If you have read my first post, you will know that art and I have had a journey. Reading that post actually hurts my heart a bit for my past self. It’s only been about four months now that I was diagnosed with ADHD. Things make so much more sense now. Now I can see why I struggled with just being able to do things and talking to myself gently. I encourage everyone to reach out to anyone that you can trust to get your mental health on track. It helps more than you think. It has taken me some time to accept myself but I’ve been able to be more forgiving to myself and that has opened art back up to me.
While watching YouTube videos, I came across Katie Moody. She is a full-time sketchbook artist and is about to come out with a book called Sketchbook Joy. She has been running a 30 day prompt list to celebrate the upcoming release. Surprisingly, I have been able to keep up with it and I think I know why. Art and I are healing. Art doesn’t have to be complicated, it can just be you exploring. That’s what my sketchbook has been for me lately. It’s a way to play with new media and just doodle for fun again. Also it gives me an excuse to buy new art supplies. ;)
I have been playing with Tombow Dual Brush Markers, Carand’ache Neocolor 2 Pastels, Carand’ache Luimnance colored pencils, Winder & Newton Cotman Watercolors, and various pens to create these drawings. It’s been fun and meditative to sit down to paint and/or draw. I believe that these doodles are taping me back into creativity that will help my art business endeavors. My confidence in just exploring has been freeing and I hope you can find that for yourself.
Katie Moody has been very kind in her posting on Instagram and her videos on YouTube are a great watch. They’re not pretentious and she just wants everyone to draw no matter what, there is no bad drawing. And it’s true. Just draw. My brain will overthink things, but have this safe space in my sketchbook has me seeing art a little differently. I’ll make sure to update with another post with the other half of the drawings when the prompt list is over. You can search #30daysofsketchbookjoy to see all the fun art.