Draw to Connect

I want to invite you to pick an object that reminds you of someone. Someone you perhaps haven’t seen in a while? – they can be living or may have been gone for a while?

The aim of these short exercises is to show you how you can communicate with others through drawing. That the simple act of selecting an object and then taking your time to know it better, can be as important.

You can do these in any order that you wish!

Let’s begin!

DRAW YOUR OBJECT’S SHADOW –

To make your shadow: place the empty side of your postcard, or any paper that you have lying around, on a flat surface;

now using a torch, a lamp, or just the light coming from your window if that’s easiest, play around with the positioning of your object and once you see the shadow that you like most, stop there! (you can choose to put your object down, or hold it up)

To draw your shadow: once you have made your shadow, pick up a pencil, pen etc.

Take a second here to observe the constantly changing shape of the shadow, and how with every glance and movement of your hand the image changes.

Now fill its shape – you can choose to just draw the outlines or fill the whole shape in!

Here’s a little example of what I did:

PLACE ON PAPER, DRAW AROUND IT –

To draw your object: if you can, pick a different material to draw with. Next place the object somewhere on your paper, this can be right on top of the shadow you’ve just drawn or next to it. Now, simply hold down with one finger and draw around it! You can choose to interpret that however you want –

Is your material going to stay really close to the object?

Or, will you draw a completely different shape around it?

Notice here, the different characteristics of your object:

Is it moving on its own?

Is it making sounds?

Is the texture smooth, or rough?

Here’s an example of what I did:

DRAW YOUR OBJECT USING ONLY ONE LINE –

To draw your object: place it right in front of your piece of paper, and if you can, pick a different material to draw with.

Now putting your pencil to paper, start scanning the object with your eyes – let your hand do the same as your eyes.

Here’s an example of what I did here:

These lines might not end up very detailed or look very finished, what matters here is that you take a few seconds or minutes out of your day, to sit still and really notice this object.

What can you do, to remember other people through the things you have around your home?

Now you can keep it, leave it for someone, gift or post to someone you miss!

To share your drawings, tag me (@kasiatatys.art) and (@lancasterartsuk) on Instagram!