Drawing an Old-Fashioned "G" Handshape
or how a box of butter greases the brain skids...
For a while I’ve been struggling to get back into a drawing groove. If I don’t draw regularly, I start expecting too much from my artwork and end up unable to draw at all. >.<;
The answer to this problem is usually to start small. I made a little sketchbook out of a butter box. It’s not very big, so it doesn’t feel as intimidating as a regular-sized sheet of paper.
But what would go into the butter book?
It so happens that Deaf designer Estefani Garrison is hosting a 36 Days of Sign Language Alphabet challenge on Instagram. I usually don’t join specific challenges because my ADHD brain chokes when there’s too many constraints. After some thought, I realized that it’s a good opportunity to practice drawing for the joy of it, without the pressure of a “finished” product. So I joined!
I’ve also been using my art supplies at hand: pencil, micron pens, brush pens, paint pen, and highlighters for color. The latter might be a surprising tool to use but the bold colors really do stand out.
What helps me most with sticking to this challenge is thinking of unusual ways to depict handshapes. I draw them at dynamic angles and choose unexpected ways to incorporate our Deaf experience.
For the “G” handshape I thought about the old way of signing in ASL. We can see an example in George Veditz’s “The Preservation of Sign Language.” If you look closely, notice how his handshapes are relaxed. I took a picture of my hand and then used it as a reference while sketching.
The following gallery shows the process it took to reach a near-final image:
The challenge with taking photos of one’s artwork is in how physical context is missing. The artwork pops at its original small size but doesn’t look quite right enlarged in camera. I fixed it by punching up the color to create a final image for Instagram:
Here’s the original in my hand for scale:
Keeping things at low stakes lets one be surprised at the final artwork. I’m happy with how this little piece turned out. Maybe if I reach the end of the challenge, all of the little handshapes can be turned into a zine. We’ll see…! :D
Have you ever experienced a creative block before that you overcame with a low-stakes project? Feel free to share in the comments!
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Bonus Kitty:
Angel reminds me of her mealtimes by sitting on my tools and artwork. >.>