Drawing as a Pastime

I’m not much of an artist, but I like to draw sometimes. Whether it’s drawing something out of my own imagination or trying to imitate a work of art that I have already seen, drawing and illustrating provides an outlet for me to forget about the stress of day-to-day life and use the right side of my brain.

I like to grab a blank piece of paper and let my pencil flow across the page. Sometimes, it’s a fictional character from a book, a game, or a movie. Other times it’s a beautiful setting in nature. Or it may be an animal, or even a mythical creature. Whatever comes to my mind, I like to put it on paper.

I normally am not into painting and coloring. I prefer line drawing, but colors can bring life into your art. So if you enjoy painting and using different colors rather than just using a pencil or pen to draw, you should go for it.

With technology having become more prevalent over the past several years, there are many more ways to draw than just pen and paper. Although I haven’t drawn on a tablet before, I know others who have. They enjoy it, and one of the pros of being able to draw like that is that you can easily share your drawings online with others. Making art with software such as Photoshop is especially intriguing due to the sheer number of possibilities for art customization.

Art can be therapeutic for the mind and body, similar to listening to relaxing music or meditating. I personally like to draw while listening to music, as it really calms me down after a long day. It can be a great way to relieve some of your stress and anxiety, and take your mind off work or school.

If you’ve always wanted to draw but have been afraid of criticism, you are not alone. I too felt that way before I started occasionally drawing as a hobby. I realized that you can’t worry about what others say, as long as you enjoy what you’re doing. If you’re open to constructive criticism, you can even become a better artist and impress others with your work. I don’t take my art too seriously, but I try to improve my skills over time.

Check out this YouTube video on tips if you’re getting into drawing:

---BitterSweet Coaching Guest Writer