First Sketch

I've always been pretty good at drawing.  When I started Junior High School back in 1975 we had to take all the usual core subjects, plus two options.  The guidance counselors scared me into taking French, insisting that I would need it to enter University, or in my working career.  I had already taken French from grade 4 onward.  The other options that we could choose from were Band, Drama and Art.  I chose Art, and in Grade 7 I got honors at the top male art student in my grade.  The school I attended had about 450 students in three grades.  When grade 8 came along I had to choose from six options.... the four from Grade seven, but now Industrial Arts and Home Economics were added to the mix.  I knew that I wanted Industrial Arts, as that was where my career objectives were directed.  And I was convinced by the counselors that French was really important... so I dropped Art.  One of the biggest mistakes of my education.  I continued to take French right through until Grade Ten, before I finally got smart and dropped it.  What a mistake....!  Never used it, never learned it properly, and to this day, despite seven years of schooling, can't speak more than a few words.

In High School I never did find my way back to Art.  But I did take drafting, and learned all about perspective drawing.  I actually put that education to use and was responsible for all of the design and drafting work in my skylight company during my 40 year working career.  I never did go to University, and started working with my Dad the day after I finished high school in 1981.  I stayed at the job until I retired, two months ago, in December of 2021.

Now that I am retired, I have circled back to art.  I took up the guitar a few years back and continue to plunk away at that.  Recently I bought some pencils and paper and want to return to doing some sketching.  I bought a DVD drawing course from a company called "The Great Courses".  This is a 36 lecture course by Professor David Brody of the University of Washington.  I haven't done any of the assignments yet, but I've listened to about 2/3 of the lectures, so far.  This has refreshed my past experiences and I was somewhat surprised to see the overlap between my Junior High art class, and my High School drafting classes.  A couple of years ago I played around with some pen and ink drawings, and added a wash of watercolor.  I want to return to this as well.  And, I want to learn some painting, and have bought another DVD course from "The Great Courses" on watercolor.

Yesterday, as I was sitting at my breakfast nook at the cottage, I took up my pencils and my sketch pad and attempted to draw some aspen trunks.  I have attached a snapshot of my sketch... the first one I have attempted in many years.  This is an image composed in my mind, based on the trees I was looking at out in my yard.  I think its a good start... though I have a ways to go...