http://nyc-subway-sketches.tumblr.com/

I really enjoy making these little (big) blog projects. The satellite one was very interesting, although it became more time consuming than anticipated over time, because A: Google emphasized their copyright marks sometime in October, making it difficult to get good shots, and B: the increased attention makes me feel pressured to produce high quality images, whereas before I didn’t edit the images quite as much. But really, which is more important, posting each day or posting good quality content??? I can’t decide.

This new sketch blog is an attempt to get myself drawing more consistently, continuing to fine tune my  skills on a regular basis, and also just to have a place to organize images that don’t necessarily relate to my other work. I did a little research to see who else was doing the same thing, and came across a lot of illustration-oriented blogs but not a lot of fine-arty ones. I wonder which approach is better to take when entering the sketch, and worry sometimes that the drawings I create based on life will begin to take on a sort of stylization and become illustrative. I’d like to keep my approaches very separate, if possible. My actual illustration work looks VERY different from my life drawings and paintings… although I am aware of how all the mediums kind of influence each other.

There was a time when I was studying photo-retouching right after college, where focusing in on the minute details of skin and texture were key. Afterward I felt that my approach to painting had gained some new feeling– although I had been working in a very detailed manner for a few years in oil paint, suddenly some aspects of minutae became apparent to me where I had seen nothing before. I assume that all experiences are like that– influencing each other in unseen ways. That’s another reason why the public education system, or rather, the definition of “education” in this country needs to change into something that can actually benefit people again. Undoubtedly the rote slop that kids are being fed each day is causing them to build habits around “learning” that lead to nothing. Learning isn’t just about repetition and memorization. There needs to be a progression in order to justify the work, or else it is just wasted time.

Anyway, I hope I’m not wasting my time with these “collection” projects. It certainly feels like I’m doing something, like something is coming together or being built. Digital, intangible satisfaction.