1 Down: What You Need to Read Slowly, Calmly, and Carefully

Morning.

Steps:

1.  Outer Space

  • materials
  • remove or turn off distractions
  • clear workspace

2.  Inner Space

  • body relaxed but aware (this takes a little time)
  • connect to breath (so does this)
  • clear head

3.  This is a copying drawing.

Choose:

  • sketch out the entire image, calmly and purposefully – fill in with detail if you have time
    or
  • zoom in on one aspect and draw it in detail, aiming for precision

This is another Margaret Jones illustration from The Mabinogion, “The Cauldron of Rebirth” (sound familiar?).

If you want a higher res version that you can zoom in on, right-click on this to open it in a new tab or window after you get the music going. 

4.  Before you begin drawing, press “Play” in the YouTube window below to listen to what is, in my opinion, one of the most sublime pieces of music ever – the 3rd Movement of the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 – played by one of the greatest concert pianists ever, Leon Fleisher, with one of the best orchestras of its time, the Cleveland Orchestra, led by one of the world’s best conductors, George Szell.  (Shout out to those heartbreaking cello solos by Jules Eskin! Wow!). This is why you put in all those hours on the bench, otaku. 

Now stop reading this, press play, scroll back up, and start drawing.  Start when the music starts, and kept your pencil moving until the music ends, then stop. 

Deep breath.  Go. 

5.  Date it.

6.  You do not need to email it to me, but we will look at it later.  If it’s loose paper, file it somewhere organized and safe. 

 

Is there anything in “The Cauldron of Rebirth” image that might be useful for your The Black Cauldron work?  Do you want to practice more of it, or save it/print it/file it?

And now that you’re at it, perhaps consider writing down your schedule for the day.  We’re going to try to do crossword puzzles, so Class Meeting might go until around 12:00 or so, depending on how clever y’all are.  

Bring it. 

See you at 10:00!

 

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