Women at the Market

I’ve recently passed the half-way point in my 100-Day Creative Project. As you’re well aware, I chose neurographic art as my project, committing to doing at least one drawing per day for 100 days. It’s been an interesting experience, but I’ve definitely grown tired of neurographic art. Most of what I’m doing these days involves quickly making a few lines, quickly “rounding the sharp edges” and quickly coloring in the shapes — or not. Sometimes I shrug and leave the drawing black-and-white. In all of this, you’ll note, quickly has become the operative word.

From time to time throughout this creative adventure, my neurographic drawings have surprised me a bit, so I can’t say that I haven’t learned and grown from the process. Most of my recent drawings have become a bit tiresome, but even now one occasionally makes me smile. I do have a few drawings in my sketchbook that I actually like.

One thing I do enjoy about neurographic art is its imaginative quality. Once I begin coloring in the different shapes I’ve created, I immediately start seeing things. My drawings often resemble giant bugs, friendly monsters, or strange people. I tend to see more, I think, when I use a lot of colors. The process, as I’ve mentioned before, is also very thought-provoking. I do recommend that everyone give neurographic drawing a try — not necessarily for 100 days, but as an occasional art psychology exercise.

Because of the curious shapes and the brilliant colors, some of my neurographic drawings remind me of primitive art — it’s childlike, it’s abstract, yet it’s expressive in some indefinable way. With the drawing I’m sharing today, “At the Marketplace”, my creative process was a little out of the ordinary.

It began as most of my other neurographic drawings have — lines scribbled over a page with a black Sharpie. At once, though, I “saw” something here. In the scan I made, you’ll notice that there was a bit of “bleeding” from other pages, with a blue hue running across the bottom of the page. Maybe that’s what set my mind in motion.

I saw a group of women here, all standing in line at a market. One — on the right — has a small child with her. They’re doing their morning shopping, gossiping about all that’s going on, and enjoying a pleasant day.

With this scenario in mind, I began painting. Doing it this way was quite the opposite of my usual approach. Normally I simply reach for any color at random, but this time, I thought about these women as I painted each.

I loved giving the woman at the far left long black hair. I loved “designing” their colorful clothes, especially adding “shoes” for several women. I considered drawing faces, but decided that would spoil the effect.

I deliberately outlined shapes above the women and added touches of blue to suggest clouds in a blue sky.

Here was my finished drawing.

Women at the Market – Neurographic Art

So, even though I’m not thoroughly enjoying my 100-day foray into neurographic art, and even though I’ll be happy to set it aside at the end of this challenge, there have been bright, colorful moments along the way. When I look at this drawing, I can see it, and hear it, and feel it. I can even taste it and smell it.

There’s very much a complete narrative here, one that comes from imagination, but which was sparked by this simple process of scribbling lines and rounding off the sharp edges.

When my 100-Day Project ends, I’ll look back over all the drawings I’ve made, and I’ll find a few favorites there. This one will definitely be included in that list.

Can you also see the women at the market? I hope you like this simple, but colorful drawing.

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