One of my favorite quotes from this book is hidden away on a lonely page by itself in the preface. It reads….
“Mimicry is a prerequisite for developing creativity. We learn the use of our tools by mimicry. To this end I would offer the building artist to memorize or mimic (rote-like, if you wish) the making of “pictures.” “Pictures” he has been anxious to draw.
The use of this book should be available to anyone who wants to try another way of flapping his wings. Perhaps he will then get off the ground when his friend says, “David can draw a building better than anyone else!”
Lee J. Ames
Reading this quote from this Lee J. Ames’ Draw 50 book made me realize that it’s our turn to share the tools of how to become that artist! Even though it’s on the beach or in the snow, it’s still allowing others to become that artist or sculptor that everyone wants to be and doing so step by step, by “mimicry”.
What’s amazing is that all of the things that I had stashed away from all of those years ago are now being applied in a different medium, the medium of sand and snow. We are sharing the tools to give anyone the ability to be “David” on the beach, literally in minutes. To create a conversation piece with family and friends and those just passing by, to make those fragments of life that we all share with our families and friends while on the beach just a little bit more memorable. That’s our goal.
I guess I should be thanking Lee J. Ames for his incredible view into the world of drawing and how to look and how to approach drawing differently. However, I think the real thanks should go to my mom who found these incredible books (I still have all of the originals) when I was just a kid and who pushed me to become the artist I always wanted to be. To be the “David” in the group and look at the world a little bit differently. So thanks Mom, for allowing me “another way of flapping my wings!”
