A series of illustrations that helped me cope with lockdowns and inspired others to paint.
Covid-19 and lockdowns were very challenging for all of us. Like everybody else, I struggled to find ways to cope with the challenges it brought to my family. As an artist who had just begun to dedicate more time for my passion to a mother who had 2 young children to homeschool and worry about mental wellbeing, I was finding it a challenge. Creating art felt like a task and I did not want to paint anymore.
Windows, doors and facades
Inspiration hit pretty strong when I began to look through old pictures of a trip to Italy. I realised that a lot of photographs I took was not of me or my family, but of beautiful architecture, details of pretty doors, colourful shutters and charming alleyways. Looking through these photos was refreshing. I began to sketch what I really enjoyed looking at.
Finding time to sketch
Sketching with kids was a challenge. So I had to find a time that will not interfere with homeschooling or other activities I did with the children. Early mornings proved to be the best time. I enjoyed a good couple of hours of quietness, sketching and painting before the household woke up. Some days were harder when my little one would wake up early. I didn't want to give up. So I gave it my best!
Keeping sketchbooks
Until this time I painted on loose watercolour paper. Sketchbooks were just an idea at this point. When I started working on windows and doors, I was limited in time and decided to keep the sketches in a book.
Although I did not fancy it in the beginning, I soon found it refreshing. Sketchbooks made creating art less daunting. It was a private place where I could pen down my ideas, sketch a few and scribble on it if I felt it wasn’t what I wanted. Most importantly, I did not have to worry about each and every artwork being good enough to show others. I enjoyed the process of creating and began to worry less about the end result being good enough.
It lead me to think and believe that art is not something that has to look perfect all the time. Even the great masters like Leonardo da Vinci and Picasso had bad days! In fact, if you learn more about them, you will realise they had more bad days than good ones. Leonardo struggled to complete projects. Most of his surviving art are sketches of ideas and a lot of writing.
Enjoying the process
Most great ideas and artworks stem from sketchbooks. In my case, my mental wellbeing also depended on the process I enjoyed in my sketchbooks. Sketches of architectural details was my daily therapy. The process of sketching subjects that I personally loved looking at helped me to refresh my mind. Using pen, ink, watercolour and the process of mark making helped me with organising my thoughts, cope with my worries and stop my mind from worrying too much. Most of the time I felt I was talking to myself while I was sketching.
Sketching and drawing is for everyone!
The joy I experienced through the process of creating illustrations of windows and doors is something I always love sharing with others. My online workshops, Instagram lives ,youtube and skillshare tutorials concentrate of urban sketching, where I encourage the process of creating art that could make you feel very relaxed and refreshed.
The topics I chose were quite personal to my experiences. However, sketching is not just limited to these topics. You can sketch just about anything that you see around or any feeling that you may have. You do not need to know the basics of drawing or painting. All you need is a few pens/pencils, a book and a mindset to get you started. Be confident in trying out art materials and embrace those little happy accidents. Imagine yourself to be toddlers who love mark making!
The best way to get started is to find someone of the same interests to paint with. I provide workshops and bespoke classes to support anyone who loves to try it. I also provide a few drawing and painting tips that can boost your confidence in using the materials so that you can enjoy the process of creating what you personally love. You can find details of my bespoke classes below. If you'd like to know more about my upcoming workshops, please let me know by clicking the 'contact' button below and I can add you to my mailing list.
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