Triptych times

So there was this incredibly LOOONG spell, between my creative muses. I put it down to being uncomfortable with my mediums. I've tried painting, charcoal, pastel, watercolour, different kinds of crayons, pencils, and even collage. No matter what I tried though, my muse always felt stifled. So I had to force it onto the page.

Naturally, that kind of creativity isn't enjoyable - so I've been avoiding the studio, ever since. But then something dawned on me recently. I was listening to music with my headphones, and the main lyric in the chorus was, "write your story on my heart." Don't ask me why, but that repeated chorus ignited an old story, in my heart.

Me, a piece of paper and a pencil - that's how it all began. From as early as I can remember, this is how I taught myself to draw. Three muses, like a trio of musicians, working together to find the right note. Was this, what I was missing? Then my subject matter, suddenly fell into my lap...

Violinist #1

Using an image online as a rough guide, I started to play with lines, in ways I haven't felt confident doing before. I played with the long diagonal of the bow, contrasting with the neck of the violin. Then, completely out of the blue, she was wearing a curved hat, with extra lines to match the bow. Was it even meant to be a hat? I was just playing with what lines could express.

Violinist #2

Another violinist, but this time, her stance was more subdued. The bow was almost vertical, as if she was willing the perfect note into being. I played with her hair, to make the curves, mirror the shape of the violin. But after I finished the sketch, it felt out of balance somehow. So I added a large spherical object - most likely a moon, in the background. It embraced her and the violin.

Cellist

To finish the triptych, I needed a cello player. To my surprise, it was the cello that wasn't going to play second-fiddle, here. As I continued to sketch, it filled up more of the page and hid the cellist. I liked this contrast, against the other two musicians. I wasn't sure how to treat the face, so cast shadows across her eyes. Which looked more like a blindfold. I decided it was acceptable. Because it was like the cello could play itself, without seeing the eyes or expression of the musician.

I knew when my muse hit me, what I was missing in the studio. Illustration. It was how I became an artist, in the first place. It's the one thing I don't have to force. I've decided to dance with illustration once more, and see where it leads me.