The invisible man
I'm reluctant to confess, I have inner conversations, and I don't mean just talking to myself, which most people do anyway, even if they don't admit it, but I have actual conversations; a dialog which sometimes goes on for several minutes. Am I crazy? Often these discourses of mine get put in writing in the form of a diary, (journal for those of the vouge mindset), notebook, sketchbook or blog.
Being an introvert, I've never been the type to call much attention to myself (maybe that's why I keep a diary) but as the years progress, I have had to ask me,
"How's that worked out for you?"
and the answer invariably comes back-
"Not very good."
I've discovered quiet touting makes me invisible. I've often used the self-describing label, The Artist Who Writes, but that means very little to people.
My logic (I use that word cautiously) is let my work speak for itself, which doesn't work. I've been touting myself, for some time now, as "the artist who writes" because I love to draw and then write about it.
Born Again
But if I go around saying to people...
1. I draw Caricatures
2. I make humorous cartoons
3. I'm a published author
4. I sell merchandise
5. I teach others how to draw
6. I'm a business/community leader
7. I have a blog
...then I simply become Bob Doll, the guy who does a lot of stuff. I often say, "look at my latest drawing." or "Check out my latest blog post".
Boring!
Frankly, the litany of things above isn't simply what I do. It's a position. Conveying that, I'm no longer the artist who writes...
I'm Bob Doll- the artist who writes, because sometimes my cartoons say things I could never get away with saying myself.
My cartoons don't just show how I draw. They are saying, "this is how I see the world". It's my take on:
- Life
- Love
- Work
- Friendships
- Business
- Success
- Marriage
- Failure
- Relationships
- Aging
- Frustrations
These are things more valuable than simply posting a finished drawing. I'm not just presenting a cartoon; I'm saying, "this is my take on it" and I love putting the following humorous qualifying condition on my work:
"The views and opinions expressed herewith do not necessarily express the views and opinions of Bob Doll".
I've spent most of my life drawing and writing about not only what I see but also what I hear. Everyone I talk to, and everything I see, I'm analyzing for possible material that may show up later in a drawing and blog post. The evidence is in three books I've published thus far. An extension of this is how I love teaching art students not only the mechanics of how to draw but also the philosophy of drawing.
- Don't focus on the obvious
- Look at the peripherals
- Pay attention to details
- Shut up, look, and listen
Master these and you'll be not just a person who draws...you'll be an artist who writes.
