You have probably experienced a lot of times where you got stuck in your drawing process. You begin to think about if you like your drawing, and if it would fit into the livingroom. Suddenly you start censoring yourself, judging yourself and you might stop the whole project. Another drawing is ending it's life in the bin. ( see my post: Wait before you throw your drawing in the bin)

In our society and in the schoolsystem, we often learn to use our analytical skills more. We are told to lisen't to the authorities, and so vi gradually lose contact with our own feelings, and the way we see things. (see my blogpost: "Why it's important to unlearn). Of course of that, many of us have difficulties in living creatively, and expressing ourselves in a unique way. When we are creative, and only uses our mind, it's difficult. The mind wants to have full control, to draw things that it knows, and can explain, and generally have a quick result without too much effort.

Most children loves to draw, and do it quite intuitively. Children don't draw what they see, more how they feel it. These drawings have an irresistible radiation. Because they don't censor themselves and they don't censor their feelings. But at a certain age, we want to make drawings that are naturalistic and "correct". When we fail, many of us drop to draw. We think we don't have the skill. We want to be able to draw what we see. In school we don't learn to draw, like we learn to read.

If you want to be abel to draw naturalistic, I can recommend the book ”Drawing of the right side of the brain” of Betty Edwards.

But I'am more concerned about the fact, that we loose our ability to draw what we feel. A lot of people have difficulties with feelings. We don't have a proper language for feelings, because they many times are wordless. But through drawing or creating we can be connected with parts of ourselves, which might have been buried for a long time.

When we have contact with our feelings, our drawings will be more authentic and playfull. We are not afraid to dwell in the process. Connecting different things to create something new. You have to give your feelings a chance to lead the process, without the mind interferring all the time. In the beginning it might be a good idea to be more focused on connecting with your body and feelings. Gradually you can incooperate your analyzing skills. The result is to be abel to create without judging your creative process. To flow and be intuitive, when you decide you want to connect with your feelings. And being abel to decide when you will stop the process, and work more mind based and analytical.

Creating is actually a balance between the mind and the feelings. But letting your feelings be the guide, so your artwork will be brave and authentic. Try it!

Turtorials and tips
- May 15, 2019 How to take your drawings, to the next level.
- Apr 30, 2019 Be bold, let your light out.
- Apr 6, 2019 How to start your drawing praxis.
- Mar 8, 2019 What to do when you are stucked in the creative process??
- Feb 13, 2018 How do you work with composition?
- Jan 8, 2018 Make a kickstart.
- Nov 20, 2017 Go bigger.
- Nov 8, 2017 What is your drawings all about?
- Oct 31, 2017 Wait!! Before you throw that drawing in the bin!!!!!
- Oct 12, 2017 Find inspiration everywhere.
- Oct 12, 2017 Experiment with shapes and lines.
- Oct 12, 2017 Want to find your own visual language ?
psycological aspects
- May 26, 2020 Holding your flow.
- May 6, 2020 The world is yours.
- Apr 22, 2020 Let your heart decide.
- Apr 18, 2020 Create from your self.
- Apr 4, 2020 Expand your own signature.
- Oct 9, 2019 How to shift out of the 3d perspective.
- Sep 20, 2019 What is it, to be grounded?
- Sep 10, 2019 How to follow your own flow.
- Jul 28, 2019 Releasing your resistance to the moment.
- Jul 15, 2019 Don't wait for life to be perfect, let go of control.
- Jun 1, 2019 How to raise your vibration, through the creative process.
- Apr 1, 2019 How embracing all parts of you, will help you in your art making.
- Feb 20, 2019 Don’t resist the moment. Live your dream.
- Feb 10, 2019 Why are we so hard on ourselves?
- Feb 1, 2019 It's okay to say NO.
- Jan 2, 2019 Let yourself shine in 2019 :-)
- Nov 22, 2018 Look at your obstacles as adventures.
- Feb 2, 2018 How to stay in the process?
- Dec 20, 2017 Slow down
- Dec 12, 2017 There is no "right" way.
- Dec 5, 2017 Why it's important to unlearn.
- Oct 12, 2017 Let your feelings be your guide.
- Sep 5, 2017 Don't be afraid of change:-)
- Sep 5, 2017 Express your feelings
- Sep 5, 2017 Can drawing be a kind of meditation?
turtorials
- Apr 6, 2019 How to start your drawing praxis.
video
- May 15, 2019 How to take your drawings, to the next level.
- Apr 30, 2019 Be bold, let your light out.
- Apr 1, 2019 How embracing all parts of you, will help you in your art making.
- Mar 8, 2019 What to do when you are stucked in the creative process??
- Feb 20, 2019 Don’t resist the moment. Live your dream.
- Feb 10, 2019 Why are we so hard on ourselves?
- Feb 1, 2019 It's okay to say NO.

What is a visual language? You know, when you look at an artwork, and immidiately recognizing the artist? That is because it's an artwork, with a strong personal signature.

The visual language is the way you compose your artwork, the use of colors and shapes. How hard you press the pencil against the paper. Do you like a lot of details? or do you prefer big simpel shapes? All the elements in your drawings, are like the letters in an alphabet. When you have found your visual alphabet, there are endless possibilities on how to combine the elements, so don't think that you have to draw the same all the time. The way you combine the elements (letters in your visual alphabet) is the language. Actually one of the signs that you have found your own language, is that it allows you to dig deeper. Because your are narrowing down the spand of options, according to choice. And the deeper you go, the more you go into details, the more you will be open to the possibilities in the process. Another important thing to be aware of, if you want to attain your own unique signature, is to connect with your feelings. To create artwork which have a true voice. To create out of a need, to express something which is important to you. In my blog "Drawings from within," this will be my main focus. At the same time it will ressonate with all parts of you, and have a truly unique and authentic quality. You only find your visual language through praxis, create everyday or as often as possible, and you will slowly find your own unique expression.

**Marie J.Engelsvold. “Transformation of system” Acrylic tusch and papercuts on paper. 29,7 x 21 cm. 2015**

How to start?

1: Find your tools. Which kind of tools do you like??

I prefer acrylic markers (molotow) as my main tool, but like to combine them with more or less anything else:-), pencils, papercuts, watercoulour, textiles, yarn.....When I talk about drawings, I’am very broad in my definition, it could be anything on paper, actually.
Get your hands on a lot of different tools, and try them out. Or look at drawings you like, which tools are used? Maybee you want to combine different kinds of tools.? Like pencil togheter with crayons, or watercolor in combination with chalks?? Goache, color pencils and pen?? Or maybee just a pen in red??
As a start I will suggest you draw on relatively thick paper, like 220 gram. In that way you can keep on working, whitout everything falls into pieces.

Find a space

What I love most about drawing is how easy it is to find the time and space.

First of all you don’t need a big space, a studio or a lot of free time. You can begin to draw eventhough you have a full time job. In the beginning you can use a sketchbook, of quality paper.

The best option is to find a time in the day or evening, where you can be alone, somewhere with a table and a good workchair. If that’s not possible – you can use your transport time plugging some relaxing music in your ears to create a private space.
Another option is to go out in nature, a park, by the sea, your garden …or another outdoor place you like, and where you can sit by your self.

Use at least ½ an hour, 1 hour is better….or if possible longer spand of time. It’s not nice to have to look at your watch all the time, which gives a lot of tension and stress.

Spend some time to relax before you start, feel your body, take a deep breeth. And just think about having a joyful relaxing time for yourself. Look at this as a kind of meditation, where you are creating at the same time.

Try to find some time for drawing every day, it will make you more committed, and you will amaze yourself with your own progress, making it evenmore worthfull and fulfilling.

So why not start today?:-)