#009 Excuses That Stop Me Sketching
The things I've told myself that have put me off starting a sketch that I now ignore.
Hello all
Spring is here!
I’ve been looking back at old sketchbooks full of sunshine from last summer. I remembered that when I was about to draw some of these sketches, I often told myself things that put me off starting the sketch. I was pleased I ignored them. Here are the things I now ignore:
I haven’t got time
I have thought this and it often puts me off making a sketch. I’ve thought, I haven’t got time to do a ‘good’ sketch. I’ve realised that I’ve always got time to start sketching something and, even if I don’t like the outcome, it’s still practice and may capture something interesting.
I could take photos of things I see but the sketches wouldn’t have the same feeling as when I draw from life.
Here are some sketches drawn very quickly that I nearly didn’t start:
Sometimes not having much time means I feel less pressure and I just start without thinking too much about materials.
It’s too windy/wet
I now really love painting in the rain. I have realised that I need to have no expectations. The sketch needs to be very quick and when I’ve finished I leave it open on the page and turn it upside down to protect it from disappearing completely as it dries on my way back to shelter.
Sketching in the wind and rain always captures so much atmosphere. It was so windy near this lighthouse. The people in the restaurant were staring out at me as I tried to stop everything from blowing away. I managed to shelter to take this video. There are lots of random pen marks I didn’t notice at the time.
There isn’t much light
I get really inspired to draw at the theatre and at concerts and have no expectation about the outcome. They are very scribbly pictures but they still remind me of the performance and capture some of the drama or feeling.
Where are these excuses coming from?
I wonder if viewing great sketches on social media has increased my excuses to not draw. The feeling that it might not be good enough (not good enough to share?) and it’s good to remind myself why I use my sketchbook:
I sketch to have a creative space, a visual diary.
I know that when a sketch hasn’t ‘worked’ or communicated things in the way I intended, it means that I’ve challenged myself in some way and that’s helping me develop.
A picturebook I love
This book by Beatrice Alemagna is about how things change. I won’t tell you the ending but it’s lovely. Each spread features a transparent page with a black line drawing which shows change with each page turn.
Subscribers’ sketchbook peek
Thank you for reading.
If you’d like to see more of my sketchbooks you can do that by joining as a paid subscriber for the price of a fancy coffee each month. I’ve just posted the April newsletter and am excited to share a tour of my favourite sketchbook: the drawings I like, some I abandoned and the breakthroughs I had.
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That’s all from me.
I’d love to know if any of the excuses I’ve told myself about not starting a sketch have been thought by you too. Let me know in the comments.
Have a lovely spring and see you in summer,
Charlotte x
Inspiring as always Charlotte! It’s so easy to make excuses, and ‘not enough’ time is number 1. You’ve pulled the rug out from that one! 😂
Oh I've used all of these excuses as well! This is such a lovely reminder to get out of my own way and just draw the damn things. Thank you!