Why do we need sketching?

This article is for all those who get stuck artistically in creative block and haven't taken a pencil in the hand for eternity and don't know how to start.

Sketching helps me in two main ways:

1. Thanks sketching I became attentive to new impulses and generally notice and analyze the beauty around me. Art is born through visions and even better through contemplation of new visions.

2. Finding new characters, new components, environments - that all things are raw materials for visual art work.

“People observing is the best way for ideas in illustration”

So, how did I get stuck in creative block?

At the beginnig I dumped all reasons on motherhood, especially first year. But in real, it all appeared earlier before I became a mother of twin. Probably, thanks to them, I admitted to myself the truth that I was in creative block without any ideas in my head and knowledge of how to get out of it. Of course, during heavy intense physical activity the brain shuts down mental activity and it is natural, if it was the opposite, the burnout occurred instantly. The blocking happened due to the fact that I started to repeat: to repeat stylistics, motives, technique that once impressed me and others...When I returned to the materials, they behaved like abandoned children to whom returned spontaneously mother and began to offer them to play but they did not obey. I known that I have to paint, but I did not know how and where to start. The answer was in sketching . Of course, in this case you need to be patient. The main task I set for myself was process and growth, not the result.

Basic methods.

I took part in sketching workshop which was organised by talented Viktorija Semykina.
So, what I learned and what helped me :

1. At the beginnig of sketching you can get fear of white paper. Here is exersice which will help you to cope the fear. So, you have to draw quickly 10 seconds sketches on paper, but do not look on paper in which you draw. Here the main goal is to move from tension to relaxation, and to laugh from results and process.

2. Mix your sketching view. It means that you sketch figure with 2 seconds looking on the paper and than not. Do it quickly. Draw the plastic of the figure first, not details.

3. Learn to draw from memory when there is no sketching book near you. Look at the figure, try to analyze, then close your eyes, scroll through its memory, reopen and analyze. Do it 3 times.

4. Advice from me. Just draw, draw lines, dots, spots and don't be cruel to yourself. Do not compare yourself with others, but give yourself time. If you have creative friends group together for sketching breackfast, dinner, supper…))

The main thing in your creative recovery is - just allow yourself to relax and a little bit to procrastinate.