There’s something that’s been on my mind a lot lately. Sketching. And the importance of it. You see, here’s the thing – as an artist or someone who is creative in any capacity it is in our nature to take in all that we see and hear, all the things we are surrounded by and allow those things to effect us. To influence us. To influence our art. It’s impossible not to be influenced by the things around us. Which isn’t at all a bad thing. In fact, I think it’s extremely important to surround yourself with things that you find beautiful, people whom you admire and respect, visit places that give you inspiration. But inspiration in and of itself, in all it’s many facets, needs a translation. It’s like a whisper that we can only hear when we stop and listen, sometimes leaning forward, straining our ears to catch it. Sketching is the translation to the inspiration. It takes something intangible and makes it tangible. It’s like speaking out loud something that you’ve only ever heard whispered. Putting it to page gives life to the idea. Without it, without the quick passing of pen over paper so many thoughts and ideas just float away on the wind, are so easily forgotten, or become less clear over time.
I’ve always had a terrible habit of neglecting the skill of sketching, so I’m really quite terrible at. I’m such a perfectionist that when I sit down to draw something in say only 5 or 10 minutes I literally freeze up with fear that I won’t get it right. Which of course isn’t the point at all. The point is to quickly convey ideas, moods, feelings, etc. And like any other skill, the more you practice the easier it becomes, the more natural it feels. So my goal over the next few weeks and months is to loosen up. To learn how to let go and just draw.