Emmanuel struggles to find time to draw.
Sometimes, he stops for days or weeks, and it feels like a hurdle to go back to drawing.
Let’s see how we can help him hack his mind to draw daily!

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Emmanuel asked me: “How to commit to drawing every day?”

When we learn something new, we put a cap written “STUDENT” on it.
We start learning very motivated, especially at the beginning.

But sometimes you may feel demotivated, and drop for days or weeks, or more… 

Don’t worry, that’s classic.
It can be solved.

But why does this procrastination happen?

Because drawing becomes ‘Homework’.
Who likes homework?

Not meee!! Behhh…

Traditional schools use the “Good boy” learning style-oriented. 

They reward good marks.
And punish mistakes.

That’s how we learned how to learn.

• Do well your homework.
  If it is too easy for you, too bad. Same program for everyone.
• Do not take any initiative.
  Or you may do mistakes and get penalized.
• If you need help, don’t ask your classmates.
  It’s cheating.

You create a vicious circle of fear.
The more you draw > the more you scare to make mistakes > and the less you draw…

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TIP 1 Wear the “EXPLORER CAP” to draw daily!

For a rebellious mind, like us, creative designers,
studying to have good marks does not appeal to us much.

We need another learning style.

I do not evaluate my students of ‘Sketch Like The Pros’ by giving marks,
but with encouragement and progress celebration!

Even for the small wins!
Because nourishing your love and dedication
for drawing matters to push our own boundaries.

No one knows oneself limits.
But for sure, further than you think.

To get the habit to draw daily, 
put your ‘Student cap’ in your pocket, (we’ll need it later)
and wear the EXPLORER CAP! 

You are not only a student, but you are also an explorer –
excited to make new drawing discoveries!

You don’t wait for a teacher to tell you what to draw. 

You are self-driven:

• If you are learning how to draw,
  it is not because you have to,
  but because you want to.

It’s a thin mind shift to make that activates an emotional trigger to draw daily.

Do not wait to be a “grand master” of the fundamentals of drawing to start drawing your own creation.
Put them into practice ASAP by drawing real or imaginary products!

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EXPLORERS LOVE TAKING RISKS!

As an explorer, you love taking risks!

You are not scared to make mistakes,
because they help you explore new weaknesses you can fix!

Mistakes make you become stronger, you gain experience.

You feel rewarded when you find an obstacle and succeed to solve it by yourself.

When you feel lost,
you know you can count on finding the answer in the drawing fundamentals.

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DRAWING FUNDAMENTALS ARE TOOLS

You understand that the fundamental techniques you learn are important.
But they are only TOOLS.

They help you go beyond your creative limits!

Learning to draw should be like a game!
Not homework.

It’s like trying to figure out how to beat the big boss
of a video game, you look for its weak point and elaborate a strategy.

Example:

“Ho wow! I wanna draw this awesome chair! 
Let’s figure out how!”

You select the techniques you need:

• 2-point Perspective
• Extrusion
• Symmetry

And you build up your chair like a Lego!

Every time you face an obstacle,
the unknown response will feel like a gap you want to fill.

That’s how you will build a “positive addiction” to drawing.
Feeling eager to find the answers
as if you were decrypting a secret code, looking for a treasure.

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TIP 2 Become a “Drawing Nerd”

Be eager to draw new stuff, like a “DRAWING NERD”.

Thanks to the Explorer cap, you feel empowered to draw more and more difficult things!

Your drawing motivation gets high, but when things get too tough,
you need to put back your student cap on your head.

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FROM STUDENT TO STRATEGIST

As a beginner,
this cap has the title of “Student”.

However, soon,
with experience, that same cap will be promoted to “STRATEGIST”.

A strategist is an eternal student with more experience.
He’s able to combine and pick the right sketching techniques to draw any product he wants!

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BE PROUD

Remember that nerds study a topic intensively because they are, first of all, passionate people.
They spend hours and days studying a topic from any angle possible.

It may not be “trendy” to be a nerd.

But I can tell you that being one is so satisfying when you elevate your art and design skills – without caring about what so-called “popular people” think.

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FIND A DRAWING MATE

Look for impressing your pairs, your community – people that matter.
Surround yourself with caring people sharing the same passion as you.

Ignore toxic people. They don’t matter.

Exchange your progress and keep drawing daily with your pairs!
They will expect to see your drawing progress.
And you too as well expect to see them level up!

You create that mutual expectation to see the other one shows up.

You create a virtuous circle of progress.
The more you draw > the more you want to improve and impress > the more you want to draw…

When I was a design student,
I used to exchange my drawings through Skype with my classmates, looking for ways to improve.
It was super fun to share our discoveries!

“Hey, your sketch is cool but a bit flat.
What if you would draw this using the bolding technique with line weight?“

You don’t have to learn alone. : )
With a drawing mate, you will go further.

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Draw infinite possibilities!

Remember, when you learn a new drawing technique, try to find practical stuff to apply.

For example, you learn how to draw a cup using ellipses.
As soon as you master it, level up the challenge and find bottles, vases, pens, torch lights… to apply those same ellipses techniques!

Then, you will know multiple techniques and want to combine them to draw more advanced products, architecture, characters, animals, and insects…

Do you see how your scope of drawing can expand to infinite? 😀

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DESIGNER = Explorer cap + Student cap

• ‘Explorer cap’ looks for creative challenges.
• ‘Student cap’ looks for master drawing fundamentals.

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We have to hack our brains sometimes.
And revive daily our natural ‘CHILDHOOD CURIOSITY’. 🙂

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TIP 3 DRAW DAILY WITH NO PLANNING

A common mistake in trying to draw more is to set a calendar.
For example, ‘drawing every Monday from 8 pm to 9pm

Using a planner is a great intention!
But, soon it may feel like homework…

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DRAW EVERY DAY!

If the planner system didn’t work for you, make it simple.

Get your mindset goal set on Drawing every day!
you won’t need any planner that way.

Look for create a habit
So every day you start drawing, is effortless.

Make it relax. There is no specific time to draw.

A doodle on a receipt is also a drawing.
5 minutes of sketching in a cafe count too!;)

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NO TIME LIMIT

Another reason why I like to avoid a planner, it’s because of the time restriction you set for yourself.
What if you planned 1-hour drawing, while you feel like drawing so much more.

When you get absorbed by your art, it’s no surprise to draw for hours, or even all night!
That’s a great feeling I wish you to have.

Doodle daily. Draw daily.

Embrace making mistakes.
Be better than who you were last week.
And your drawing discipline will strengthen naturally.

If your mood is not there, put back your Explorer cap.
Remind yourself that drawing is part of your life.

Drawing is a passion, a career. Not a hobby.

Remember, when you start drawing daily,
you step into that beautiful virtuous circle of progress.

The first step is the hardest.
Don’t think too much, follow your heart, and “Just draw it”!

Wrap-UP

We’ve explored how to hack your mind and conquer the daily drawing habit with Emmanuel’s story. Here’s a recap to keep you inspired:

• Wear the “EXPLORER CAP”: Shift your mindset from student to explorer. Drawing should be an adventure, not homework. Embrace every challenge as an opportunity to grow and discover.
• Become a “Drawing Nerd”: Dive deep into your passion for drawing. Surround yourself with supportive peers, share your progress, and keep pushing your creative limits. Remember, being a nerd is not only cool but also incredibly rewarding.
• Draw Daily with No Planning: Instead of setting rigid schedules, make drawing a daily habit. Whether it’s a quick doodle or an all-night session, the key is to keep the pen moving. Let your passion guide you, not the clock.

So, let’s put these tips into practice:

• Keep Moving Forward: Don’t let procrastination or stress stop you. Every sketch, every doodle, is a step towards mastering your craft.
• Normalize Stress: Feeling stressed about drawing is normal and shows your dedication. Use it as a compass to navigate your creative journey.
• All Pros Were Once Beginners: Remember, confidence comes with practice. Every professional designer started where you are now, so stay consistent and in love with learning.

Drawing every day isn’t just about creating art; it’s about nurturing your love for design, pushing your boundaries, and embracing the joy of learning.

So, grab that pen, put on your “EXPLORER CAP,” and let’s start sketching!

If you’ve found these tips helpful or have your own strategies for daily drawing, let’s share them in the comments below.

Let’s keep supporting each other, keep sketching, and keep enjoying the ride!

Happy designing!

Cheers,
Chou-Tac