1 month carrying a mini sketchbook.

Get one too join my cool gang

​I found these amazing tiny sketchbooks in Copenhagen Flying Tiger shortly after saying out loud 'I could really do with a tiny sketchbook'.
SO if that ain't manifesting - then honey, I haven't got a clue.

Anyway here is some of what has happened/ I've noticed.

​I reach for it when I would have reached for my phone.

Occasionally.
I'm nowhere near kicking that habit.
BUT!

I have got it out in the following places:
- Whilst watching a Ghibli film on a day I needed rest.
- On the bus
- During the bits of rehearsal I'm not in
- In a lull at a social gathering

There is an improvement in my linework.

It's not a huge improvement but I have noticed changes.
I'm less hesitant in making first sketch impressions and I pause longer before going in on details.
It's only small but I can see how continuing  the 'practice' will (I say will because therefore I intend to continue) improve my sketch skills tenfold.

Once I stopped trying to make each doodle perfect things were allowed to flow better.

I am well aware I should have a practice each day as part of being an artist. The truth is I do lose a lot of time to admin, life stuff and let's face it - the doom scroll too.
I've been slowly and steadily trying to carve more room out of my days for things that pay off in the long run - I'm playing the long game here.
So adding a practice of sketching is part of that.
Having the book with me is very helpful - also that I thankfully love to sketch in biro like a maniac. But - no room for hesitation - get in there with the lines and deal with it if it goes wrong.

​Watch this space.

No one cares.

​One of the things I think in recent years - possibly since the pandemic and being 'released' back into the world is feeling at ease around other people.
At ease enough to whack out a sketchbook and start doodling like it's a completely normal thing to do (it is you just have to reframe your thoughts).

I think of that meme of the two guys on the bus - one looks out into the bright sunny sky smiling the other - looks over the road where it is darker and he's feeling down. Same bus.
You can let your thoughts about everything run you into the ground - or you can follow the things that bring you joy and skill and a different perspective.
So when I say 'no one cares' - you can take that to mean 'oh, god, no one cares about me everything is terrible' - or flip it - 'no one cares if I start sketching on this bus because they're all up in their own brains too'.
Maybe just don't go staring people down - they don't tend to like that.

The pressure is off.

The pressures off.
There I said it.
No perfect scribbles.
No pressure to post it.
No pressure to finish it.

In fact - don't finish it.
I actively dare you.
Start a fresh new page right in the middle of a drawing.

This is why you bought 4 sketchbooks that were £2.

It has served as a journal and idea pad.

​I try to journal every day anyway - I ask one line from myself as minimum (it's like a brain hack that works 75% of the time you end up writing more).
But I noticed that I started doodling more in my regular journal since picking this up again.
I often find putting thoughts into picture form much more effective for myself.

But also I found myself documenting little moments I'd probably forget by the end of the day because I had my sketchbook on me.

All the stuff that gets washed over with a million other thoughts.

I was listening to Creative Peptalk (surprised? No? Do I ever shut up about this podcast?) and once again Andy J had read my mind and done an episode which I listened to a few days after starting the process. 
Anyway - he's a big advocate for doodling to stay present when you're a busy brain individual.
​
It's helped a lot in some moments.

Mostly it's been like returning to myself.

Re-watching Only Yesterday made me think about how much I used to draw as a kid.
I prided myself on the stack of sketchbooks full of work - I always used to get this uniform black A5 ring-bound sketchbook.
I changed it up when I eventually moved medium to watercolour.
But the point is - I took it a lot of places with me.
I drew in all sorts of places.
I drew to stay present.
After all it's the best time my brain feels quiet.
​And it costs me £2.

Random swerve - but I'll be uploading BTS vids on my YouTube

I'd love so much if you'd join me as a subscriber-
​help me get to 1000!