Letting go of my dream to illustrate children's books freed up my sketchbook for weird doodles I actually love.

Turns out, drawing silly stuff for myself is way more fun than chasing a publisher's approval.

4 comments

4 Comments

Honestly, this whole thread reminds me of when I stopped trying to learn guitar solos and just played dumb little melodies. I recorded myself making a song using only the sound of a kitchen whisk and my out-of-tune acoustic. It was a total mess but I still have the file and it cracks me up every time. My music folder is just a happy garbage dump now.

the_tyler2mo agoMost Upvoted

Man, that shift is everything. I spent years trying to make art that looked right to some imaginary judge, and my sketchbooks were so stiff and unhappy. Tossing out that need for outside approval was scary, but it's the only reason I still draw for fun. My pages are messy and strange now, full of inside jokes with myself, and that's what makes them worth looking at. It's like you get your own voice back when you stop trying to sell it.

anna_ellis882mo ago

Totally get what you mean about weird doodles being better. I used to try so hard to make "good" art for other people and it just killed the fun. Letting go of that need for approval is like flipping a switch, and suddenly you're just making stuff that makes you happy. It's crazy how much pressure we put on hobbies to turn into something serious. My sketchbook is full of nonsense now and I love it way more than my old "portfolio" pieces lol.

davis.noah2mo ago

My old sketchbook from art school has exactly three pages filled. All those perfect figure studies felt like homework. The rest is blank because I was so scared to mess it up.