What inspires me to draw

Sometimes subjects are just around us for us to draw and sometimes we need to move around in search of subjects. Deciding what do to draw and how to lay down everything on the drawing sheet is not easy as it seems. This is the most recurring situation that arises in my case. It so happens that whenever I sit down with the sketch book and pencil, I feel as if my brain has gone into a stagnant state. I am sure this happens with many artists or at least artist who think like me.

I just do not draw anything because I got carried away by the subject just like that, but there is this diesel engine within that spools up out of nowhere. This diesel engine I am talking about is about the ideas and the subjects, that I derive from you tube, other photo sharing websites or from an article that I read about.

Watching videos and subjects which we adore sort of compel us to illustrate the very same subject. Not that we otherwise do not like it and that is why we do not make an effort to draw, but that strange driving force kicks in when I watch my favourite subject- here the example is “Train”. I watch these beautiful channels on you tube dedicated to trains and rail fans, so it generates that vibe to draw one. Last year I drew an illustration of “Chengiz khan- equestrian statue” in pastels and it turned out not so bad. Again, this statue was an inspiration to me from a travel channel.

I will be honest here, but railways/trains have always held my attention and many do not know this- as I like aircrafts too. Reading travel journals, online picture gallery regarding the subjects we like often help us a lot. I recently got my set of watercolours and papers needed for the art work and It gave me a little more energy to draw and complete at least 3–4 subjects a week. I do not over do them. Just today(04April2021) I was able to complete yet another illustration and this time it was the magnificent “Bank of China” tower situated in Hong Kong, and I got this urge to draw after coming across the Hong Kong travel guide.

Sometimes we imagine and draw and sometimes we need a firm base to begin drawing and by -base I mean this driving force. I commute via public transport and I get to see so many subjects and references automatically the moment I step out and it can range anything from a simple looking autorickshaw to a complex building or a landscape as a whole. I tend to click the photo using my phone if possible and once home I start drawing. I personally feel that one cannot draw just sitting home. I would like to take my sketch book and colours out with me if possible, sit comfortably somewhere near the subject and start my work. I would term this as primary source, whereas magazines and online references fall under secondary source and this is how I classify them at least. If home, the subject can be way to interesting: ranging from a spoon to flower pots or array of clothes basking in sun to dry. Wait, object that look small may not be always easy to draw so one needs to pay attention to this aspect as well.

This morning I was at the post office for sending a package and in turn it was again a quick idea to depict the post-office as the upcoming subject and I clicked a photograph for a better perspective.

So, this was my real time narrative of how I feel while starting a subject and small thing associated with it.

- Pramod Sharma

Hyderabad, India