Drawing as a medium - Ben Throsby

Drawing gives me an outlet that no other experience can match. The idea that the paper that lays before me can be occupied with anything, absolutely anything that my mind can fathom, is not appreciated anywhere near to the level it deserves. Drawing is one of these invaluable mediums that is present in almost every art and design process; it’s the foundation for all artistic pursuits, whether that be painting and printmaking or industrial design and landscaping. The way I was introduced to drawing is also why I became so involved and interested in the medium. Animation was a big part of my childhood and watching tv shows, as well as feature films, was made exponentially more entertaining if they were delivered as cartoons. Tarzan and Finding Nemo were two films that heavily inspired me to start drawing when I was younger. Although both films differ in dimension, one is 2D and one 3D, a solid thematic idea is prevalent in both of them. Both of these films use the art of the animators and the voice actors to personify animals into characters so relatable and so fascinating in nature that they (admittedly to my 5-year-old self) were more valuable a character to see on screen than an actor or actress. This started to fuel an idea that’s perpetually lingered in my head that my drawings, and my art, have the capacity to trigger serious, genuine emotion and thought from the viewer. I was so attached to these animated characters as a child, but with perfectly good reason. The artists behind the screen molded these figures to direct me into feeling that way, and that’s one of the reasons why I love this medium, and art as a whole, because I on my own have the ability to draw out peoples feelings and bring to their surface real emotion.