How to Draw Like a Wizard (rough draft)
Posted: June 23rd, 2005, 2:49 am
How to Draw Like a Wizard
I draw, and paint, and all that mess. Showing my work to others has generated countless responses of "Wow, that's great, I wish I could do that. I suck at drawing." Truth is, I don't know how to draw either. I have no technique. So I use magic.
The following is a list of principles, precepts, concepts, and tricks to create the spell of being an artist -- that is, a list of tips on how to draw like a wizard.
Number ONe: Have reckless calm. This is no. 1 because it is most important.
Do not self-reflect. Self-reflection leads to either self-pity or self-aggrandisation, both are delusion, both are energy sinks. Don't do things that waste energy. In fact, take time to deliberately free up energy. Cut out unnecessary losses.
Don't stop. Keep going. If you ever do pause, just do it to see the picture clearer in your head. Whatever you do, don't think about what you're doing. In fact, try not to think at all. Act from inner silence.
Be filled with aplomb. You become excellent by being excellent, you be excellent by feeling excellent. Be a demigod. If you have reckless calm, this is easy.
Children make up songs all the time. If they forget the words, they don't worry about it. They make up new ones. Give yourself that freedom. You should have the freedom to give away, throw away, or destroy anything you create. You should also have the freedom to hold on to it.
Make your marks with invincible confidence. Be unflappable -- in fact, *refuse* to be flapped. If something tries to flap you, slap it in the face. If you make a mistake, keep going. *Do not ever* kick yourself over a mistake. Deal with it. If you have reckless calm, this is again easy.
Be Responsible for your actions. Responsibility is all about Response. Respond with discipline. Deal with it. A wizard treats everything as a mortal battle. In a mortal battle, you can afford to respond in only one way -- impeccably. If you have reckless calm and inner silence, impeccability is easy.
Play it "close enough for the blues." You need that freedom and that ability to move on continuously.
Stop erasing. When you cannot undo your actions, you are forced to take responsibility for them.
Imagine yourself magic. *Feel* magical. The magic will come. Feel the magic in your hands as you make your marks.
Make courageous marks, marks with infinite nerve, marks that look you straight in the eye with their challenge -- meet that challenge head on and conquer it.
Look at yourself and say "I Dare You."
Never indulge your complaints and whines.
Never indulge your self-congratulations. A wizard has aplomb but recognises his own mortality. A wizard knows that he is going to die and that everything he makes is going to die. Because of this, he knows that there is no room for self-congratulation.
Be inaccessible to your problems and obstacles. Don't let them get to you. Move around them.
Have panache. No one can argue with panache. The universe cannot argue with panache.
Risk.
Risk something that matters.
Accept your losses forever.
Dismiss your victories as irrevocably temporary.
If you're not happy with it the first time, do it again.
Be unapologetic. A wizard knows he is going to die, and a being who is going to die has no time for apologies. Explain as little as possible. In every explanation is a hidden apology.
Assess your results in a calm, detached way. Take note of problems, but do not dwell on them, do not be discouraged -- instead, *act* to destroy your problems. Do not dwell on your successes either. Assess from a calm, detached, neutral point of view -- not as yourself.
The fear will always be there. Don't let it get to you. Balance your terror with wonder.
Dispel emotion. Concentrate on affection. Affection is about being Affected. But be affected in a controlled way -- remain inaccessible.
"Calm" does not mean "relaxed." Stay constantly alert. You cannot respond if you are not alert.
And finally: Make the right mistake. To make the right mistake, you must allow it to be possible. You have to free up the energy to do it and have 1) the daring to attempt what leads to the mistake, 2) the calm to accept what comes, 3) the inner silence & impeccability to make it Right, and 4) the responsibility to keep moving.
I draw, and paint, and all that mess. Showing my work to others has generated countless responses of "Wow, that's great, I wish I could do that. I suck at drawing." Truth is, I don't know how to draw either. I have no technique. So I use magic.
The following is a list of principles, precepts, concepts, and tricks to create the spell of being an artist -- that is, a list of tips on how to draw like a wizard.
Number ONe: Have reckless calm. This is no. 1 because it is most important.
Do not self-reflect. Self-reflection leads to either self-pity or self-aggrandisation, both are delusion, both are energy sinks. Don't do things that waste energy. In fact, take time to deliberately free up energy. Cut out unnecessary losses.
Don't stop. Keep going. If you ever do pause, just do it to see the picture clearer in your head. Whatever you do, don't think about what you're doing. In fact, try not to think at all. Act from inner silence.
Be filled with aplomb. You become excellent by being excellent, you be excellent by feeling excellent. Be a demigod. If you have reckless calm, this is easy.
Children make up songs all the time. If they forget the words, they don't worry about it. They make up new ones. Give yourself that freedom. You should have the freedom to give away, throw away, or destroy anything you create. You should also have the freedom to hold on to it.
Make your marks with invincible confidence. Be unflappable -- in fact, *refuse* to be flapped. If something tries to flap you, slap it in the face. If you make a mistake, keep going. *Do not ever* kick yourself over a mistake. Deal with it. If you have reckless calm, this is again easy.
Be Responsible for your actions. Responsibility is all about Response. Respond with discipline. Deal with it. A wizard treats everything as a mortal battle. In a mortal battle, you can afford to respond in only one way -- impeccably. If you have reckless calm and inner silence, impeccability is easy.
Play it "close enough for the blues." You need that freedom and that ability to move on continuously.
Stop erasing. When you cannot undo your actions, you are forced to take responsibility for them.
Imagine yourself magic. *Feel* magical. The magic will come. Feel the magic in your hands as you make your marks.
Make courageous marks, marks with infinite nerve, marks that look you straight in the eye with their challenge -- meet that challenge head on and conquer it.
Look at yourself and say "I Dare You."
Never indulge your complaints and whines.
Never indulge your self-congratulations. A wizard has aplomb but recognises his own mortality. A wizard knows that he is going to die and that everything he makes is going to die. Because of this, he knows that there is no room for self-congratulation.
Be inaccessible to your problems and obstacles. Don't let them get to you. Move around them.
Have panache. No one can argue with panache. The universe cannot argue with panache.
Risk.
Risk something that matters.
Accept your losses forever.
Dismiss your victories as irrevocably temporary.
If you're not happy with it the first time, do it again.
Be unapologetic. A wizard knows he is going to die, and a being who is going to die has no time for apologies. Explain as little as possible. In every explanation is a hidden apology.
Assess your results in a calm, detached way. Take note of problems, but do not dwell on them, do not be discouraged -- instead, *act* to destroy your problems. Do not dwell on your successes either. Assess from a calm, detached, neutral point of view -- not as yourself.
The fear will always be there. Don't let it get to you. Balance your terror with wonder.
Dispel emotion. Concentrate on affection. Affection is about being Affected. But be affected in a controlled way -- remain inaccessible.
"Calm" does not mean "relaxed." Stay constantly alert. You cannot respond if you are not alert.
And finally: Make the right mistake. To make the right mistake, you must allow it to be possible. You have to free up the energy to do it and have 1) the daring to attempt what leads to the mistake, 2) the calm to accept what comes, 3) the inner silence & impeccability to make it Right, and 4) the responsibility to keep moving.