How to Draw - Daily Practice while drawing ATCs - Artist Trading Cards

Everyone can learn to draw. It just takes practice. This word scares many people. That is not you though, or you would not be reading this lens :-). Many of these drawings will not great. They are just practice drawings. They will even seem forces, because you are practicing technique, not necessarily letting your creative juices just flow. A few might actually go great. I have personally discovered, that even though these are not great drawings, the difference they make shows in my actual works I produce. They flow easier, and I see things that I did not see before in the drawing, because of the practice drawings I do daily. This practice also seems to keep me from regressing in my drawing skills during times that I may take a few days off from producing works.

I hope this encourages you to take 20 minutes or so daily and begin practicing.

I use Strathmore Smooth Bristol 300 9"by 12" that I have cut into 3" by 4" cards. I keep a few of these wrapped in a piece of tracing paper inside my drawing kit. (I will soon produce a lens on how to put together a drawing kit). I use a kit that I can keep with me because as a missionary I travel and I am rarely at home. Even when I am in the area of home, I am rarely at the apartment long enough to draw. I had to create a mobile drawing kit to keep me from using the excuse "I don't have enough time" to keep me from drawing. It works. My drawing kit my laptop, and my camera go everywhere with me.

I am a missionary and an artist. I was born in East Texas, but left at age 19. Eventually, I settled in Tennessee. Over the years, I have raised two children who now live in Tennessee. Missionary training began at RBTC in Oklahoma in September 2005, with graduation from the missions group after two years in May 2007. Then, after returning to my hometown, Clarksville, TN, I began preparations to head out to Northern China, which took place in May 2008.

Drawing is a new skill which started in Spring 2009. During a time of recuperating from an illness for several months, I found ample time to spend in prayer. Out of that prayer time, I began to draw and write cards for various people, in which, I was led to spend time in prayer. Before I was finished with these cards there were a little over 60 of them. They were very rough sketches, but none-the-less, what I was led to do. Through this process, I realized what He was doing, and I continued to draw and develop this skill, and still continue to grow and develop. These drawings are the result. As I travel through China for my primary purpose of ministry, I draw, creating a visual journal of what I see.

I really enjoy the drawing and the purposes for which God has placed this gift in my life. A whole new door has opened, and I am walking through that door, eagerly awaiting to see where the road beyond it leads.

In mid-May of 2009 I moved into Southern China. I love the people and the ministry work here. I still travel around China and work where needed in association with another ministry here, also. This year, to help share the people I meet with my friends and supporters back home I am working on The 110 Faces of China Drawing Project. I have six of these finished, and working hard to get more finished as time permits. I also have started a blog with regular updates about the people, myself, and the drawings. You can check out this and my blog," What is it like to be a Missionary Today", in the links on this Squidoo lens. I also have a Fine Arts America website (linked to this lens) where prints and cards of my drawings and photos are made available to everyone.

Thank you for your prayers and support!

Blessings,
joy neasley

P.S. - if you want to support this ministry, the fastest way is to make an Online Donation via www.WorldOutreach.org. Go to "Donate" and select Joy Neasley - Asia. The system can process USA and International cards. Or simply mail your gift to World Outreach Ministries, PO Box B, Marietta, GA 30061, and designate for Joy Neasley Fund Code #87.