When in high school I first learned orthographic projection. Simply put I was taught how to observe things from different angles – the viewer moves around an object while staying still. I now think of all things I paint, draw, render as objects in space. Designing buildings benefits from this process. Painting with this 3D approach ensures reality in 2D.

It would be an obvious subject choice – architecture – given I have spent 25 years designing buildings, 1000 is my best guess. In all that time I considered myself more of a designer in 2 dimensions not 3. I felt image making
came more honestly than sculpting, that designing on a two dimensional surface appealed to me more than building
within a space. Graphic design similarly appeals to a point but carries the often unsavoury commercial aspect.

I say this because as an artist these and other disciplines i.e. fashion, film, industrial design etc. offer environments for artists to thrive. Art is found in all of the above to some degree.

The more direct an art idea goes from idea to realization the better. That makes
‘the sketch’ a potentially viable work of art. I learned this from working as a
designer sketching design ideas in presenting architecture. Often work I
created was not intended for use in presentation and review but it was and
strong design sketches resonated with the essences of the design beyond what
subsequent presentation work did. Presentation work (and when I say
presentation I usually mean illustrations) rarely makes the grade as art but a
well executed sketch can be recognized on its own as art.

Ideas expressed directly can be achieved in minutes. For example a sketch of a person
can be done with just a few strokes and dashes of shadows and tones/colors. The
object is to know what your end product should be. A prolonged work can be
required for some work that strives to command that sort of attention but a
great sketch can provide life and spontaneous elements that maintain a life of
its own.

This sketch therefore serves the purpose of expression and stand alone artistic
value as well as a study for future work. On this second point a good study
sketch will maintain even create essential characteristics that develop the
final work.

The life drawing is a prime example of how a sketch can work. A few strong lines
and tones of a single pencil used creating a 3 minute sketch can result in
unique finished piece. The same process of sketching utilized as a means to the
end will work out problems or explore options for creating the final work. I
consider the value of drawing to be line for line the most valuable artistic
commodity of visual art. True a painting at the hands of a master renders art
of greatest longevity, drawing by the same artist will afford a work that can
match any masterpiece.

You need to know where you are going before you make any progress. Consider the intended use of your piece and then deliberately fill in the gaps, from here to there. A successful work of art and similarly an artist’s work is never random.

I used to wonder if I am artistic or just resourceful or maybe more boring still just productive, I know I am one or more of these every time I work. Making a painting is one thing – creating art is another.

Art is always original, always. If you find yourself copying your work or someone else’s it is not art it’s a copy. Know that it will never be as good as the original, ever. You can have a plan and feel like you are gliding down a familiar path guided strongly and still be completely original. The sound process of certainty (that also accompanies the safe feeling we get when we can reproduce an result) could be the exercising of your style, your method, your strength. This is good and necessary just know the difference between creation and duplication.