Along that line, I told myself I would get a larger sketchbook (since I tended to use incredibly tiny, portable ones), and that I would force myself inside to draw nothing fantasy inside: only from life or references. I also allowed myself to only use pen, so I would stay away from the temptation to rely too heavily on my eraser.

From this one trying exercise, I found I learned so much. And even though it's over eight years later, it's really fantastic to look back at those sketches and see just how hard I was pushing myself to learn and improve, and how much that drive has helped me through to the present day.

I found then, and even now, that the more I drew stuff I really had no innate interest in, that the more the knowledge sort of seeped into me and helped me on future drawings and increased my artistic vocabulary, and that while that process is painful, that it is incredibly enriching.

That, and I learned that no matter the season, I feel I have a long ways to go.

BTW: I believe all of these were referenced from magazines at/around the time I drew them.