Have you ever thought about getting into fly fishing art? We thought right now is a great time to give it a go. So we connected with our friend Sarah Landstrom to get a little insight into how to get started in fly fishing art. Check out the full interview below.
Flylords: For people who are stranded at home right now where is the best place to begin?
Sarah: Pull out some photos of your favorite fishing trips! Fiddle around with sketching them out, even loosely. Think of this as a warm-up. Get a feel for the drawing tools you may have or the type of paper—then jump into a project that gets you excited!
Flylords: What is the hardest part of drawing a fish?
Sarah: Like any drawing, I think people get caught up in if it looks REAL. But really everyone has a unique way of making marks. And it’s beautiful! People’s personalities come out when they draw, so being tripped up by whether or not it looks REAL just holds you back.
Flylords: What is the best medium to start with?
Sarah: Starting with just a bit of paper and a pencil is great. With those tools, you can begin to understand “value” (lights and darks through shading) in black and white. After you’ve developed that skill, it can be far easier to jump into color.
Flylords: What is your favorite medium?
Sarah: Personally, I love acrylic paint. Mostly because it’s forgiving! It’s water-based and builds on itself, so you can always go back to change things.
Flylords: For people who are in the intermediate level of experience – what do you recommend as a new medium for them?
Sarah: Colored pencil or acrylic paint is a great way to experiment when you’ve reached an intermediate level! Play around too. Not every piece has to be your new favorite, make sure to test ideas. This is how you’ll really develop your “style”.
Flylords: Do you have a favorite piece you have worked on?
Sarah: I love working large scale, so likely the boats I’ve painted. It’s such a physical way of painting! Big brushes, tons of paint, and transforming a large surface is just so exciting.
Flylords: Where is the best place to get supplies during Quarantine?
Sarah: That’s a great question. Ideally, if you can avoid amazon, you may have a local store that has supplies for online purchases. Or try calling! They may be able to take orders over the phone. This solution would still help support local and likely get you the supplies much faster.
Flylords: Where do you get your inspiration from?
Sarah: I dream about fish quite a bit. So if I’m not referencing from a specific photo or trip, I likely am thinking about some gesture of scenario I’d come up with in a dream. Sounds silly, I know. Just what happens to fishing folks eventually I guess!
Flylords: When this is over, where is the first place you want to send a cast?
Sarah: Back in Michigan off of my parent’s dock. Being around people I love, but can’t see right now, and in a place that is so special to me.
Sarah is currently doing Instagram Live How to Draw Sessions, be sure to tune in at @sarah_landstrom.
