10 Minute Drawing Exercise that Changed Me Forever
In this beginner drawing exercise we will go over a concept that completely changed my relationship with drawing and I hope that this 10 minutes will save you years of unnecessary struggle! This idea has made my art practice much more enjoyable so lets do take the next 10 minutes to draw together!
Sketching Challenge!
The rules for this drawing challenge are the following:
Keep drawing for 10 minutes; Use the video above to help you stay focused for the time period
Actively try to do a bad drawing while enjoying the experience.
Do not draw any characters or figures, stick to shapes, lines and shading
Tools
I recommend using a pencil or whatever tools you have nearby. These exercises dont require any special tools, use the paper or sketchbook that you have closest to you. You can also use the free PDF worksheet above, but that is optional!
The Goal
The main goal with this beginner drawing challenge is to help you learn that drawing can actually be quite easy and natural. Many beginners think that working and trying really hard will help them make better drawings but that is rarely the case.
Sometimes letting go of expectations and relaxing allows you to create the most beautiful drawings. It will also help you learn quicker because a sense of playfulness makes learning much easier.
Follow along with the video and apply this type of thinking into all your drawing practice.
Remember this lesson on days where you feel like you have no motivation or art block, relaxing might be the key to your next favorite drawing.
Mental Noting
Take note of how you are experiencing the practice. Be mindful of what the sensation of drawing feels like and the amount of stress in your body. Relax any tension and try to evoke joy within yourself.
“If I was feeling joy right now, how would my breathing be different? how would I carry my body?”
As a beginner artist this can be a great exercise because it helps you understand your own drawing practice and how to better engage with it. Developing your joy for drawing will make the entire journey much easier.
Beginner Mistake
Many beginners have the misconception that drawing is only enjoyable when you get better at it. Some even believe that you can't enjoy it until you are truly masterful.
This idea will make the entire artistic journey more tedious because you can easily enjoy every step of the process if you train yourself to love it. I lost this skill through Art School and then had to reteach myself how to love drawing. This is why I focus so heavily on this aspect of the practice.
Do the exercise above and apply this type of thinking to all your art practice. It will make the journey more fun and you will improve much faster because of it.
More Beginner Tutorials!
Below are some tutorials designed for beginners to rapidly learn some of the core ideas within drawing!
