You aren’t going to be able to draw regularly unless you make drawing a habit. The reason many people never stick to drawing is because they draw for a few days, take several weeks off, and then when they do draw again, it feels like starting from scratch. But drawing progress only happens when you develop a regular drawing routine that feels pressure-free and normal.
Don’t Wait for Inspiration
Some people make the mistake of only drawing when they “feel inspired.” But inspiration is fickle, and won’t stick to a schedule. If you only draw when inspired, you’ll likely find your progress is spotty and slow. But drawing progress happens when you draw whether you feel like it or not. It’s much easier to make progress and develop skill when drawing is a habit rather than an emotion-based activity.
Make Your Practice Small Enough That You Will Never Skip It
Another mistake many beginners make is setting their drawing practice goals too high. If your goals are unrealistic, you’ll likely quit. “I’ll draw for two hours every day” sounds great in theory but in practice, it can be tough to keep up with.
Try instead to just draw for 10 or 15 minutes per day. You’re not looking for intensity here; you’re looking for consistency. If you have a drawing session that’s just 5 minutes long that you actually finish, that is so much better than a drawing session that’s longer than you intended but one that never gets started.
Small habits are the building blocks of your drawing career and long-term skill.
Create a Fixed Time or a Trigger for Your Drawing Sessions
Habits are a whole lot easier to maintain when they are tied to something specific and predictable. You might choose to draw in the morning, or in the evening, or right when you get home from school or work. Just find a set time or trigger and start attaching your drawing practice to it.
If you draw during a certain routine or immediately after something else you do every day, then you don’t have to make the decision each time. It will just automatically happen.
Make Your Drawing Materials Ready to Draw
Another helpful technique to consider is eliminating friction. If you constantly have to take out your paper, pencils, and sketchbook before you start drawing, you might be tempted to skip drawing. Try keeping your materials in the same place and always ready to use.
It is much easier to get started drawing if the friction of starting is minimal.
Stop Judging Every Drawing Session
Another thing that causes a lot of people to quit drawing is when they think every drawing session must produce a good drawing. But practice time is not about making good artwork. It is about building long-term skill.
On some days, your drawings will just not be as good. That is totally normal. It doesn’t matter. The important thing is the practice and repetition. Only over the course of weeks will you start noticing that you’re getting better. Don’t judge every single session or your progress will slow down.
Conclusion
A drawing habit is not built through motivation and talent. It’s built through simple and repetition. By building a drawing routine that is simple, consistent, and low-friction, you transform your approach so that you don’t have to make an effort to practice drawing; drawing simply becomes something you do.