sketching at the Getty

sketch from a painting called, "orpheus and eurydice" by jean raoux

ian and i went to the Getty on friday to sketch and be inspired.  we tried to sketch some busts in the wing that the impressionist paintings are in and found that due to distraction and subject matter, the drawings we were producing were CRAP.  

then we wandered into a more quiet wing of the museum and found our mental drawing "zone."

the painting i drew this picture from is huge- like 8 feet tall or something.  it was amazing.

my favorite part of a museum are always the drawings and the ones we saw at the Getty shamed every drawing i've ever done.  drawings used to be just a pit-stop on the way to a painting, so there is a raw, non-glorious element to them that attracts me.  i love thinking of the artist's hand resting on the blank edge of the page as they drew... i'm such a history nerd.

what struck me this time around, though, was the level of insane workmanship in the drawings that were mere plans and studies for paintings.  not a line or color out of place.  the drawings would have been amazing enough themselves, but then these artists went on to turn them into oil paintings.  i was challenged and inspired, for sure.

(if you've never gone to the Getty, please do.  it's free except for parking and it is a lovely museum.  the only drawback is you have to deal with LA to get there.  ian and i were  in so many near accidents this time around, it was staggering... so good luck :)