Unpopular opinion: I thought drawing was for kids, but finishing my first sketchbook felt pretty great.

I always believed that making art was a waste of time if you weren't naturally talented. Then, I got bored and started scribbling on old receipts during my breaks. Seeing those doodles slowly turn into actual shapes over weeks really got to me. Like, I surprised myself by sketching a decent looking dog instead of my usual blobs. It was weird admitting how off base my old view was. Now, having a full sketchbook on my shelf is a silly little victory I didn't see coming.

4 comments

4 Comments

karen3612mo ago

Can my stick figures count as art if I cry over them too?

angela_harris2mo ago

My cousin's kid used to draw these wild, scribbly monsters on napkins at family dinners. Everyone would just laugh and toss them, but his mom started taping them to the fridge in order. Watching them change over a year, from total chaos to these little characters with stories, it really hit me. It's not about being some master artist, it's just about making the thing. That full sketchbook of yours is proof you kept going, and that's the whole game right there.

joel_jones2mo ago

Have you seen that study about how doodling can help with memory and focus? I read this article a while back that said making art, even simple stuff, is like exercise for your brain. It's not about being a pro from the start, it's about the DOING. Your story about the dog sketch proves that point perfectly. That sketchbook isn't just paper, it's a record of you getting better bit by bit. That's a huge deal, way more than any "natural talent" nonsense.

luna_wright2mo ago

My first sketchbook has a whole page of what I called "emotional potatoes." They were just lumpy ovals with sad faces, but I was really feeling it that day. I look back now and laugh, but that page got me through a rough week. It's proof you don't need skill to start, you just need to make the weird potato thing. That book is full of bad hands and dogs that look like sheep, but it's mine.