Saturday, June 12, 2010

Fun with Harmony #1












Thanks to William over at Recently Banned Literature for the reference to this great little drawing program called Harmony. I've been having fun playing around with the various sketch modes.  These are my first attempts at, er, making art.  I didn't pick the subjects; they kind of just ... happened. I start out with one thing in mind but a mistake here, a misplaced line there, and all of a sudden it becomes something entirely else.

The creature at the top, for example. That started out to be a face looking into the distance. Something went screwy when I tried to draw his hair. It became horn-like. As there is no erase mechanism coded into this drawing program, I was forced to leave the "horns".  Then the nose wouldn't cooperate--the one I started to draw decided to switch species, to match the horns. Now it looks more like a deer--kind of. My "Man Looking into the Distance" suddenly became a shy creature unsure yet of its bearings. "Please don't delete me," it pleaded. That it's not identifiable as any known animal doesn't mean it can't be kept. All things are possible in art. At least that is my rationale du jour.

Drawing with a cursor is difficult, especially in the simple sketch mode. The slightest wiggle of the line and your drawing's ruined. You can't go back and correct it. Am still working at getting the hang of it. 

All these faces and the creature seem to have wanted to arrive through the lines and squiggles--so I let them.  I made a weird-shaped nose, for example, in Drawing #3 and the character that was emerging complained: "Where'd you ever learn to draw noses? I hate the hairdo you gave me. At least compensate by making me more elegant elsewise!" (So I added a pipe, ha ha.)

Or, I create a face with no ears [Drawing #5] and when I begin to add them, the face whispers: "Leave it. Ears are not necessary. I can hear without them." And while I'm pondering how that can be, they all now begin bugging me to tell their story.  WHAT story? I ask.  There are FIVE of you!! 

It is so strange, though.  When I look at their faces, stories start coming...




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