A Small Insight

For what it's worth, here's something I realized tonight about drawing, while drawing.

Too often one can draw at a speed dictated by the mind. For example, if the mind is racing and agitated, then often the hand follows and draws at a frantic pace, in disjointed bits and pieces which reflect, on paper, the mental state.

Or the reverse: sluggish mind, sluggish hand. In both cases the results can be unsatisfactory and disjointed.

Noticing this, one can attempt to intentionally counteract it. When the mind is racing, the hand can be slowed down, the drawing done with attention and deliberation and nuance. Or, when the mind is slow and feeble, set the hand free and draw much faster, without pondering and watching. This may shock the mind and bring forth more clarity.

Perhaps this is why it's difficult to make a hard-and-fast rule about the speed at which one should draw: it depends on what works best in conjunction with the pace of the mind, at the moment of drawing.

Thanks for all the interesting comments about "Holding the Brush". I will post a small followup of thoughts asap, although the comments covered everything very well.