Both work and life are a bit crazy at the moment but I’m still getting out for a morning coffee and local sketch before I start each workday. I’m definitely not focusing on my own sketching at the moment (my new Travel Sketching course is getting really close!) so I’m having to rely on my ‘reflex sketching skills’ at times. But there are definitely benefits for sticking to my morning sketch routine even when I ‘m super busy.

Some days I don’t feel as if I have time for a sketch and other days I wake up earlier and so theoretically, I have more time for sketching. 🙂

Some days, I just go through the motions, and others, I want to try something new. And as always, when doing something different, some days it works, and other days it doesn’t!

Some days I go for a bit of a drive looking for a new house to sketch, other days I simply draw from the first car spot even if I already sketched the house in view multiple times before.

Some days I try new colours, other days I use tried and true selections.

Some days my lines feel a bit scrappy (wanting to get the sketch done so I can start my work for the day) and other days I feel more relaxed.

Some days the lighting is flat and other days the sun is just in the right position.

Some days I worry about perspective and other days I just go for it and embrace the wonkiness.

Do you get the idea?

But despite the ups and downs of sketching regularly during a busy period there is always an internal dialogue that happens when I sketch and even if I haven’t thought about my sketching since the day before. My morning routine means that from day to day a narrative forms between my sketches subconsciously. Each day when I open up my sketchbook my creative brain picks up from where it left off the day before.

After a few days of quick sketches without much thought, yesterday I had a little more time and a scene with the sun at a good angle. The end result was a more finished piece than usual, with an emphasis on capturing the light.

But just to put this in context, the day before I was working quickly and had a lot of other things on my mind. The result was that my sketch felt rushed.

I don’t expect to produce good sketches every time – I simply want to create something and get my creative juices pumping.

So here are my recent local house sketches…

The important thing is that I’m creating art regularly and I’m constantly trying new things (not simply doing the same thing over and over.)

My daily coffee and sketch routine means that I find time for sketching even though life gets busy (we make time for the things that are important) and the frequency of my sketches means that I do see some experimentation and development in my sketching even when I’m not focusing on it!

Okay time to get back to work!