Thursday, October 7, 2010

A New Obsession

Lots of Left-Handed Cats

I have a confession to make... I have become obsessed with drawing with my non-dominant hand.  It started out simply enough - a few left handed cats drawn in bed ( Curious?  Check out this book!)  Then it was left handed cats in the waiting room at the doctor's office, left handed cats in the car (not while driving, of course)... It seems like any time I have an extra minute I doodle a quick cat with my left hand.

There is something very liberating about drawing with your non-dominant hand.  The pressure is off... No one expects you to be able to create something great with the hand you don't normally use.  It's freeing and fun!  The bonus:  I think the cats I've drawn with my left hand actually have a lot of character.  I'm thinking of turning a couple of them into larger art pieces.


If you'd like to learn more about where my new found obsession came from, be sure to check out Carla Sonheim's book Drawing Lab for Mixed Media Artists...

and

Join my friend Nutty's Challenge!

16 comments:

  1. Kristin these are terrific sketches and they do have lots of character. I did an ACEO challenge once where we were to draw with our non-dominate hand and upside down. It was very freeing and fun.

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  2. Just popping over to say a huge thank you for your lovely words on my 21 things post. That really made my day!!!

    Lovely blog too - that is such a cool idea about doing stuff with the non-dominant hand. I need to do stuff with my non-dominant mind.

    xxx

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  3. Interesting...I think you're doing a pretty good job so far. Much better than I could ever do! :)

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  4. That's your left hand? Wow!!

    They are a cool bunch of characters!!

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  5. Hey, Kristin, great stuff. It never occurred to me to used a colour other than black, much less my other hand (I really need to read instructions better). Lovely work. Next challenge is up! And thanks for the shout out :D

    Nutty
    (maybe I should repeat this class :D)

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  6. Wow!!! Your left hand drawings are WONDERFUL!! I have to try that out. Are you sure you aren't a leftie?? :) they are great Kristin. Thanks for stopping by today!

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  7. Hi! Thank you for stopping by my blog! I appreciate it.
    I love this post. I about a year ago I started drawing with my left (non-dominant) hand. It is fun and freeing! In recent months I have gone back to my right but I love having the option.

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  8. Hello Kristin!
    Thank you for nice comment on my blog. My turn to come and visit.
    I love your "About me" description!

    I remember my art teacher challenging us with our non dominent hand drawing! Your CATS are so sweet and sometimes naughty looking!!
    I will be curious to see the same drawings with your dominent hand!
    I think I will get the book...!

    A bientot,

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  9. WOW, how fun is that! those cats are great, you are so good!

    will have to check this book out! I love seeing the cats all together like that...it would be a fun print, for us cat lovers!
    xxoo

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  10. I have been trying to read about 3 different books at once, what's one more?! haha

    Your left handed cats are great! I went to school with a boy who lost all his fingers on the hand that he drew with (he was a great artist) and he taught himself to draw even better with his other hand. He lost them while he and some other kids were on a building and he jumped to grab some wires and they turned out to be live. He was lucky he wasn't killed.

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  11. my freshman year of college i fell downa flight of steps...butting all the tendons in my dominant hand...i happened to be taking art...i had to finish my semester with my non dominant hand...it was really interesting what you can learn to do...

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  12. oh my gosh...what a great idea... I think i'll have to try this one.
    Great cats!

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  13. I just hosted a study of Carla's book this summer at the Artists of the Round Table group on Yahoo groups. Isn't her book wonderful? I love your cats, and your blog.

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  14. I just bought this book a few days ago when I saw it at the bookstore and now I HAVE to get started! I can see your drawings above easily on fabric! Wouldn't that be great?

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  15. Well, I think you've gotten so good at drawing left-handed that you can't call it a non-dominant hand anymore. Mine would definitely be unintelligible.

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