Focusing on my upcoming job for drawing Fashion Sketches at a Sweet 16 Party, I felt like I should revisit standard Fashion Sketches. Because people are already trained as to what an 'artistic' Fashion Sketch should be. My Client is probably not wanting me to draw the way I'm affected by the fashion. She is probably expecting a conformity to the dramatic long-body long-leg standard that is considered a Fashion Sketch.

Then I ate breakfast. Outside. Looking at the tree across the street. Again. But this time, I felt like Really looking at it. To find out What's interesting about it? What feels good/calm to me? And I started seeing it sort of like puzzle pieces. Yes I've frequently painted negative shapes around tree parts, sort of like the puzzle pieces I'm referring to today. (That's an Artist's exercise.)...... But this time, I was able to enjoy the Solid Branches that made up that still/static 'puzzle'..... and I also started wondering about the shape/feel of the small end-pieces, but that doesn't add to what I'm currently grappling with.

What it is that's on my mind is about Conformity. I guess we have to conform to what a Client wants when s/he hires us. But is s/he really hiring an Artist if she wants us to draw what's expected? Or is s/he just hiring a 'Draw-er', someone who knows how to imitate the Styles of visual representation that have been created before us?

That's referring to 'Artists' who draw standard '8-head' long bodies that look like Fashion Sketches as well as 'Artists' who represent the way light and shadow describes the form of a tree (a face, a bowl, a fruit......) the way light and colors affect our moods..... the 'how to draw' and 'how to paint' that beginning artists usually aim for. I'm feeling like that stuff that can be taught (and learned) is not really Art. BECAUSE CONFORMING TO WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN is not deep enough to satisfy a person who is interested in UNDERSTANDING VISUAL CONSCIOUSNESS. Understanding our Existence. What Consciousness is.

What is sold as Artwork is usually just a Job.

Then I practiced some 'Fashion Sketch' Samples. I am planning on doing a good job for the woman who hired me to draw Fashion Sketches at her daughter's Party.

Follow Up on March 4, 2019:

I was talking with my Friend ~ about choosing to Focus on 'the Sounds of Silence' even when Louder Talk is happening.

I realized that we can also see 'the Sounds of Silence' ~ well.... not the SOUNDS of Silence, but the 'Sights of Blindness'. Some people experienced something like this while Driving. Very Dangerous. It's when a person's mind wanders, and she misses her exit, or just realizes that she's been Driving for blocks (miles?) without being aware of it.

Of course, we must turn our attention to Focus onto the Physical World when we're driving. But I am looking forward to applying that ability to my (almost) Daily Meditation. To be able to Choose what Sights I want to Focus on ~ with my Eyes Open. Just like I can choose to hear 'the Sounds of Silence' when I'm taking a Peaceful Break, I can also choose to see 'the Sights of Blindness'. With Open Eyes.

Some people who unfortunately have Vision Problems, can't see past 'Floaters' Inside their eyes ~ so they see inside their own bodies instead of seeing the World beyond their eyes. That's like when I focus inside my body during Meditation ~ noticing things like my Breathing or my Posture.

I was trying to come up with a way to See beyond the Physical World. To see beyond the positive and negative shapes. To see beyond the way Light falls on objects. Things. And I'm wondering if this is perhaps the path.

To sit with my Eyes Open, but not See what's in front of me (Only for a few Chosen Minutes Please!) To instead Watch my Thoughts. Perhaps if I can Focus My Vision away from the Sights of the World, by letting my mind wander the way I would Not want it to wander while driving, even though my Eyes be open..... Perhaps then I would be able to See the Thought so I can Drop the Thought ~ leaving me in a position to See what is not Seen.

The Next Day:

I did it! I felt satisfied with my experience of 'The Sights of Blindness' today.......

Sitting outside ~ the snow was so bright that I couldn't even lift my eyes to see enjoy the dark sky. I realized that I was trying to take things too far yesterday. I realized that 'The Sounds of Silence; that we enjoy...the metal tag clinking in the wind, the water pouring out of the drainpipe, the traffic in the distance, the car that just went by, the sound of chewing this carrot, the sound of swallowing it, the sound of my breathing, another car went by... those sounds are actually In this Physical world. And it makes me feel peaceful to slow down and focus on that cacophony of sounds. That are here all the time, but we're usually too busy to focus on them.

I applied That to my new idea 'The Visions of Blindness'. Simple Light and Dark and Patterns. Just Not focusing on them as the Things they represent (only for during this Meditation, of course). The way we do as Artists, but with No intention of making them come together to represent a Thing.

I'll try to describe something here. Things like the pattern of the dark grass patches popping through the snow, the texture of the dash-dots of grass-blades all over the lawn, the pattern of the shadow shapes affecting the footprints, the calmness of the neutral tone of the cement, the reflections on the cars, the transparent areas where I could see through the windows of the cars... But NOT SEEING THEM AS WHAT CAUSES THEM. NOT SEEING THEM FOR WHAT THEY REVEAL TO US...oooh ~ I love the dark soil in the fallow garden that has tiny pebbles... NOT SEEING WHAT THESE THINGS TELL US ABOUT OUR VISUAL WORLD, but seeing them solely as what they Are. Never labeling them. ...... Just like I don't sit there labeling each sound that I hear when I am listening to the 'Sounds of Silence'. THE CLUE TO PEACE IS SIMPLY SEPARATION FROM KNOWLEDGE.

I call it A MENTAL VACATION.

Just by adding a Professional Party Artist to the mix ~ you've not only given your Guests something Unique, but you've also given them a 'Conversation Starter' aaaannnnd a boost that will encourage them to 'Remember Your Celebration even After they leave the Party. Sometimes even Years After your Party. Each Party is Unique ~ The type of Experience you offer Your Guests depends on which Images you offer. Just like you can choose a Pizza Party Or an Elegant Dinner Party, you can also choose Fun CARICATURES Or Insightful CALLIGRAPHY/GRAFFITI WORDS/NAMES, etc. It's more internalized by the Guests when the Party Image becomes part of their own image. They can feel like an integral part of the Party that You Designed.

CARICATURES

DIGITAL CARICATURES

FACE PAINTING

TEMPORARY FREEHAND TATTOOS (including Freehand Glitter Tattoos)

BALLOONS

CALLIGRAPHY/GRAFFITI WORDS/NAMES

FASHION SKETCHES

CARICATURES and DIGITAL CARICATURES and FASHION SKETCHES and CALLIGRAPHY/GRAFFITI WORDS/NAMES all go home with Your Guests as Party Favors. They are frequently hung on the Wall in your Friends' Homes. Your Guests will probably remember ~ for as long as the picture is part of their Every-Day awareness ~ what they were Celebrating when they got it. And when you hire your Party Art, you can even order a logo to be included for a small extra charge. That's something like:

had fun at
(Name)'s Party

(Name)'s Birthday Party
Date

fine art from
(Name)'s Party

Here are some Samples of Alison's CARICATURES:

Here are some Samples of Alison's DIGITAL CARICATURES:

Here are some Samples of Alison's FASHION SKETCHES:

Here are some Samples of Alison's CALLIGRAPHY/GRAFFITI WORDS/NAMES:

The BALLOONS ~ so much a part of a Party ~ well, they don't last as long. But when they're created On the Spot ~ During the Party ~ it's so much more interactive than just putting up a few BALLOONS. When the BALLOONS are created right At the Party, the Guests will feel like they're more than just decorations. Your Guests will feel like they are holding Party in their hands. And afterwards ~ we are intrigued to ask people where they've been if we see them walking home with the Party Balloons. Which, well, they only last as long as they will last. Here are some Samples of Alison's BALLOONS:

FACE PAINTING ~ Oh so Special when it's done right. You Guests can feel oh so Special when they're 'transformed' with the Power of their own images. Which can last all day (or until they decide to wash them off ~ Alison's FACE PAINTING washes off easily with soap and water). Here are some Samples of Alison's FACE PAINTINGS:

TEMPORARY FREEHAND TATTOOS (including Freehand Digital Tattoos) ~ Oh ~ you can't imagine how Glamorous and Special you can feel with one of these magnificent decorations until you've had a Real one done. They rest on the Surface of the skin, and can last about a week ~ lingering joy from Your Event every time your Guests notice their very own TEMPORARY FREEHAND TATTOOS. An experience they're not likely to have any other time. Alison's TEMPORARY FREEHAND TATTOOS look great while they're At the Party. And Your Guests can be blown away by the Wow when they see them the next day Out in the Sun! Your Party is the Special One. Here are some Samples of Alison's TEMPORARY FREEHAND TATTOOS:

That's Seven Different Choices you have to design Your Party. Let Your Choice Define Your Party. Let Your Choice of which Type of Party Art add the Character that you're hoping of for Your Party.

Well blow me away ~ This was Fun.

Today is Wednesday. After midnight, so officially actually Thursday already. And I was just told that Friday's FASHION SKETCH Event will be for Fuller Figured Women.

So I figured that a quick way to check it out would be to go back into the Fashion Sketches that I recently posted on August 29, 2018 ~ to see how I might draw them as Larger Women. This was my First Pass at it. Still much to work on ~ and I figure that they wouldn't be wearing This particualr outfit ~ but oh just thinking about how to do this is So Much Fun! I feel So Interested.

I'll have to see just how far I should go with this stuff. And get my head back into the approach that I was tapping into on August 29th. Because this is the Event that ordered "Not too Cartoony".

still.... just with this first attempt, I'f feeling like I want to try Thicker Legs. Maybe bigger solider hands. Oh so much to do for a Serious Artist

I took a personal evening. Went out to Dinner and Dancing. Just before I left, I found an email from my Agent requesting Fashion Sketch Samples for a Client that we would want to get right back to. No big deal ~ I could just send some Fashion Sketches that I previously made. But it's not as easy as that. She said he wants a different Style than I usually draw. She said No enlarged head and Not cartoony.

I could do that. I Enjoy doing that too. Fashion Sketches, as well as Caricatures, are Exaggerations. But a completely different kind. A completely different mindset. I used to do lots of those.

Soooo...... I got to work on them when After I came in from Rhumba Dancing! When I thought I was going to be ending my long day.

It started a little rough, but I quickly got into it again. Here's my experience of drawing Fashion Sketches tonight. From random photographs that I found on-line.

Having had so many experiences of Drawing at Events, I was able to impose the Reality of what would be happening at the Event. I am a Party Artist. Guests don't have to be professional Models. They don't have to stay perfectly still. I knew I would be working with happy moving Guests and I would only have about 6 minutes to Complete each drawing.

At first, I had some ostentatious ideas about flowing lines blah blah blah. Then Reality set in as I tried to draw the tough pose of the first girl. It was Not a graceful pose. This is actually my 2nd pass on this one. I was copying the pose while trying Not to use things like negative spaces or being too literal ~ because that's how it will be at the Event. This picture was feeling stiff and I was doing too much thinking:

For my 2nd picture, I decided to make up my own pose. But I felt like I was strangling this one too. Came out okaaaayyyy, but it took too long. And it still has a stiff feel to it. I was thinking that I would know what I'm doing before the Event, but for now, I was trying to 'ready-design' at the same time as I was drawing:

This 3rd picture is a mix of the first 2 approaches. BTW ~ this was the last leg (hahaha ~ I made a pun) ~ This was the last leg for this blue Marker. I could barely finish the pants. I'll get my better Supplies together before I go to this Event.

I was still feeling stiff with this 3rd drawing:

So I decided to try the same Reference Photo again. Ahah ~ The change is happening. I'm loosening up. I'm Enjoying Drawing these Fashion Sketches now. This is when I remembered the feel of how I used to make FASHION SKETCHES. The picture isn't as stiff. Now I'm feeling like all I have to do is to keep practicing in this Style, and I'll be fine at the Event.

The next picture might be my Favorite one of the bunch. At this point, I was feeling Very Comfortable. Very little in the way of Predraw. This sort of ability usually pops up when the Event is going smoothly and People are warming up to the Activity.

So I made another picture. In this case, a black Color Stick was more appropriate at some spots than a Marker would be. So I will bring Both Colored Markers And Color Sticks to this FASHION DRAWING Event.

I know that we usually get 'naturally fashioned' people ~ even at FASHION SKETCH Events. Many of them don't show up in Designer Clothes ~ but that's a Fashion too. And they all choose their clothes because they want to look good in them.

I also didn't want tonight's practicing to be only Women. So I chose a Man to draw next.

This time I went right into that smooth Fashion Sketch Approach. I was feeling so happy with the way things were going that I forgot about not getting Cartoony by the time I got down to the Shoes. This picture is still FASHION SKETCH Material. But if the Audience gives me the Wow Reaction that I usually get with my Cartoony Fun Party Attitude Pictures, I might feel tempted to Keep them Laughing. Getting Wilder and Wilder in subsequent pictures.

So for this Upcoming Event ~ in which the Client Predetermined what he wants me to do ~ regardless of what feels most Entertaining in the Moment ~ for This upcoming Event ~ I would have to tighten up on the Next Drawing. Hopefully not starting my process All over again ~ in which the next picture would feel stiff and I would be struggling to smooth out again.

If I continued drawing tonight, we could see where it would go. But I'm feeling too tired now. I didn't plan on doing all these drawings today.

Art is a Process. Interacting with people is a Process. It's not like we just press a button and creativity comes out.