Keys To Drawing With Imagination

Exercise 5 - Shading

In this exercise we were to trace a previous doodle, determine the light source and shade accordingly.




Exercise 6 - Multiplying

In this exercise we are instructed to first take a previous doodle and create a design by tracing on a radial.
We are then instructed to create a mirror image, also from a previous doodle.
I enjoyed this exercise and the results. I like the depth created by the spiral design of the radial and the mirror image reminds me of a crocodile.


Oooh, is that my imagination stirring?




Iconic Characters


Over the next pages of the book Bert talks us through his explanations and comes to 'Iconic Characters' Although this is not specified as an 'exercise' Bert suggests we practice creating Iconic Characters often, until we are comfortable with them and they become 'easy'.

He starts with the basic stick man, sketching it in a varied amount of positions/poses, he then moves onto more formed characters and suggests you should only move on once you find the present character 'easy' to portray. This is obviously an ongoing pursuit that one should practice and probably the reason it is not specified as an 'exercise' but perhaps more a way of life by setting aside a small amount of time on a regular basis?




Iconic characters


I skipped around with this process a bit, flitting from stick men to fat, round characters made from balls. (What can I say?...I was born to break rules!)

Still loaded with pain killers, feeling fairly lost, frustrated and lethargic, I flicked back through my pages today and noticed I had created 2 different 'species' of ballerina. Inspired, I reached for my large watercolour moleskin and began to sketch with a 0.1 pigment liner.





It isn't a masterpiece, merely a simple sketch, but it came at a time when I was feeling totally uninspired and unwell which would usually result in an unproductive day for me with an unimaginative sketch copied from a magazine at best. This illustration expresses my mood, the character is a creation of my own, it's personal, unique and most of all it's inspired...Today of all days!


I think this illustration proves that Bert Dodson knows what he is talking about, understands the process of thought, inspiration and creation. For me, it offers a positive push to stick with it and to continue through these exercises.