If I had to list the most endearing aspect of my treadmill, it’s that it eliminates any guilt surrounding watching art videos first thing on a weekday morning. I’ve seen enlightening and inspiring documentaries and learned from numerous skilled teachers while jogging away — definitely the spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down. A few of my favorites are listed below.

©2017 Elizabeth Fram                                                                                   Even though this pen has a “fine” nib, it is much thicker than I prefer. I struggle with its boldness, missing the nuance of a finer line while trying to keep each shape from appearing too “cartoon-y”

It’s interesting that I seem to have a hard time maintaining attention with prolonged video instruction if I’m just sitting, but if I’m moving I’m totally captivated. (There has to be some sort of scientific study on that subject). Anyway, even better, anything art-related tends to take the pain and boredom out of my running-to-nowhere workout, making it unexpectedly anticipation-worthy .

One of my holiday requests this year was Charles Reid’s English Watercolour Sketchbook DVD (thank you Stu!). If you’re not familiar with Reid, check him out. His work is loose, yet masterful; I am in awe of both his drawing skills and his use of color. I’ve learned a lot from his books, but nothing quite compares to watching over someone’s shoulder as they work. He articulates what he’s doing, as he’s doing it, with just enough repetition that core ideas sink in and stay.

©2017 Elizabeth Fram                                                                                                                             However, the beauty of the heavier line is it opens a door to thinking more carefully about pattern.

Reid repeatedly drills home the idea of creating lost and found edges within a work, stressing the importance of continually moving back and forth between the subject and the background in order to find and make connections and escape routes throughout the piece as you progress. It has been one of the most valuable tips ever, and one that I try to keep in the back of my mind at all times.

Necessity has provided me with a fertile learning ground to practice and find fresh solutions to this principle. I have a new sketchbook with paper that, while smooth to the touch, has a tooth that wreaks havoc on the tips of the .01 Micron pens that have been my go-to tool for several years. To get around the problem, I’m using my Lamy Safari fountain pen which isn’t bothered by the rough surface. However, it makes a much wider line that, while great for playing with marks and pattern, has put me back to square-one in figuring out how I can manipulate it to achieve values and find ways to create the breaks and overlaps that Reid advocates, while simultaneously maintaining a sense of form.

©2017 Elizabeth Fram                                                                                                                            A wider line also makes it easier to achieve truly rich darks, although creating a diverse value range is a lot harder.

For now, it’s a bit of a steep learning curve. I know I need to keep at it in order to make progress, when it would be so much easier to revert to my comfortable old pens on familiar paper. But, just like the darned treadmill, if I commit to it and find a way to keep it interesting, I know the rewards will be worth it in the end.

*A few suggestions:

• Painter – Caio Fonseca
• American Masters series from PBS
• Assorted Craftsy art courses, especially those by Marc Taro Holmes, Shari Blaukopf, and Stephanie Bowers
• Sabra – Vermont printmaker Sabra Field