I’ve been drawing every day, and am feeling more comfortable moving the pencil around on the paper. This 31 Days of Playful Drawing has been a really good simple drawing practice for me and I plan to keep it up once the group activity ends at the end of the month. This month I am keeping it to pencil and paper, with no color. Perhaps next month I will add one color. Or use a different medium. Or keep it strictly to one drawing “style” for a month. Slowly but surely I will get back into the habit of creating. My favorite drawing this week is a self-portrait, and I was pleasantly surprised that it actually looks like me!
Another thing I’ve noticed is that drawing is similar to yoga or meditation for me, in that it focuses my thoughts on one thing instead of my brain randomly jumping from thought to thought to thought, which at times drives me bananas. I think my random thinking happens more now that I’m retired and not at work and focused on a project or assignment, and the focus that drawing brings me is a welcome relief. So that’s a good thing, and a reason to continue. Drawing brings focus.
© Rachel Imsland
Rachel Imsland, Artist 