Tips For Your Sketchbook

Do you ever catch yourself thinking: there’s noting to draw? Or maybe you have convinced yourself that you’re bad at drawing a certain subject - and then avoid it?

Then these tips below may be helpful!

Tip 1: Bad at drawing people?

If you catch yourself thinking “I’m bad at drawing people,” you know what to do: practice, practice, practice. 

Use the people you already have around you. 

Family members, a partner, friends. They’ll support you because they see how much joy drawing brings you, and they won’t mind a few wonky portraits. It might feel awkward the first times. But you’ll realize that it’s also a way of spending quality time with loved ones too. Even if their absorbed in their own thing (while sitting perfectly still for you).

Tip 2: Nothing to draw?

When you don’t feel inspired or think there’s nothing to draw, look right at what’s in front of you.

I took this pear from the fruit bowl. Before cutting it up to add to my breakfast bowl, I quickly made a line drawing of its shape. I noticed the lamp's strong shadow. The more I looked, the more I was interesting it all became.

Try it. Once you’re drawing, you’ll feel the creative flow. Then you can keep drawing to fill the page. Slightly shift the subject each time for a fresh challenge.

Before you know it, you filled the whole page!

Tip 3: Repetition 

Your inner critic might say it’s boring to draw the same thing repeatedly. But it helps you stop overthinking and instead just start. 
Repetition is great for observation skills. You’ll notice things like like light, shadows, and relationships between shapes. 

Even without dramatic changes, each drawing feels fresh, because your mood has changed, and so have you. Different tools also bring new perspectives.
Recurring topics can help you building a regular sketchbook practice. Instead of trying to come up with new ideas you're appreciating what’s in front of you.

And it’s surprising how that can lead to the most interesting drawings.

Speaking of recurring topics...

I wrote about that in my book "Life is better when you draw (it)". And I have been working on an online program, inspired by the book.
The online program started with an idea that I left simmering for a while. In November, I finally started designing the curriculum. Right now, I am deep into the video production of it. It's a lot of work, but I'm getting there, and I'm excited about it. 
I don't know yet when the program will launch. If you want me to keep you posted, put your name on the interest list here.