Back to Basics

Lately I have been rearranging my daily routine to work on being healthier, more productive and finding ways to simplify my life as an artist. It is no secret that I have been feeling a little clouded and annoyed by technology and art and this has inspired me to find ways to get back to basics and the foundation of being creative. The most basic I can get is to draw. In my opinion, it is the simplest and purest process you can incorporate into your daily creative routine. For some reason it has always reminded me of running- you can take it anywhere, it is free, simple, requires lots of discipline, doesn't always feel good, and the more time you spend doing it the better you get. Drawing has been with me my whole life, it has been a faithful companion that has challenged, comforted and brought me joy but with the onslaught of technology, distraction and the discipline it takes, often it is difficult to be consistent. In the course of the last year I have been carving out time every day to draw and it has brought me back to the foundation of what it means to be an artist and helped to offset the noise and chaos of living in the 21st century.

If you are looking for ways to grow as an artist try adding drawing to your daily routine-

Reserve a sketchbook, a pen or pencil for only drawing- no writing or art journaling- just drawing.

Don't be concerned with things looking good, let yourself simply let go and draw- Shapes, objects, patterns, doodles, people, architecture- fill your pages with drawings.

Make time every day to draw-even if it is only for 10 minutes at a time- treat it like any other ritual in your day (working out, checking email, drinking coffee, etc.)

Take a drawing class- there are lots of classes out there and I promise learning to draw fruit or naked people WILL help your skills grow as an artist!

Take yourself on field trips- museums, parks, farmers markets- just about anywhere you can find interesting things to get inspired and sketch from!

"It is only by drawing often, drawing everything, drawing incessantly, that one fine day you discover to your surprise that you have rendered something in its true character." ~ Camille Pissarro.