Keeping a Sketchbook

Developing a Regular Sketching Habit to Grow Your Skills

Every now and then I get asked “how did you do it?”

By “it,” they mean the intense amount of growth my art skills have taken in the last three years. Contrary to popular belief, I was not always an artist; I actually spent a considerable amount of my life trying to devote my time to various creative pursuits¹. Usually in the effort to garner approval², but that is a story for another day.

No, I decided to become a working artist approximately three years ago when I vacated an abusive situation and began rebuilding my life into one I was thrilled to wake up every day for. And the one habit that helped turn my wild doodles from something less scruffy and liable to bite into something more clean-shaven and demonstrating panache?

Keeping a sketchbook.

This is the best, most serviceable advice I can give to those of you wishing to become artists yourselves: keep a sketchbook. Every day if you can. Frequently if you can’t manage it every day. Document your day — draw as many things as you can of all kinds³, not just those you find “interesting.” Draw your food, draw your tools, draw the cars you see outside, draw the chairs in the waiting room, draw the plants in the office, draw your friends, draw strangers, draw the buildings you pass, draw the trees on your walk, draw the birds perched on the telephone poles, draw everything you can. Draw it well, draw it badly, draw it every which way in between. Experiment with different mediums. Combine mediums. Try different papers. Play.

And don’t limit yourself to just drawing — take notes, too. Describe the things you see as you draw them, write poetry, narrarate your dreams and then diagram the pieces. Make maps. Consider other works of art and why they speak to your soul. Explore art you don’t like. Cultivate your unique way of seeing the world. Art is ultimately as much about developing technical prowess as it is about developing your way of being.

And take your sketchbook with you everywhere. (I mean it.) Let it become a friend to you, a daily travel companion, and with every mile you log⁴, the closer you will be to your goal of making beautiful art you love.

1. Music, creative writing (fiction and poetry), dance, swordfighting, tailoring/costuming, and embroidery, to name a few….

2. People-pleasing is 0 out of 10 stars, would not recommend. Live for an audience of One, folks. God’s approval is the only approval you need.

3. There is a wonderful TEDxTalk aby Ralph Ammer on how drawing ideas help you think and understand all kinds of things.

4. My inspiration, John Muir Laws, of nature journaling fame, coined the term “pencil miles” to describe the act of drawing, drawing, drawing, to ultimately gain skill.