Sometimes we think we must find a “worthy subject” before we draw, but almost everything fits that bill if we look at it with new eyes. Babies view the world with this kind of wonder and curiosity, so it helps to borrow a page from their baby book! Colors, textures, the way the light hits a familiar object—all those things can catch our attention and make us want to sketch.
Have you ever caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of your eye and realized you’d never noticed it before? Sometimes it’s an interesting, weathered surface you overlooked. Sometimes it’s the way light falls on leaves, turning them to stained glass or glistening off their surfaces, that makes make your fingers itch to draw before the scene changes.
Your garden sprouts new young plants, and you celebrate the turning seasons in your sketchbook. There’s a new coffee shop in town or a spectacular show at your local museum. You read an article about your town’s history and, suddenly, that funky old building you pass every day becomes wildly interesting; you want to capture its story. A bird builds its nest in your canoe or in a hanging plant on your front porch. You pick weed seeds off your jeans and discover a variety of shapes that you can’t wait to sketch and identify.
These are just a few of the things you’ll see around if you if you open your eyes and view your surroundings with renewed sight.
Get to know your neighborhood through your sketches, as Vicky Williamson does. Formerly of Kansas, she now lives in rural Texas and captures the beauty and variety of life as she discovers her new home. Vicky adds written notes to her observations, fleshing them out so we feel exactly where she is on the planet and want to join her there!
Let your rambles teach you something about your place on Earth. Look not only at the wildlife and plant life that surrounds you, but for signs of previous residents. Here, an old treehouse caught Vicky’s attention.
Open your eyes. Be aware of everything around you. Be mindful. There are plenty of things to sketch! If you want to, get out a magnifying glass, or even a microscope. Discover the wonders all around you.