Back to basics

A line is all I need from Natalie Perkins on Vimeo.

I decided I’d better start submitting drawings to things because I really ought to be promoting myself, and one of the first zines I wanted to submit to was the Underground Art School. The theme for the next issue is Simplicity/ Back to Basics, and after thinking for about thirty seconds I realised that if I get back to basics, all I really need is a line. All any drawing is built on is lines; and actually, everything is built on lines isn’t it? A few months ago I was really keen on physics and learning about String Theory and I watched a few rad videos that explained dimensions in quite simple terms and how there are LOTS of dimensions and possibly even lots of universes. At the crux of it all, dots and lines build everything (in my overly-romanticised view of it all!) I have seen people look at my drawings and talk about how complicated and intricate they are, but to me, they’re just a mass of lines and everyone’s just over-complicating things.

You can see a bit of me drawing the piece in the above video.

A line is all I need
Et Voila!

10 comments

  1. The virtue of being an artist is making the complex simple, and knowing where to put those lines and dots, like I know where to put words and in what order. However for those that don’t know about lines and dots, we can only look in awe and appreciate gift when we see it.

  2. I really enjoyed watching the process that you went through to create this piece. You work wonders with lines and dots. I’m interested to know what pens you use – I noted the micron – but I’m not sure about the others.

  3. Thank you!
    I didn’t actually get out the Microns for this drawing because I wanted the lines to be quite fine! My fine liners are my Rotring Rapidograph .10 and Pilot Hi-Tec-C 0.3. The Pilot is actually a gel pen, but the nib is so fine and lovely to draw with!

  4. Fascinating to watch you work. I think I’ve said it before but a lot of your work would translate beautifully to tattoos. I’m thinking one day in the future I may need to commission you to design a piece for me!

  5. hehe, I just discovered your blog and was checking out your flickr and thought “This would be perfect for Underground Art School, I wonder if Racheal knows about her”

Comments are closed.