About Your Sketchbook and Mindset

When working in your sketchbook, it’s easy to get caught up in “getting it right”.

The harder we try, the tighter we get, and you might even risk you’re squeezing the joy out of drawing! Yikes.

Your sketchbook is not meant for perfection. It can be a happy place. A space to explore, experiment, and play.

When you draw from observation, who says you need to copy what you see?
We all have a smartphone at arm's length, to take a picture. You are not a camera. You get to decide what matters. What you leave out. What you emphasize. Your choice of subject, color, tools, composition. Whether you add notes, a title, write some thoughts. This is where your drawings become personal. This is where you show up.

Drawing itself is the point.

This is not making a perfect page every time. Some sketches are quick, will be awkward, unfinished, or are just for exploration and experimenting. Each and every one of these counts..

Perfectionism often come in when something matters to you. You care, so you try harder. Try noticing when it’s happening, and when you do: loosen your grip. Remember why you like drawing in the first place.

Here is a question to sit with:

What do you want from your sketchbook practice?
Asking that question brings you back to intention. There is no wrong answer here. And your answer can actually change over time. Coming back to this question can help to keep your sketchbook a place that supports you, that works for you, and not against you.