Sketchy

As an adult I've always held a curiously hostile attitude toward my sketchbooks. It takes an overwhelming compulsion to draw in order to push past my utter reluctance to do so-- and I actually really like drawing! Recently I've been cultivating a healthy attitude toward my sketchbook. (I got a final push from one of my fave blogs.)
This is what works for me:
  • Draw something every day!
  • Start by grabbing 3-4 colors without looking.
  • Use imagination only-- no copying in real life.
  • No judgment before, during, or after.
I find myself doodling effortlessly, armed with colors I wouldn't ordinarily choose, pursuing ideas while they're still forming, unafraid of being silly. Obstacles are immediately absorbed into the process. A sudden inspiration to add Vlad runs headlong into the physical constraints of paper size, and it's time to expand. Besides, the sleepy puppy's paws flopped off the page. So... sew three pages together and voila! After a lot of effort I realize things are crooked; I mentally amend the adjective to 'tilted' and move on.


I really love the no-judgment aspect. The satisfaction I feel from simply finishing the piece is surprisingly more fulfilling than the satisfaction of making something good.
It's revelatory: there's no mistaking the sudden hiccup that jerks my mind from the groove of ah yes, another fun and colorful doodle smack dab into oh no, this is going in the wrong direction, stop stop stop you're making a mistake, it's terrible. I smile to myself, taking pleasure in the gentle rebuttal: No judgment. And then I keep going. There's a hiccup nearly every time. How have I ever gotten any art done before now? How have I survived my own efforts to block my creative spring? (A mental click: it's no coincidence that I'm feeling stilted and stagnant in my ceramic work these days.) I feel relief as I witness, so clearly, this struggle within my mind.
What a breath of fresh air, noticing the struggle come.... and go...