Sketching for Fun

Blog 33

Last summer I wrote a blog about the ease of drawing especially during the summer months. You do not need a lot of equipment and you can do it almost anywhere. When I wrote that blog in July 2014, I had just gotten into the habit of taking a sketchbook with me everywhere I went. To read the 2014 blog please go to http://www.kerstinpeters.ca/index.php?page=arch-tmp , then scroll down to the blog from July 18, 2014.

If you know me personally, you know that I cannot keep my hands still. You will hardly ever see me just watching TV, or just sitting patiently in a waiting room, in a bus or as a passenger in a car. For longer trips, I bring a whole assortment of things to do. I also have a book in my car in case I have to wait longer than expected for someone at pickup time or for a meeting. However, when I am without my car, I do not want to carry something heavy along. A pocket sized sketchbook and a small refillable pencil are perfect to stick into my purse. Sketching also helps me with my motion sickness, at least to a certain degree.

Nowadays, I take out my little sketchbook in a restaurant while waiting for my meal, during a bus or train ride, and even at the theatre in the dark. We have front row tickets so it is easy to see the whole stage. I do not finish every sketch. Sometimes, my subject moves too much or gets off before I am done. Sometimes, I just cannot get the essence of what I started. Often, I am not too happy with my sketch at first but when I look at it at a later time, I realize that I usually captured some essential parts, even if the perspective or proportions are not correct. Most of the time, it is a nice reminder of a person or event – almost like an entry in a journal.

When I start to sketch, my sole intention is to practice my skills. Therefore, I am quite relaxed about my creation. If I am lucky, I capture the essence of what I see. The sketches are usually not meant for anyone else to see or to be published. So in this blog I make an exemption and show you a couple of my latest sketchbook entries.

Maybe, this will inspire you to just give sketching a try. There is inspiration all around you. It could be a beautiful flower, a nice fresh peach, or just an interesting shadow. Keep it simple. Just by observing what you are sketching, you will remember the event or subject more clearly - even if your sketch does not turn out at all. Have fun. There is no right or wrong way to sketch something. You could develop your own creative shorthand to remember what you saw, create doodles or cartoons instead of realistic interpretations. To tell you the truth, I never thought I would have so much fun and be courageous enough to sketch in public. Only since I stopped comparing myself to others and accepted my sketches as training exercises have I filled more than just one sketchbook.

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