Enjoy The Process

I have a secret. It is not everyday that I disclose secrets in my blog, specially if the blog is dedicated to design, illustration and photography. I know I should be discussing technique or inspiration, but bear with my rambling. This is my blog after all. It has a lot to do with my point, I promise.

I have always been afraid to make mistakes. Whenever I buy new paper for my drawings, I make sure to save the best ones for a major drawing that I plan to do. That major drawing never happened. Why? Because I was too afraid to start, knowing that I might make a mistake. With the digital age, mistakes are easily remedied. This is very good for those who do not rely on the traditional process of image making. For us who are more conservative however, one wrong line can be very difficult to correct. It is quite frustrating. There came a time when I would rather not draw because I was thinking too much of the mistakes that I might make.

I changed that mentality just recently when I bought a new sketchpad. I would draw and doodle away without a care, and I see a pattern. The ones that I start using pens or paint without much ado or reluctance are the ones that I finish with that satisfied feeling inside me. The ones that I start using a pencil to be outlined eventually, always end up being erased.

I am all for aiming for perfection. But sometimes, we should simply jump right in and enjoy the process.

Here's one of my drawings in which I didn't use a pencil during the entire process of its creation. With my paint brush and paint, I started doing my strokes like I could do no wrong.