Where do you want to be or where are you, right now? Of course, you don’t have to go anywhere since there is always something to sketch from life, but do ask yourself what appeals to you on this day.
I find I am much happier if I sketch something I care about; something that touches or interests me in some way.
Sometimes it takes a major effort to pick up and go. It’s an expense of time, energy and money that may be in short supply. Happily, most of us have a wide range of things we enjoy sketching, some of them nearby. Luckily, my town is full of narrow, interesting alleys, old homes, architectural details and mysterious doorways, and I love to ferret them out.
The Inner Critic may get on your case about wasting valuable time when there are more important things to do. How do I suggest dealing with that sourpuss? Greet that fearful, judgmental, negative or angry voice with kindness, gratitude and respect. It’s only trying to save you from failure, outward criticism, embarrassment or disappointment, after all.
I have a variety of “heart homes” or places that I have sketched again and again. Our old cabin is one of them, as is the view across the alley from my little shed/studio. The alley behind my studio doesn’t go all the way through between streets, but it’s a fairly busy thoroughfare for walkers! I’ve sketched both ends of it. This is the more populous end with my neighbor’s dilapidated garage.
If you’re really convinced you don’t have any time for yourself, get hold of a tiny spiral-bound notebook and carry it with you wherever you go, just for a day. Make note of all the bits of time otherwise wasted, perhaps waiting, texting, watching TV or riding in a car—but not while driving, of course!
When I need peace, I often find myself sketching at Cooley Lake, an old oxbow of the Missouri River. This year, breeding pelicans had stopped by and filled the air with their huge wingspan.
Perhaps there’s a special fountain you love in your town, or a museum that has spoken to you through the years.
I love to sit and sketch the ancient GuanYin statue in the Nelson-Atkins Gallery of Art in Kansas City. I have been visiting this serene visage since I was very young, and I find the peace palpable. The hushed sounds, the scent of antiquity and old wood, and the dim light call to me again and again.
What have you revisited time and again? Once you know the answer, draw it.
What can you find in your own area? Walk around like a tourist and pretend you’ve never been there before. Look up or down at your feet to find amazing mosaic work you’ve never noticed. Explore alleys and fire escapes if you haven’t before, assuming you can do so safely. Look at the backs of buildings as well as the more familiar façades; in my town they have an almost European feel.
If you’re working in a museum or other public place, it’s a good idea to check their rules or requirements. Some museums won’t let you sketch at all, others encourage it. Some, like the Nelson, welcome it but ask that you use pencil (or colored pencil) only. You wouldn’t want to have your materials confiscated or find yourself escorted out the door!
It’s interesting to see how different artists see similar subjects. A group of us had a sketchcrawl at the Historic Elms Hotel where they’re always happy to welcome artists on their grounds or in the hotel itself. We just stay out of the way of major events like weddings!
As you can see in these images, Don Gore and I were sketching on opposite ends at the back of the big historic hotel. He chose a very clean, crisp ink effect, while mine is graphite and watercolor.
This is what Don saw. What would you have done with it?
I chose a view from the other end of the hotel. It’s still from the back, but it includes the peaks with their English-inn trim and the massive chimney.
Of course, if you can, arrange to sketch in places that speak to your soul, near or far. Find a Zen garden or a small country church. You may yearn to sketch in the world’s great museums. Travel to the seashore or the mountains. Maybe it’s a magical botanical garden with its riot of blooming color, or a tropical island. If that’s what you truly need, make it happen if you can. You’re worth it!
Shevaun Doherty spent years in the desert. She sketched the people, landscapes and plants, including this date palm.
Take your art supplies on a family vacation or a business trip, and make sure your companions know sketching is important to you. Take some time for yourself and make it your personal break or enlist a sketching partner. Draw while they shop or hit the pub, or sketch in the pub—that’s fun too!
I enjoyed using a variety of mediums for this little two-page montage on a recent trip to the Ozarks. Watercolor pencil in blue-gray, watercolors, ink and graphite made it interesting.