Again, so well said; thanks for the motivation. Our minds are interesting places—the more “spectacular” thing is somehow more motivating than the little thing, even when it’s less helpful. (Putting $100 into savings all at once, for instance, is a bigger dopamine hit than tucking away $1 a day for a year.) We somehow expect drawing to be different from other skills—you’d never expect to put in ALL the miles for marathon training in one week, or ALL the hours of piano practice before a concerto performance, but for art it’s ok? We need to retrain how we show up for art—this is the perfect place to start.
Saving this one because, wow, what a fantastic reminder. I really appreciate the science here. And this gem: "Some sessions will produce something you’re proud of and most won’t. That’s completely irrelevant to whether the practice is working." That's worth writing on the cover of my sketchbook!
I wholeheartedly agree. Lately, I have decided that in addition to working on long form content (books and longer stories and such) I am going to create some short form comics WITH A FIXED TIME LIMIT. Last week I made a comic working with a one hour timer. Not exactly a ten minute sketch but when all was said and done I went from idea to finished (albeit imperfect) comic in about two hours which felt GREAT!
I love, love, love this post. That's how I learned to draw. It started with just doing it in small increments each day. I have stacks of sketchbooks that bear witness to this daily practice.
And years and years and years later, I cannot help but do it every day. I need it. Something feels wrong if I haven't sat, and done this daily ritual. It will sneak in on the margins of something. I'll squeeze it in, even if it is only a tiny sketch on a forgotten scrap of paper. I feel like it has become so much a part of me, I cannot not do it.
Thank you for such an inspiring post, Christopher! It’s so hard for our brains to accept the power of the small but regular steps. But you made a very good point and the science behind it makes it even more powerful.
Again, so well said; thanks for the motivation. Our minds are interesting places—the more “spectacular” thing is somehow more motivating than the little thing, even when it’s less helpful. (Putting $100 into savings all at once, for instance, is a bigger dopamine hit than tucking away $1 a day for a year.) We somehow expect drawing to be different from other skills—you’d never expect to put in ALL the miles for marathon training in one week, or ALL the hours of piano practice before a concerto performance, but for art it’s ok? We need to retrain how we show up for art—this is the perfect place to start.
exactly
Saving this one because, wow, what a fantastic reminder. I really appreciate the science here. And this gem: "Some sessions will produce something you’re proud of and most won’t. That’s completely irrelevant to whether the practice is working." That's worth writing on the cover of my sketchbook!
Glad you liked! Thanks for the comment.
I wholeheartedly agree. Lately, I have decided that in addition to working on long form content (books and longer stories and such) I am going to create some short form comics WITH A FIXED TIME LIMIT. Last week I made a comic working with a one hour timer. Not exactly a ten minute sketch but when all was said and done I went from idea to finished (albeit imperfect) comic in about two hours which felt GREAT!
Amazing how these measures start to add up.
Absolutely the only way to sustain growth. 🌱✏️
And yet I often overlook this simple thing.
I love, love, love this post. That's how I learned to draw. It started with just doing it in small increments each day. I have stacks of sketchbooks that bear witness to this daily practice.
And years and years and years later, I cannot help but do it every day. I need it. Something feels wrong if I haven't sat, and done this daily ritual. It will sneak in on the margins of something. I'll squeeze it in, even if it is only a tiny sketch on a forgotten scrap of paper. I feel like it has become so much a part of me, I cannot not do it.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for such an inspiring post, Christopher! It’s so hard for our brains to accept the power of the small but regular steps. But you made a very good point and the science behind it makes it even more powerful.
Thank you for reading and commenting!