Whitaker: sketchbook and Reverie workshop

**William Whitaker** · March 16th, 2009, 12:37 PM

I’m going to be at the Reverie workshop and I want to make a positive contribution. Checking the forum, I find that this sketchbook section attracts the most viewers so I thought I’d say a few things here.

Drawing is everything. When I was sixteen, I made over 400 drawings during that winter and spring. I drew mostly with a 2B pencil on typewriter paper. I drew during every spare moment. I’m heartened when I see your sketchbooks and see the way you’re always drawing at the Concept workshops. You remind me of me. When I was teaching university, I was disheartened by students who hadn’t paid their drawing dues, for unless you practice, you simply don’t know how to make lovely lines.

If you draw well, then sculpting, painting, Photoshop, Painter, everything else – is relatively easy.

I wish I’d done more serious copying. Really accurate serious copying! Back in the dark ages of the 20th century, copying was discouraged. We had to be original! Very stupid. The old masters learned by copying. Art museums were originally set up so art students could copy master works. If you are moved by something, copy it! That way you’ll get your mind inside your inspiration and you’ll learn much faster.

Indulge yourselves. Let your art lead you. This field is so hard, that unless you have fun all the time, you’ll give up. It’s nice to have lots of talent, but talent alone is very overrated. Endless practice is everything.

Reverie will be filled with wonderfully talented teachers who’ve allowed their art to take them in all kinds of directions. You’ll see some very advanced stuff going on. Massive Black has invited me to the workshop because of my painting specialty, but I really want to work with people on basics. I hope I can be there for those of you who have questions. I hope I can work with you one-on-one and help make this a worthwhile experience. We are all learning. It's good to get together and share. If I can help anybody, please know that I don’t believe there are any dumb questions.

Now to let me belong here, I've attached a few drawings.

**~KJK~** · March 16th, 2009, 12:58 PM

Whoa, i have the honor to be the first one to post here! Stunnignly beautiful work, you are an inspiration to us all! Ive still got a long way to go with traditional media, but i will be there one day

**Kan Muftić** · March 16th, 2009, 01:01 PM

Now I REALLY wish to be in Dallas.. What a guy!

**Gilead** · March 16th, 2009, 01:06 PM

I've never felt right about copying other people's work even for practice, but I think my art suffers for that.
I'm going to open a new sketchbook just to do copies in.
I wish I could be at your workshop.

**PieMonster** · March 16th, 2009, 01:07 PM

Fantastic work, you make it look way to easy. Thanks for the little talk on drawing as well.

**Frank Gressie** · March 16th, 2009, 01:14 PM

whoza! that first drawing blows me away haha! Sir I hope you can post here regularly

and thanks for the words of wisdom!

frank

**DanielC** · March 16th, 2009, 01:28 PM

Beautiful.

**Meon** · March 16th, 2009, 03:40 PM

Thank you, Sir.

**Victor B** · March 16th, 2009, 03:45 PM

Inspirational talk, thanks for posting wish I could go to the workshop.

**MarkWinters** · March 16th, 2009, 03:48 PM

Great post. I can't wait to pick your brain! Thanks!

**erik-jan v/d schuur** · March 16th, 2009, 04:03 PM

beautiful tekst and work

maybe we will meet some day on a workshop. I hope so!

**D@niel** · March 16th, 2009, 04:10 PM

Breathtaking!!

**meticulous** · March 16th, 2009, 04:50 PM

Thank you for the advice and talk - and thanks for sharing these - absolutely beautiful. Stunning -

**Mat Kaminski** · March 16th, 2009, 04:51 PM

It's the inspiring speeches like this that keep me working towards my goals. Jason Manley, You, countless others, all keep the inspiration flowing with such beautiful words of wisdom!

Your work is breathtaking honestly... This is the reason I continue my pencil works, to one day aspire to such skill as this.

Continue working, Mr. Whitaker, don't ever stop!

**kevinwueste** · March 16th, 2009, 04:58 PM

i want to come learn!

**krossj** · March 16th, 2009, 05:07 PM

incredible, really inspiring work. cheers for sharing!

**Hive_minD** · March 16th, 2009, 06:08 PM

wow, holy crap. Sure hope I get around to copy your work. Such beautiful art!

**polipol** · March 16th, 2009, 06:53 PM

oh my dear lord, thats pure inspiration...

**pencil1** · March 16th, 2009, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by Matte_Art

It's the inspiring speeches like this that keep me working towards my goals. Jason Manley, You, countless others, all keep the inspiration flowing with such beautiful words of wisdom!

Thats exactly how i felt after reading Mr. Whitakers Post, and seeing his lovely drawings with those words in the back of your mind, is just something so deeply moving and motivating(if that even makes sense)..

Thanks Mr. Whitaker

.

**donalfall** · March 16th, 2009, 07:43 PM

Thanks for the pics. Hope you keep this SB up to keep letting the rest of us keep an eye on the higher benchmarks. Damn, but I wish I was going to Reverie. Enjoy it, I hoope you have a good time.

**mike butkus** · March 16th, 2009, 09:31 PM

Very pretty drawings. True talent.

**Diego** · March 17th, 2009, 12:23 AM

Thanks for sharings those, inspirational stuff for sure.

**William Whitaker** · March 17th, 2009, 01:00 AM

Noodledoodle, let your art carry you along and you’ll have it all eventually.
Chupacabra, what a great site you have and that music is perfect!
Gilead, copy away. Copy whatever inspires you the most. You will cut years off your learning curve.
PieMonster, I’m glad I make it look easy. Sometimes I wish it were actually so.
Frank Gressie, have a great subject and the drawing practically creates itself.
DanielC, thank you for posting. You too Espenboi.
Victor B, we’d love to have you there too, but it’s a long walk isn’t it.
MarkWinters, start in on me and I simply won’t shut up. Ask Emily G.
Thank you kindly ‘ej.
Daniel, you say the nicest things. Very nice of you to comment.
Meticulous, thank you for your comment.
Matte Art, it’s learning and sharing that keeps us going. I expect to be inspired by people like you in Dallas.
Kevinwueste, we all learn from each other. Ain’t this a great forum?
Krossj, it’s a treat to share when I get great comments like yours.
Hive MinD, there’s a lot of inspiring work in Norway, mostly unknown 19th century artists. Explore your museums.
Polipol, your 30 second gestures are terrific. Do a billion more!
Pencil1, go for your dream and change the world.
Donalfall, I intend to have a great time, as long as I get plenty of naps too.
Mike, I’d love to see more of your work.

In the next couple of days I’m going to post some close-ups. When I go to a museum I always make the guards nervous because I want to get in close! I don’t care what is going on in a painting as much as how it’s done.

These heads are all painted in oil on panel, and fairly directly. My favorite brushes are Trekell Long Filbert #2, Trekell kolinsky watercolor round #1 and #4.

These heads are all small -one to three inches high.

**AphexTweak** · March 17th, 2009, 01:08 AM

Wow! What an amazing artist and teacher you are. Thank you for sharing your passion with us and your words of wisdom. If you have a spare moment and wouldn't mind, I would love to get some feed back from you on my modest attempt at an online sketchbook. (see my sig. below)
Looking forward to future updates.
Thanks again.

**Mock** · March 17th, 2009, 01:23 AM

W-o-w.

Amazing work, man. Truly inspiring.

**BubbaGump** · March 17th, 2009, 01:31 AM

I also thank you for your words of wisdom. Originality is important but your statement about copying has really made me realize how essential it is to the learning process. I want to draw another master copy after reading your opening post. Thank you so much.

**Jon Sun** · March 17th, 2009, 01:47 AM

Yes! Yes! Yes!

Wonderful advice, and even more wonderful work to back it up. Thank you so much for sharing!

**TASmith** · March 17th, 2009, 01:53 AM

Thank you for posting and sharing. I love your art. Please keep posting more!

**Gloominati** · March 17th, 2009, 04:33 AM

ah, your paintings are so beautiful, makes me stop and stare each and every time I see them, even as I am writing that post I keep scrolling up to look at those portraits.

Thanks for sharing and thanks for being in the sketchbook section