So far in this sketching challenge series, I’ve tried to address the many obstacles people face and excuses people use to avoid what should be a very relaxing and rewarding practice – such as “I’m too busy”, “it’s unproductive”, “I should be using this time to make money/clean the house/care for the kids,” or “I can’t even draw a straight line,” “I don’t have the art supplies/talent/access to natural areas to sketch”.
So, I hope that I’ve been successful in helping you to overcome some of these obstacles in forming a routine sketching practice.
Starting a new habit (especially a healthy one) can be a struggle, but the more you follow through and see positive results, the easier it will be.
We always find time for what we REALLY want to do. For example, I’ve rarely missed a meal in my life, or skimped on my 8 hours of sleep.
And we always find excuses for what we don’t want to do, like clean the garage or work on our taxes (blech!) I’m sure you can think of some similar examples.
The jury is still out regarding how long it takes to form a new habit. Research results vary from 2 to 8 months, depending upon a variety of factors like motivation, importance, and difficulty.
A healthy habit, routine, or ritual, like sketching, is good for our mind, body, and soul, and is the ultimate in self-care. Taking time for self-care is not selfish. This is an attitude I especially notice in my female students, though men can be similarly afflicted. Try repeating this mantra to yourself daily “I can only take care of others if I take care of myself” or as flight attendants (and my therapist) say “put your own oxygen mask on first before helping others.”
So, doing activities that nourish your mind, body and soul is ultimately the best way to care for both yourself and those that love and depend upon you.
Ideas for fostering a regular sketching practice
- Routines love…routines. Mammals, including humans, are creatures of habit, and thrive on predictability (just ask any dog trainer or child psychologist!) To begin forming a habit, you need to make the activity as quick, easy, and convenient as you can, so it’s a ‘no-brainer.’
- Pick a time you’ll sketch every day and set an alarm to remind you and also an alarm for quitting, say 5 minutes (anyone can find 5 minutes a day!) For me, the best time is in the pre-dawn quiet sitting in my favorite chair and sipping my coffee. I’ve found that mornings are when my mind is most in its ‘right brain’ which allows me the clarity and focus to proceed. Perhaps your best time is on the train ride to work, during your lunch hour at a local park, before your partner comes home from work, or after the rest of the family is in bed.
- Make the experience of sketching a ‘guilty pleasure’ so you’ll really look forward to it. For example, when you’re sketching indoors, set the mood by having a dedicated space that has a comfortable chair, good lighting, your sketching supplies, and some objects from your Cabinet of Curiosities or some magazine photos to sketch from. Play some favorite music (acoustic, non-verbal styles are best) and pour yourself a favorite beverage.
- For outdoor sketching, put together a small daypack with the essentials for sketching and hiking, including a snack and bottle of water. Keep it handy in your car so you’ll be ready at a moment’s notice.
- Include a list in your journal of all the benefits of a sketching practice and inspirational places to sketch (we’ve covered these in other days of the challenge) to keep you motivated.
- Find a sketching partner and set a recurring date on your calendars to meet.
- After each sketching session, take a moment to reflect on any feelings you experienced, like the joy of discovery or of quiet mindfulness. This will help to reinforce the positive effects of your practice and make it easier to pick up your pencil and paper next time. And when you’re having a hard time following your routine, you could try closing your eyes and visualizing these positive feelings to inspire you to start again. For me, I like to think about how much I cherish the sketching journals I’ve filled and how often I look back on them with pleasure and relish re-living those times when I was sketching in a summer meadow or tropical rainforest.
- If you’ve gotten as far as sitting down to sketch, but can’t bring yourself to do it, feel free to just journal about your thoughts, fears, and hesitations. Sometimes, the simple act of getting these feelings down on paper can relieve you of their burden.
- Many students are intimidated by the stark white emptiness of a blank page. If you’re one of them, just try warming up by doodling in the margins, or practicing drawing simple abstract shapes or textures. Eventually you’ll get your drawing ‘mojo’ back and be sketching in no time!
- If you’re paralyzed by the fear of not drawing a ‘pretty picture’ then keep your journal secret, for your eyes only, or vow to crumple up your drawing and throw it away once you’re done.
- Remember my #1 guiding principle is to focus on enjoying the process of discovery and not the product on the paper.
Today’s challenge
- Set up a sketching space in your home and/or assemble your day pack for field sketching outings.
- Look at your daily schedule and think about what you could cut down on or cut out in order to fit in a routine sketching practice. For many of us, reducing phone time, social media and TV could easily yield plenty of time to sketch.
- Extra credit: Post a description or photos from this challenge on our Facebook page.
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