"Why do we draw?"

[sleeperservice]

Seriously folks, I know this is such a general question that there are going to be some smartass answers but I'm interested in putting it out there for people to expand on.

Here's where I left off...

The other day I was in a conversation with the model in our studio about drawing. I asked her if she drew and she said that mostly she doodled. She went on to say that she drew a lot of monsters because most of the time that's what her doodles began to look like. So she'd develop them in that direction.

When she was young she lost sleep because of bad dreams. Her mother was a therapist and encouraged her to try and draw what she saw in her sleep. Gradually through doing this, she was able to identify what she was afraid of and stopped having bad dreams.

She said that to this day, when she gets stressed out, she feels the urge to grab a pencil and start sketching. When I replied that it seemed like a good idea but I'd never tried it before, she asked me how I dealt with my stress. And I replied that I needed medication for it. No, actually I said that I tried to analyze it away but it wasn't a very effective method. But it brought up that question again of "why do we draw?"

I think that I started drawing because I was trying to better define or describe what I saw in my mind as beautiful. Strangely enough it was figures with hands that looked like bird's wings and hair that looked like a bell on the head. The faces were always smiling. The entire effect was kinda like a Christmas tree ornament actually. From there I moved to environments...houses, trees, a smiling sun, roads. And then I discovered cartoon characters to copy...Garfield's expressions were my favorite, and then I discovered the world of photography. At that point my drawings got kinda weird. I started smudging shadows into things and making abstract outlines and filling them in with shapes and colors in order to make a chair look more like the chair in the photograph, or a small puddle of water to reflect the photographed sunset above it.

In my first art class, they introduced life drawing from the model, still life or landscape. I started copying the model in a similar way to the way I'd learned to copy from photographs. I started making stylized pictures of landscapes, portraits and still lifes using both photo reference and life reference. It was not until college that I became dissatisfied with the need to use reference to work from. I started thinking about how I would ever learn to draw or paint from the imagination again. I had images in my head that I remembered from an experience that I wanted to communicate in their full imagined glory.

Well, that long ramble leads me now to where I am. Studying at an atelier in order to master my observation and drawing process from life. What used to be a confusing mess of information when I approached it to draw, now has it's own unique order. I'm still not able to translate my imagination yet, but at least for right now, I can take what I see and understand what it is.

Will this path come back around to drawing what I see as beautiful? Is it any different to fall in love with what one is already seeing or to actually behold something that is beautiful in itself and communicate it to others faithfully? In other words, is it any different to give something a life that it may or may not have had before, than to describe that which already breathes a life of its own?

I'm interested in your responses... please go nuts.

[Kian]

To play God

[Blue]

Honestly: to give physical presence to those things which only before existed in my thoughts.

[l.e.b]

learning art is good for your brain

[Pixeldragoon]

TO make people believe something that's not real as much as possible. Not really escape reality, but to make another one, to say "What if?"

And girls always like someone who's good with their pencil! :D

[VirusArtist]

therapy, self expression, giving life to something, money, emptying the "ideas"-part of my brain... ;)

[dmitri]

...This topic just gave me this enlightment. Silly and stupid as it sounds, but this is it for me.

I draw because I really want to. :teeth:

[Zebz]

We draw to aleviate cold sores..

[asoir]

Not this thread again!

[fixx]

because if I didn't id' go insane. :D it's as vital as breathing to me.

oh yes, this again! muwhahaha

[seba_boi]

I get my inspiration to draw from the landlady once a month...

[D.Labruyere]

your story sounds more like why you started to draw :P ah well, I draw because I enjoy doing it (but I think anybody could have figured that out :P ) and started when I walked through a museum, it was just a local one, with paintings of a guy called rien poortvliet (don't know if you know him ) anyways, there I came to the conclusion, that I wanted to be able to do that to, started in my mind with the qeustion how all these fantastic painters did that and started to draw... I was quite little, 6 or 7. . .

[JERI]

It gives my hands something to handle other than my crotch.

[Interceptor]

To pick up chicks.

[Kresh]

get laid

[Big-Dave]

It gives my hands something to handle other than my crotch.

Why? One hand for a pencil and one for... ;)

For me, same as dmitri, cause I want to

[Partialartist]

I started to draw, because that's what kids did. You're given a coloring book, crayons, and whatever else to interpret the world as you see it. I used to draw with my little cousin all the time. I had sort of stopped, when one day, he gets in trouble in school for drawing a dinosaur with sharp teeth(crazy, I know). That one picture was better than anything I had ever done, so I began really practicing, because I wanted to be able to make something better than what he did. For the longest time, my desire to improve has been spurned on by having people around me who were equal to or better than me, and wanting to surpass them. In 6th grade, I got paid for the first time, to do a drawing. 50 cents to redraw a crappy knock off of Bugs Bunny that they saw me drawing. There was a kid in 7th grade who was getting a couple of bucks for his stuff, so naturally I had to improve to the point where my work was good enough to earn that much.

This continued until years later, when I hit a point where I was actually happy with my art. It was at this point where I started to lose my drive. My desire to be the best had faded, and I was doing work that was okay, but not leaps ahead of my previous pieces, like before. I started drawing less and less, went down a couple of notches in skill, and started to question whether I could still call myself an artist. I'd sketch from time to time, but not finish anything, at least not to a point that I knew I was capable of. It bothered me, because I had stories to tell, and ideas in my head, but didn't have it in me to bring them to life in a respectable manner.

Recently, I discovered the meaning of life, which I didn't think would affect me all that much, but it's made me think about why I draw in the first place, if it's worth continuing, and what I want to do with my art. I realized that part of me was treating art like work, and while I wasn't putting effort into this work which I enjoy, I was putting effort my job, which I despise. I decided that getting my art to where I want it is worth the effort, and have doubled my efforts to improve. The thing is, I don't see art the same way I used to. I now see all the little details that someone puts into their work as part of their vision of the world. They draw or paint a certain line or color a specific way, because it's that bit of detail that makes it more believable to them. I'm amazed at some artists' vision of things. They see things represented in a way that I may have never noticed.

With my work now, I'm trying to understand the nature of why things are seen and interpreted a certain way, and display those aspects in their truest form through my art. I want to see what's possible to achieve through my eyes and mind. I want to make something surpasses the bounds of the mind's understanding of things, and becomes truly transcendent. I see every piece I make as a step towards that goal. I look forward to the day when my lines, colors and shapes break free from their pages, when my art becomes something else entirely. That is why I draw.

[jtheanswer]

I draw because I like to, I enjoy it. It is a form of experssion, say ideas, beliefs or whatever. And finally, it evades me from this world we are living in and gets me away from the daily routine. I dont have the intention of becoming a pro and making a living with this, but I am getting more serious step by step, so, lets see what happens.

Best of luck to all y'all!!

[Tobin]

stone age people painted because they wished imagine good things happening, and that to me is why I draw, to bring joy

[squidmonk3j]

i started drawing because my mother bought me crayons. i continued drawing because it helped me express emotions and visions i couldn't otherwise get out of my head. i stopped drawing when i met "the love of my life". she left, and now i'm drawing again. i'm pretty sure the only reason i draw is because of conflict.

[Ramzeal]

Because i kant wryte wel :painting:

[JERI]

Why? One hand for a pencil and one for... ;)

Why only use one hand when you can wrap both hands around it?

[0kelvin]

Because I'm afraid Marko will put me on his banlist if I don't.



0kelvin

[s.ketch]

Because God wanted somthing to put on his refridgerator.

[Visceral 619]

Art/ Drawing relates to everything we do as a people... whether its Graphic Design, Architecture, Fashion Design, Product Design, Automobile Design... It all fundamentally leads back to a piece of paper and pencil with some guy or girl who stayed up all night drinking coffee finalising the finished product whatever that may be.

Plus its fun.

[seth1]

Heya mate... Cool qeustion.

I draw for myself! I love the feeling of having a pencil or a paint brush or any sort of tool that makes art in my hand. The feeling that you never know what will come out on the blank page, and the challange it gives you. I also love it how it opens up your mind to so many new approaches on life. It's a form of meditation in some way lets you open your mind and spew your thoughts keeps me sain and happy.

[Prometheus|ANJ]

To play God

I agree. To create universes and populate them with my creatures is what appeals to me the most.

[sciboy]

Because a picture tells a thousand words and i love stories. =)

[Barts]

to eat shrimps

[Infinit]

I don´t know!
I never stopped doing it so I never had to ask me this question.

+ it´s fun
+it´s usefull to impress chicks with it :)

[Prometheus|ANJ]

How does this impress chicks thing work then? I'm largely unsuccessful.

[Kian]

Ok. Now you guys are seriously gonna think I'm talking utter bullshit. But I was out one night with my flatmates. One flatmate brought some of her friends. Over the progression of the night, as I got more drunk, I started chatting away (ie talking shit) to the girls. Told one of the girls I was an artist, then out of the blue she said, really? "You can draw me and my friend naked if you want". I thought she was having a joke.....but it turned out she wasn't. Now, being pissed and hearing something like that from a fine girl (she was fine btw).............really did make me speechless. BUT< i have a girlfriend, and my prinicples are strong. But at least, I figure i got asked anyways. Its enough when you already have a fine girl ;)

So yeah I'd say drawing can get you laid. You gotta combine it with flirting like a master though.

[Riess]

I draw because I fail too much at everything else.

[Egets]

I draw because that is the way I perceive and understand the world. Sometimes Im stuck in something but when I start drawing or sketching it seems as if my brains starts functioning again and I wake up from slumber, I remember old things, I understand thing that I did not understand before, I start to feel for things, I feel hate and love and lust and many other feelings that othervice I might not feel so clearly and in such way that I can recognise and know how I feel. Its like my own soul is reflected on the paper and its staring at me there and telling me that this is what's inside of you and it is true and Im not so lost in the Big World anymore because I know I will always have me after all else is gone

[D.Labruyere]

How does this impress chicks thing work then? I'm largely unsuccessful.

would like to have some advice on that point to :tihi: usually I gte to here if it's possible to draw something friendly to :S which is utter bullshit because I've got tons of human-friendly drawings =)

[markwagner]

When I was in 2nd grade I saw a drawing my brother did that blew me away. I said to myself "that is so cool, I wanna do that!"

When I was in my 20's and 30's I processed a lot of stuff while I was drawing and painting - I learned about being alive.

Now in my 40's I am more interested in music and movement. Now I live and everything is SO COOL.

~M

[walnut]

Because i can't not draw. And because i'm starting to have the sneaky suspicion it's all i'm ever gonna be actually any good in.

[Lady Medusa]

I draw because it makes me feel so good.
I like making things, and sculpting really isn't my thing (although I try 3d Modeling/digital sculpting every now and then). Also because there really isn't anything else to that is as...uh.. pleasurable (for the lack of a better word).

[Michael Jaecks]

I do it because I love it. As many times as I've abandoned it in my life to go and do other things, I always come back to it. I've had other interests and priorities in my life, jobs, relationships, loves, friends, projects... even illness to cope with... all of them were temporary distractions compared to the longetivity of drawing in the whole of my life. Its the only constant, the one and only thing I've done at every different point in life. It's not a love like infatuation... its like a long long long term marriage. I mean, if I was three years old the first time I picked up a crayon... that means I've been doing it for almost 34 years...

And along the way I have heard every conceivable argument against doing it. Painting is dead, figurative art is dead, you can't make any money at that, nobody does that anymore, its not new, that's old-fashioned... and yet, it still persists in my life and the life of so many. I've seen lots of people forsake figurative drawing for all the reasons above and come back to it.

I dunno what it is... something irrepressible in the human mind... some connection between the hand eye and mind that just never goes away.

[NoSeRider]

I was told if I don't draw it would be an injustice on society and a sin against God.

OK, nobody told me that.

[A.Cerasoli]

I draw for entertainment and just because I enjoy it. Thats really it for me.

[Sept13]

I draw because it enlarges my penis.

[evildisco]

If I weren't drawing, I would most definetely work my way up some country's government and proclaim myself dictator then institute a totalitarian regime of Stalinist flavour. After that I would start conquering any neighbouring countries and after that instill fear in the world equal or worse to that in the cold war era or maybe start world war 3, end this ball of mud in a nuclear holocaust.
So you see? You don't want to have me do anything but draw, it's in your best interest.

[Carnifex]

would like to have some advice on that point to :tihi: usually I gte to here if it's possible to draw something friendly to :S which is utter bullshit because I've got tons of human-friendly drawings =)
well i experienced it for the first time today when i finally got a sketchsession with the vienna sketchgroup. we were in a bar,sitting,drawing,chatting,and next to us some girls were chatting aswell,and then all of a sudden they started looking what we were doing,and needless to say,they were mighty impressed by what we did. we then did a mini thunderdome were the ladies got to be judges. i didn't win anything,but another member got a rose. we should probably have asked for their numbers,but drunk and up in chit-chat like we were,we didn't care.
but yeah,it works.
sometimes.

as for why i draw,i can't find an answer that's stupid enough.
drawing just is.

[egerie]

To deal with our deep dark secrets.

[Egets]

I draw because it enlarges my penis.

:D u , such maniac u

[EKU_11]

I draw because I fail too much at everything else.
same.

[nicolas]

...to pay the rent...*shrugs shoulders*


and, coz I suck at everything else.....

[EVIL]

I will basicly go all neo on this and say "because I choose to"

[LukeTores]

I draw because I'm trying to experience something greater than the mundane.
I'm pretty confused and have floating views as to how this actually works, haha!

Mayans, Greeks, and a bunch of other cultures said that making art, getting into that artistic flow, is the only way to comprehend or 'touch' sublime realms/deities.
I read something today, I think it was a Shintoist quote—the awesome beauty of a mountain is not an effect of its holiness, but the cause of it.

Some stuff just hits me with its awe-inducing sublime beauty and I can't help but to try to understand it by art. I think Wordsworth said that the only way to possess beauty is to understand it.

[amer-nazri]

To preserve this thing we call imagination, which is more important than we can ever imagine.

[Lone Wolf]

It's escape to a world that I can only imagine. Creative freedom & most of the reasons everyone else mentioned

Plus, it beats math!

[squidmonk3j]

i hope to end up like markwagner re this....just float along the parabola of life:)