Lamp with Plant is the first installation in Contours, a series of drawings that I’ll be developing over the next several weeks. This series is based on methods of blind contour drawing, which involves drawing contours, or outlines, of forms while looking at subjects, without looking down at the paper or lifting pen from paper. Being “blind” to the drawing process essentially breaks the connection between seeing and drawing and leaves them physically isolated from each other. This makes it necessary to attempt to re-create that connection by focusing on seeing as if you were drawing, and then drawing that vision. Blind contour is often used simply as practice to strengthen the eye/hand connection, but I find the resulting drawings very truthful in their structure, layout, and irregularities. Contours will show my Reflection and Response interactions with various people, places, and things through focused and “blind” studies.
Reflection and Response.
V.
the LIFESTYLE 
[…] is the second installation in my blind contour drawing series that jumped off last week. Looking East from the intersection of Houston & Greene in New York […]
Thanks for the comments yall! I like how Nathan describes blind contour drawing as a “natural form of abstraction.” I think that’s a great way to think about the process of looking, seeing, and drawing from life while allowing the actual drawing to flow almost independently. It’s interesting to think that restricting (“blinding”) yourself in this context seems to set the drawings free.
That plant looks pretty alive.
Reminds me of Sally’s class at BHS, fun times.
Also, I like how blind contour drawings allow for a very natural form of abstraction, where your process is still tied to this traditional form of seeing, and following subtle changes in shape with your eye, while the end result is abstract and you just get to enjoy the path of the line.