Spent some time around the koi pond meditating on the agile delights of quickness. Sometimes you’re just of a mind to play. Today I drew fast swimmers. The fast study is very different from other kinds of drawing. Nicolaides called it gesture drawing when you seek out the essence of the thing from the inside out. I’m not embarrassed to call it scribbling, though it’s scribbling of a high order.
Made a couple of these today, as well as rediscovered a couple that I’d made in notebooks as exploration for previous paintings.
The gesture of the lines can take on a life of their own. It’s like listening to the syllables in a word. The beauty of the activity is something that the artist should continually seek. We are not just drawing things, we are drawing our thoughts, and discovering the forms and gestures of which thoughts are composed . Along the way one discovers a world of inner hieroglyphs.
My work began today with this drawing above — a study for the “Big Guy” of the koi pond featured in my previous post.
Agenor surfaced, too, while I was turning the pages of the notebook. He’s the star of my first big koi pond.
Here’s the view of the koi studio today with a few of the fish that jumped out of the pond.
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They are very beautiful. You’ve done marvelous. Thank you so much for sharing them.
I have said it many times and will say it many more. I love your fishyfish paintings. I remember Agenor well. He looks a little grumpy.
Phantasmagorical. Your fish have such personality. Don’t tell Agenor but I see a bit of catfish in there and a bit of peevedness, but very handsome in the extreme (so that’s OK I hope). That 3rd picture is amazing and I love the way the fish have jumped out of the picture (as fish do).
Magnifique, j’aime le “big guy” le “small guy”, Agenor…j’aurai du me douter que le nom était une clé, Agenor fils de Poseidon, evident mon cher Watson!
You are in the major league!
Thanks for the kind words, all. The fishies are flapping with happiness. –ak
its interesting that a little thing can inspire such beauty
Hey K! Thanks!
These are very nice. I will be looking for a pond of koi to draw. I’m inspired now.
What an amazing variety of mediums you have mastered! I recall being impressed by your water colour Koi quite some months ago. Beautiful!
Bill, first koi, then hamsters —ak
thanks for the kind words, Brad.