Flow-drawing is an effective way of dealing with anxieties about not being able to draw. Its purpose is to encourage participants to focus closely on a detail of landscape and to be present to what is there. It frees them from the inhibiting pressures of "trying to get it right" or of "doing it properly".
Guidelines
Find something out of doors which interests you
'Zoom' in close up so that you are looking at a detail
Use a simple view finder if it helps
You don't have to draw the whole of whatever you have chosen, e.g. it could be just a small section of a wall or tree trunk or patch of water or machine part
Draw what you see so that it FILLS the piece of card. If what you are looking at is very small, draw it bigger than it is
Try to keep your pen touching the card throughout the drawing process
You can't rub out with pen, so draw boldly with clean lines. It doesn't matter if it isn't exactly right
Look for simple outlines, shapes and spaces, and dark and light - there's no need to get in all the detail
Write your name ON THE BACK. Add a title if you wish also on the back
A word(s) or a sentence can be incorporated into the drawing thereby combining visual and verbal elements.
Flow drawing can also be done in the studio using found objects. The object is first explored by touch with eyes closed, then an observed flow drawing is made of it.
Materials
Small pieces of card approx 10 x 15 cms, pens, viewfinders (optional). Objects if required.
(We are grateful to Philip and Zelie Gross for this exercise)
Colin Riches
Follow this link Flow Drawing to download this resource page for saving to your computer and printing. You will need Adobe Reader available here http://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/