Do you often find yourself staring at the empty sketchbook pages wondering if it would ever get filled ?
Have you stared at the beautifully rendered sketchbooks on Instagram and wondered if your sketchbook could ever look similar?
If you have felt any of these emotions then you are no different from millions of other artists who have strayed far away from what their hearts love to do the best-sketch, paint and create!
In this blog post, I am going to share a few tips that would help you develop a consistent sketching habit and ensure that all the empty sketchbooks get filled up with resplendent sketches. Read on!
1. Start Small
If you haven’t sketched for a long time, it is best to start small.
Use a smaller sketchbook, choose simpler subjects and draw small.
There is nothing more intimidating than a blank page staring back but don’t burden yourself with filling it up with one large sketch.
Instead sketch several small subjects spread artistically across..
2. Keep Your Tools Simple
When you are still trying to build a sketching habit, the fewer tools that you need to choose from, the fewer decisions you would have to make.
Stick to the basic materials like a small sketchbook, a pen with waterproof ink, a small watercolour pan set with a watercolour brush.
The last thing you would want, is to have a large collection of colors laid out to front of you to confuse you!
3. Sketch What You Love
If you love sketching glass bottles, they sketch a glass bottles. Don’t set yourself up against a mammoth challenge of drawing human anatomy or complicated perspectives.
Remember the idea is to develop a simple habit of opening up your sketchbook every single day and laying out a sketch on it.
4. Use a Limited Palette
I actually recommend using monotone when you begin since it gives valuable lessons of understanding tones and values.
But if you really must add colour then stick to not more than 5-6 colours. This would give you a better understanding of colour theory and their amazing mixing ability.
5. Use Habit Stacking Method
This concept was popularised by James Clear in his book “The Atomic Habit”.
It basically means that if there is an instilled habit that one regularly uses, then add another habit immediately after or before that.
For example: Eat your vitamins immediately after breakfast or meditate for five minutes immediately before lying down to sleep in the evening.
I have now developed a habit of walking down to my sketching desk immediately after I have my morning shower. My tools would be laid out in advance and all I would need to do would be to begin!
6. Use Pomodoro Technique
If you have trouble starting your sketch, set your timer for 10 minutes and tell yourself that you would sketch only till the time the timer rings.
Chances are that you would continue sketching beyond 10 minutes but even if you don’t, at least you will get a few meaningful scribbles on your sketchbook
7. Use a Tracker
Each day that you sketch, remember to put a big red across the date on the calendar.
Continue doing this till you get rows of red crosses.
This is a way of tricking your mind into maintaining the streak and not giving up on your new habit.
8. Carry Your Sketchbook Everywhere
You never know when inspiration would strike. It could be an urge to sketch a beautiful flower that you notice when you take a walk in the park or a vintage car parked around the street.
When moments like these sneak up, you don’t want to be caught without your sketchbook.
9. Having an Accountability Partner
Nothing helps a journey more than sharing it with an encouraging and supportive partner. This could be your spouse, close friend or another artist.
Having someone checking in would help you not only to push through the days when you are just not in the mood to sketch but also be a cheerleader when you make substantial progress.
10. Join a Community
There is no time better than now to connect with someone who shares your goals, faces the same challenge and is possibly equipped better to help you through your sketching journey.
The world wide web can instantly connect you with a large community that would be immensely helpful in setting up your new habit.
11. Set Up a Challenge for Yourself
When you are struggling to choose a subject for your sketches, set up a daily challenge for yourself.
This would reduce the pressure of “thinking” each time you pull out your sketchbook.
The internet is full of daily sketching prompts or you can make up a few for yourself. Few examples: Draw something red, sketch how you are feeling now, sketch your breakfast etc.
12. Stop Comparing Yourself with Others
Unfortunately the flip side to having access to social media is the constant urge to compare yourself to the picture perfect images posted on them.
The only person you need to compare yourself to, is the person you were yesterday.
Remember that none of these tips would be helpful unless you actually implement them. Sketching is one of the most therapeutic practices. It will not only help you relax but also help you improve your art on the way. Use few or all of these, and find yourself filling pages after pages of your sketchbook.
Do you have a process that you follow that helps you with you daily sketching habit? Share them with us below!