How to stay (more) consistent with your sketchbook habit
This year (and probably last year too for that matter), my sketchbook routine can probably be best described as ‘consistently inconsistent’. I’ve gone through phases of drawing most days for ages before slipping out of the habit and not drawing for a few weeks or more.
Inevitably I nudge myself back into drawing regularly again and wonder how long the habit will stick. What I will say is that recently, the periods of not drawing have become fewer and/or shorter than they were a year ago so that feels like a positive.
I think there are a few reasons why I keep falling out of the drawing habit:
I've had longer periods of low energy where all I can focus on is resting to get the M.E. as stable as possible.
I've also experienced increased anxiety (partly due to my wildly fluctuating health), which has led to a fear of the blank page and a self-imposed expectation of perfection from every drawing.
Sometimes I've felt like I have to make the most of my energy when it's there so I've wanted to make a really impressive drawing to avoid 'wasting' this 'precious resource'. But that just leaves me feeling anxious and means I don’t make any drawings, which is not fun.
And I’ve struggled to make my workspace feel as welcoming and comfortable as I can so that it’s a place I want to be. I have limited space at home and the best place for my desk isn't always the best place for me to sit and draw so that's felt like quite a big barrier to drawing.
I’m not in a position to tell you that I’ve got this all figured out and that I have a clear solution for you to follow if you’re finding it difficult to stay consistent with your sketchbook habit.
But what I can do is share some of the things I’m experimenting with that seem to be helping so far and I hope that you find them helpful too.
Here's my mix of practical strategies, reminders to keep at the front of my mind and what I guess could be described as a certain level of mindfulness or awareness.
Draw for the sake of drawing
It's OK to draw or paint just for the sake of it. It doesn't have to have a greater purpose. It doesn't have to be a design for a new print or greeting card or anything to make money.
Drawing's just noticing, really looking at something and then making marks on the page. And the best reason I can give for anyone starting to draw is that drawing will keep you in the moment and you'll see the things around you differently.
The process of drawing will help you feel a bit calmer, happier, and present.
It doesn't have to be perfect
It's OK if the drawing - or painting - is wonky, wobbly, smudged or doesn't quite look like it 'should'. Like I said above, you're drawing for the sake of drawing. Maybe you'll love the end result, maybe you won't but it's all good practice.
Think about how far you'll get in a month or a year when you've been drawing every day, compared to what your drawing skills will be like in a year if you draw nothing between now and then.
My favourite times with my sketchbook are when I'm feeling curious and playful - 'I wonder what would happen if I used this colour, this art material, added more/less water, layered this coloured on top of this one...'
That curiosity can extend to the finished drawing too. So rather than just deciding that you hate a drawing, ask yourself why. What would you do differently if you started again? And is there just the tiniest bit of that drawing that you do like? Notice that and really focus on it. Remember it and store it away for future drawings.
I've been trying to notice the moments when I feel a tiny (often quite sudden) spark of excitement when I feel like 'I'd like to draw that', and then drawing that rather than feeling like I need to wait, create more time or do something else first.
It's easy to think that you'll come back to an idea for a drawing or save a photo to a folder to draw from later. But it's also easy to prioritise other things or forget that you wanted to draw those things at all. And your enthusiasm for that drawing might fade if you wait too long.
Instead, try and notice when you feel excited about the idea of a particular drawing and then start.
Maybe you've only got a few minutes, in which case you can make a a few marks and finish it later. Or make a really quick sketch. Or choose art materials that are quicker to work with like pens or pencils, rather than paint that takes time to dry.
Again, the result might not be perfect but it will be a lot better than the drawing you never make because it didn't feel important enough.
Use as many sketchbooks as you like
I used to be very much a monogamous sketchbooker. I had a single sketchbook for all my drawings and would only allow myself to start a new one once that one was full.
There's a lot to be said for sticking to one sketchbook and maybe that's what you need. Sometimes I slide back in that direction too. Keeping one sketchbook can sometimes feel easier because there are fewer decisions to make so fewer barriers to starting to draw. But sometimes I think it's nice to have more than one sketchbook on the go.
Sometimes it's handy to have a couple of sketchbooks in front of you while you're drawing so you can draw in one sketchbook while you wait for paint to dry in the other. Switching back and forth can help create a sense of momentum.
Recently I decided to open a new sketchbook to use for some daily drawings, even though I have others unfinished. Starting a new sketchbook can feel a bit daunting but it can also feel quite exciting.
The sketchbook I opened most recently is a little pocket-sized Stillman and Birn sketchbook and it feels easy to use. I can pick it up and make a little sketch or painting on a single page or spread across a double page and it still doesn't feel too overwhelming.
And I still have my other slightly larger sketchbooks nearby for days when I want the space that they offer or a different type of paper.
As well as my other sketchbooks, a few months ago I decided to designate a cheap sketchbook as my 'secret sketchbook'. The paper's really nice to draw on but it doesn't feel precious because it only cost a couple of pounds.
So this means I feel less worried about 'messing up' a page. It feels less pressured, but that's not the main point of a secret sketchbook.
As the name suggests I keep these secret. Occasionally I might share a page here and there but for the most part, these sketchbooks are just for me.
They're somewhere I can draw freely without feeling like I might share what I'm doing later, either on social media or Patreon or anywhere at all.
I mean, this can be the case for any sketchbook you use. You get to decide who sees inside it but if you're finding it particularly difficult to start drawing, then make your sketchbook secret. Make your drawings messy, ugly, smudged, wonky and have fun, knowing that you're the only one who'll see them.
Create lots of spaces to sit (or stand) and draw
I'm allowing my art materials to spread around the house a little bit at the moment. I still have my tiny drawing desk but I've been drawing at the kitchen table, sitting on the sofa and even while sitting on the living room floor.
Like I said earlier, the space where my desk isn’t always right for me. It can sometimes feel too cold and on sunny days when I want to draw in the afternoon the light can be too harsh/dazzling.
Since I’m limited with where I can place my desk, having a few alternative drawing spots has been helpful.
It also makes drawing feel like less of an ‘event’. I can just pick up a sketchbook and a few art materials and get started without having to go to another room, where I have to get settled and clear some space (at which point I’ve probably lost some enthusiasm).
This way I can start a sketch while I wait for my porridge to cook in the morning or on my way to cook dinner.
Draw what you see, even if it seems boring
Most recently I've been painting little pictures of the sky and tree tops that I can see from my windows. I see these views every day and it doesn't feel that interesting but I think that changes when you start to draw.
Whether the thing you're drawing is a world-famous landmark or your kitchen sink, the point is that you are drawing.
You're experimenting with art materials, noticing details and colours, reflections and textures. So no matter what you're actually drawing, you are actually drawing. This means you're more likely to tap into that mindful process, being completely present and hopefully finding some level of joy in there.
The drawings I've been making of the sky and trees are a bit wonky, messy, definitely imperfect and in no way precious. They'll never be something I'd want to frame or sell but that's not the point of making them.
I make them because it allows me to draw and to document a tiny moment of my day, however mundane that might otherwise feel.
I hope some of these ideas help you when you're struggling with maintaining a consistent sketchbook habit. If you think I've missed something important please let me know in the comments or drop me an email.
And if you're a fan of sketchbooks, please explore the rest of my blog or consider joining me on Patreon where I share regular creative prompts, chat about art materials and show snippets of my process.
