some old art I found recently

Very good. We have a retired head teacher in this town who is a very clever illustrator.
He said his pencils and paint brushes are always to hand, and he practises every day.
Like everything else, thats the secret !

These are really good Fran , you should do more , I love the top one best ... the hair is lovely .. :o)

You have a talent!!!
I'd love to be able to draw and ha e tried over the years, but, I'm afraid...u either can or u can't.I ,unlike u, fall in the latter category!

Hi Fran ..fascinating photos...
you have your own distinctive style ...
Well done :o)

They are very good Fran, the second pencil one especially, I like the tiger, did you copy that one as well, our grandaughter is a budding artist and writer at 15yrs old, has won prizes and certificates, even designed the schools xmas card, we are hoping she can continue in the future....

Very good Fran. I'm hopeless at art - always wanted to be able to draw. Well done!

These are really impressive Fran - its a lovely hidden talent you have.

Thank you everyone! I knew about the first one, which I call Milady, but I'd completelly forgotten about the others - I've been stuck in "I can't draw" for so long that it was a bit of a shock to find them again.

The secret IS practice, lots and lots of it. It's not so much learning to draw as learning to see - we draw what we see, so we need to remember to see better - as Sherlock Holmes said to Dr Watson, "You see, but you do not observe"

I have several "how to write" books; the only one that was any use was one that said you should sit down for half an hour every day and write; write anything that comes into your head, whatever it might be - the idea is to get one writign, and then one can learn to write stuff that might be some good.

I suppose the idea's the same with drawing - draw every day, and then one will learn to draw better. Years ago I found a "draw every day" website, a man had done a drawing every day for a year - I can't find that link now, and Google has too many options, but it's still out there somewhere.

I got a book "Drawing on the right side of the brain" - the right side is the artisitc half of the brain (which is why left-handed people often tend to be more artistic, they access that side of the brain naturally). The book said it's not enough for right-handed people to try drawing with their left hands, but they gave some exercises to help connect with their artistic sides.

Sadly, too many people were told as children that they were no good at writing or drawing, and they believe it, and it becomes true - we've all got artistic talent, just that we forget where we left it! I censor myself too much - "oh, that's rubbish!" and give up too soon.

You CAN do it, Paul, just give yourself time and don't judge your early efforts too harshly - none of us would ever be able to walk if we gave up trying because we'd fallen over a couple of times as babies!

Well done for your daughter, Lincs: so pleased that there's a talent that's been encouraged and nurtured.

lol we can all fly, given the encouragement!

Hi Fran, I think you have a fantastic talent and the pictures are out of this world. It is something that I would love to do but don't have nearly the talent you have.
Take care and lovely to have the opportunity of seeing your art.
Bren xx

lol Woodlandwon, I don't think that I have any particular talent for drawing - my gift is with words, not visual art ... which is why I'm more proud of these drawings than anything I've ever written -writitng's easy for me, drawing takes effort.

And if I can do it, anyone can, honestly!

I'm a bit of a missionary about writing, that anyone can do it, if they give themselves time and "permission" to try - I've written a piece "write from the heart" to try to get people to find their inborn talent. I suppose the same is true for drawing, or dance, or music - we can all do it better than we think we can, but we don't *believe* that we can and that usually wins. *s* I suppose I could try rewriting that as "art from the heart"!

Just get pencil and paper and try drawing something, anything that you see around you - teacup, vase, whatever. Don't try too hard - you'll tense up and get blocked. Just relax and try it - you'll surprise yourself. you won't surprise me, though - I know you can do it!

I will do that Fran - thank you for your belief! I love reading and still like writing letters more than e-mailing but have to do both. I think it is because I had to do a lot of e-mailing in my last job (before I retired) and find it useful but not personal to elderly relatives and others.

I will let you know how I get on xx

great stuff!!

Writing letters is a lot more personal than emailing, but I have probs with that - I'm visually impaired, need 24 front, which takes up a heck of a lot of paper and toner - and the same for people who write to me (if they want me to be able to read it!) emailing's a lot easier.

I agree doing artwork of any kind is so satisfying Fran. Just heard today that an artist friend has died at 84. She was so good at acrylics and much collected locally. She had the honor of having her pictures stolen off Oldchurch Hospital walls. None of the rest of us had any stolen!!

sorry to hear about your friend's death, Dorjac, but it is a signal honour to have her art pinched - puts her in the same class as Leonardo and the Mona Lisa!