Sketches – Autumn Seybert

Child Study

Sometimes a project gets put on hold until I level up enough as an artist to take it back out and complete it. Usually this happens when I’m stuck in my head, and I start to draw the life out of everything.

And when it’s time to bring it out, I feel determined. I’m RESOLVED to draw the thing. But I’m also intimidated. I remember how frustrating it was, and I find myself stalling. “oh, I was going to work on that, but I decided to cook bacon! Uh.. I needed to fold towels! I have to run an errand! Oh does that need cleaning AGAIN? Just a few more chapters in this book, and I’ll get right to it.”

Procrastination is sneaky.

Before I know it, I’m completely stressed out because I’m not taking charge and I really WANT TO FINISH THIS, but now it’s a BILLION TIMES HARDER because it has grown teeth while I ignored it and keeps making threatening chomping noises.

Enter the drawing studies and the silly sketches. Above is a study of child. I’ve been leaning a lot towards drawing toddlers lately, and I wanted to get familiar again with bigger kids! Kids who run and play, hug their toys, get embarrassed, and grin when they figure out tying their shoes when 5 minutes ago IT WAS SO HARD AND THEY WERE NEVER GOING TO GET IT RIGHT.

*lightbulb flashes above my head*

Huh! I guess some things don’t change. Next time I want to shout “It’s TOO HARD I CAN’T DO IT! I’ll remember I learned to tie my shoes and just get to work instead of being a peeved pickle like below. 😀

Peeved Pickle

I love grouchy characters.

The last few days I’ve held my pencil and paper and ..

*blank*

It’s not that I don’t have anything to draw, I have a few projects I’m working on. It’s not like I don’t WANT to draw, I certainly do. But there’s a lack of connection there.

There are lots of reasons for getting into a drawing slump. Overthinking the process, maybe feeling sad, overwhelmed or maybe you’re just too busy right now. Whatever the reason, the pencil won’t move on the paper, and the longer the slump lasts, the harder it is to get drawing again.

The only cure I know for a drawing slump is to draw something. Seems stupid-simple right? But it’s the only thing that works for me. I just let go of all the thoughts and expectations, and I draw my feelings. This time, I don’t know why I was in a drawing slump so I decided to draw my slump! Messy, frustrated, blank page. I finished the sketch, feeling a little better, but still slumpy. Just then, a teddy bear popped up on the page to see what I was working on and discovered nothing on the page.