If you want to get better at drawing, start with a doodle.
You are what you repeatedly do!
I remember doodling a lot, all through my childhood and college. Doodling helped me relax, think objectively and keep me engaged through boring meetings. I still do it, to keep me engaged or solve a difficult problem.
I enjoy my career as a UX designer. Somewhere along the way, I wanted to draw really well and use these drawings to enhance user experiences. I wanted to do more than just casual drawing, I wanted to make illustrations.
Illustrations are used everywhere to make experiences friendly, enjoyable and “illustrate” concepts that are difficult to explain through words.
I hit a wall the day I tried to draw something with a purpose. I could not bring myself to draw anything! I would start to draw something and give up after some time.
I wanted my drawings to be perfect and match up to the work of the illustrators I admired. I could not stop these thoughts, though I knew that these illustrators must have been drawing for a long time or were professional illustrators!
Moreover, a personality test called the 16 personalities labelled me unfit to pick up any new habits. I felt trapped in my “personality”— convinced that I was not capable of starting anything new!
All this was going to change. A friend of mine, Kavir asked me to read “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. I picked up the book and casually flipped through the pages.
What you repeatedly do (i.e. what you spend time thinking about and doing each day) ultimately forms the person you are, the things you believe, and the personality that you portray.
— James Clear
I was so excited by the idea that I read the whole book petty soon! (I don’t remember the last time I read a book cover to cover!). Slowly, but steadily I started making new habits. One of them was starting to draw with a purpose.
I wanted “doodling” to become a habit.
Three things that I learnt about building habits:
Lower the barrier
Be consistent
Make it accountable
It takes time to build anything ambitious! It’s impossible to become an amazing illustrator overnight. The way to approach it is by breaking it down into small achievable goals.
It is easier to start doodling regularly since I already love doodling(Lower the barrier).
Continue to doodle for a considerable period of time to develop the skills needed to make more serious illustrations(Consistency).
Share these doodles in public(Accountability).
The process
I draw on paper, snap a photo on my phone, make a few edits and transfer it to my laptop and add some colour. I shared with my friends on Instagram and Twitter!
The doodles
1) Zoom these days
Zoom became the most popular way to talk to your friends and colleagues after the lockdown. I started noticing interesting things about the people in the calls because I wanted to make an interesting doodle!
1) A colleague of mine cut his hair looking at a youtube video!
2) Another colleague’s dog would complain during the meetings.
3) somebody had a blackout.
4) Somebody’s camera was focused on the plants.
5) I had a new zoom background.
I found the purpose — Show humour in our everyday lives.
That became the theme for my doodles.
2) Tinder post-Carona
There was news of the COVID antibody tests available to most people and one of my friends said that soon, we will be swiping right for dates with COVID 19 antibodies!
3) Lockdown Hairstyles
The lockdown was real and almost everybody was having a haircut crisis. Some friends shaved their heads while others let it grow!
4) The Meditator
I started noticing how people were coping with the changes in the world. Some took to spending more time meditating.
6) The Cry-Baby
A few others seem to be losing it! They were missing the life they were used to.
The Socialiser
Some adapted very well to the change and did not miss a beat!
Outcome
It’s been a good journey and I continue to make doodles. Am learning new skills and getting comfortable drawing with each doodle I share.
I connected with a few long lost friends and we had a few good laughs.
Some friends even suggested doodles that I could make!
I share doodles and other design stuff on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/funtaastico
Useful links
16personalites. Use it for fun, don’t let it define you:
https://www.16personalities.com/
Great articles by James Clear:
https://jamesclear.com/habits
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