Welcome to my learning webblog: Drawing 1

I first began to draw and paint over 15 years.  And after traveling around the world for the past few years I find myself settled and living in Rome, Italy.  And want to work towards being a more proficient artist.  In the past few months I have worked on different and new techniques for my art practice and have discovered that there is much more I want to do.  The biggest problem I have always had is that I have had so much to do in so many different areas of life that I have always had to create artworks in a rushed and hurried pace.  I find myself now being able to take a breath and really concentrate on my works and very much want to improve my skills and techniques.  I have been greatly influenced by the incredible colours of Australia and the early painters such as Arthur Streeton and Tom Roberts.  There was a group of painters who went out into the country in Victoria, Australia in the early 19th century and live in tents and painted for months on end.  Producing incredible works of art in very hard conditions.  I have also been greatly affected by the colours of Spain, from paella to the incredible flamico dancers.  Now I am able to enjoy the colours of Italy.  The beautiful colours of the italian countryside is spectacular and I am able to paint as much as I wish.  I now want to dramatically improve my drawing skills to start with.