#53 Succeed At Something You're Bad At

Plenty of things sprang to mind for this one - singing, knowing when to stop talking, getting out of bed in the morning, being nice to people when I'm tired, wrapping presents, yup, I'm bad at all these things.

However, one skill is particularly pertinent just now. I have just started my second term of silver jewellery making, which I love. I'm fine with the hands on bits with piercing and texturing the metal etc, but I stumble at the design stage. Not because I don't have ideas - I get plenty of those, but I'm not very good at putting those ideas down on paper. In fact I'm rubbish.

I went to a class called 'Drawing for the Terrified' a few months ago. The lovely teacher was so enthusiastic and I could tell she was determined to be positive about everyone's attempts. But you know when someone is being positive in the face of all adversity, and they're struggling?! Yeah, that was what like when she came to look at my sketch:

"Ooh, so, erm, yeah - I like it! Erm, which bit did you find the most interesting to draw? Because I think you like the texture of the flower. Am I right?"

"Well, yes, but the shape is all wrong isn't it?"

"Oh, don't worry about the form, you're going for texture!"

"And have I managed it?"

"Well, ummm, oh yes! Maybe just try not trying to find shortcuts to get certain effects, just draw what you see. Do you know what I mean?"

"I didn't capture the texture did I?"

"Remember we all see differently! So, umm, yes, lovely.....who else has had a go?..."

In short, I felt a little better about just having a go but didn't come away feeling that I had unleashed a new ability.

So, I decided to ask the husband for a drawing lesson. He's pretty handy with a pencil and used to be a teacher (of Geography, not Art, but he drew maps and stuff so that still counts).

He found this cute picture of a bunny. I like bunnies.



Then he told me to draw it. Without giving me any instruction. Now, it has taken a lot of guts for me to post this first attempt up. No sniggering please, I know it's not very good, that's the whole point.



So then we analysed it and decided it wasn't very good. In fact, it looked more like a mangy gopher than a cute little bunny. So, the husband explained how he did his, which was rather splendid. I got jealous and thought about jacking the whole exercise in but agreed to let him coach me. And this is the result:



It's still not Tate material perhaps, but a definite improvement wouldn't you say?! In fact I'm really rather proud of this drawing, quite possibly the best I've ever done. Not only does it actually look like the thing it's based on, I find it surprisingly pleasing to the eye.

I have to say thank you to the husband for his forbearance on this challenge. There was an argument (because I used a rubber and that is FORBIDDEN), and I stomped off upstairs to sort the laundry.....and generally make a noise so that it be known I was cross. Then I came back down, apologies were made and we agreed to try again. There were other fractious moments, but we overcame in the name of art. Obviously I haven't succeeded in being gracious about my shortcomings or taking criticism. But the book only said I had to succeed at 'something' I'm bad at, not 'somethings', so I think I can tick it off and award myself an orange star!