✍️ Learning to Draw

My Spikey Ball is something to behold!

Hey, Gigglers!

When was the last time you drew something, just for fun?

I usually only draw when we eat at restaurants with paper table settings. (“Yes, I’m twenty-eight years old. Now hand me the crayons, I know you’re packin’!")

My go-to drawings are usually hearts, tic-tac-toe, and stick-figure people. Though I must say, my stick figures are pretty great. The best ones I ever drew actually played a part in getting me accepted into Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts—with a Chancellor’s scholarship! (You can see them briefly at the start of my entrance application video here. 😂 The prompt was to introduce yourself in 2 minutes without talking or starring/revealing yourself in the video.)

However, lately, I’ve been seeing lots of original, casual artwork shared by fellow creators on Substack that’s got me feeling inspired to learn to draw more than just stick figures.

S.E. Reid

recently shared a beautiful painting she made simply to enjoy the meditative effects of creating it.

Elle Griffin

shared these awesome sketches in her notebook, which led me to discover

Nishant Jain

and his Sneaky Art. I then learned that my author friends

Simon K Jones

,

Winston Malone

and

Meaghan McIsaac

draw, too! Seeing the casual approach these Substack authors took toward making art led me to an astonishing revelation: People draw just for fun.

Gosh, that sounds so stupid to be an epiphany, but it truly struck me as a realization! I mean, I guess I knew people drew for fun, but I always assumed those people were professional illustrators. I never considered it an option for myself to draw for fun, which I suppose was the true epiphany. Could I learn to draw, too?

I honestly felt rebellious even thinking about it, but my fellow writers inspired me. So, I bought some beginner lessons at 21Draw.com, and … well, I’m hooked!

Check out my progress in just one week of learning the basics (like drawing a straight line, which I’m not sure I’ll ever master):

Day 1 of Learning to Draw

I don’t think a single one of those lines is straight! But man, were they fun to draw.

Learning about shadows and light. Also, look how snazzy Jerome looks standing on his cylinder.

Day 7 of Learning to Draw

I’ve never drawn such proportionate shapes before, let alone fancy shaded ones!

Look how cute those marshmallow guys are! I had so much fun drawing this scene and learning about doorways. LOL

I’m shocked at my own progress! The coolest thing I’ve drawn so far has to be a spikey ball. It’s not spectacular, but the crazy thing is— I drew it straight from my brain, y’all. I wasn’t drawing along with the teacher.

I just followed the random urge to draw one of those metallic spikey balls from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Did I have any experience drawing spikey metal balls before? Nope. Not unless it was a stick figure. But I fearlessly dove in, letting my imagination take over, and… BEHOLD!

Pay no attention to the herd of cylinders watching the sunset— feast your eyes on that SPIKEY BALL!

Look at that one spike that comes straight at you! I can’t believe I figured out how to do that. LMAO. I don’t even know what I was thinking while doing it— but that is probably why it turned out good and why I had so much fun drawing it: I wasn’t thinking. So far, my experience with drawing has been incredibly relaxing, fun, and meditative. (Especially the shading part— I love how mindless shading is.)

Now, I look forward to the evenings when I can relax on the patio in this gorgeous fall weather and start my next drawing lesson. Thank you to my fellow Substack writers who shared their drawings and paintings! You helped me discover an awesome new way to relax.

What do you like to do just for fun? Have you learned anything new recently? Hit reply or leave a comment to share. I can’t wait to hear all about it.

Talk soon, Gigglers!

Sincerely,
Alexa

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