Draw Every Day

The thought of drawing every day used to overwhelm me.  Perhaps it was because an art professor in college once told me that every artist should draw at least two hours a day. He did draw and he was good at it. But did I really want to devote that much time to it each day? No. And so I didn't. Painting takes up most of my time. It was a good excuse.

I really wanted to draw though so I started out with lower expectations than the two hour challenge. What if I drew for 5 minutes, or ten. Or maybe at the most 30 minutes? Surely I could carve 15 minutes out of my day for drawing. Plus, it became self motivating when I was giving out sketch books like the art fairy to my adult children (who are artists) and challenging them to draw. And then when my son, Adam, challenged me to a drawing a day, I had to walk the talk.

I've heard it takes 3 weeks to develop a new habit. Now, almost 2 months later, if I don't take a few minutes out of my day to sketch something, I miss it. There is satisfaction in the doing. My eyes are getting stronger. I'm training them to see form, shape and shadow with confidence and much more quickly. To speed things up I usually use a pen so that I don't take time to erase and try and make it better.

I encourage you to draw. Don't let it become a big deal. Make it fun; draw what you like and what inspires you. It doesn't have to be perfect. If you only have 3 minutes, take 3 minutes. Keep it simple. And you don't have to show anyone unless you want to.

Here are some samples of what I have been drawing. Below each sketch is my inspiration for drawing it.

I like to think of each new day as a blank canvas. An opportunity to start anew with fresh ideas, hope and expectations for great things to happen. (I set up a miniature easel and canvas on my table.)

One of my favorite old paintbrushes.

A feather floated off the table where my husband ties flies.

My favorite honey jar.

I enjoyed a few minutes outside on a warm October day looking up at this small tree branch.

This is one of the last jars of canned peaches that I put up last summer. I hadn't canned peaches in years.

I attended my granddaughter's birthday party. I sketched quickly before the candles were lit. I gave her the sketch as an extra little gift.

I've been trying to drink more lemon water.

My Christmas cactus bloomed early this year. I loved the strong lines and bright red color. Drama.

Sketch Book Drawings: Hospice

I have a lot of painting to do but clearly, this has not been the time. I have been staying at a hospice center with my mom, waiting for my dad to pass. So, instead of painting, I turned to my sketch book to help break up the hours and record memories as my family waited and took turns holding his hand.

This sketch was drawn as my sister, Barb, gently held his hand. I think she was holding on to more than just his hand. She was holding on to his warmth, his love and sweet memories, 

Joseph was named after his grandpa. He waited too. The hours were long for this patient 8 year old.

Rhyan, also 8 years old, seemed to understand the gravity of the situation. She stood at her great grandfather's bedside and rubbed his arm. Posing for this sketch was a nice break. She sat so still! An ideal model.

The flowers in the room added beauty to a solemn situation. 

More flowers...

With lots of other family members coming throughout the day, I took breaks from my dad's room and wandered around the hospice center looking for other things to draw. This graceful green pitcher caught my eye. With permission, I moved it to a sunny window and sketched it there. I also photographed it with plans to create a painting of it someday.