How a New Hobby Reawakened My Creativity

Learning a new hobby helped pull me out of a creative block. I recently started drawing and sketching just out of Curiosity. I have always had messy handwriting, so I assumed I would be terrible at drawing too, but it ended up teaching me something important: patience, embracing imperfections, and rediscovering my creativity.

When I was in 3rd grade, I had an art class that I loved. One day, we were asked to draw what we wanted to be when we grew up. Some kids drew police officers or pilots. I drew myself holding a paintbrush because I wanted to be an artist. But my art teacher looked at my drawing and said, “There is no real career for a painter or artist. You should pick something more realistic.” That moment shut me down. I still wonder where I would be if she had said, “You can definitely be an artist or whatever you want to be.”

Looking back, it is wild how one person’s words at such a young age stayed with me, yet here I am, naturally finding my way back to art.

With photography, especially editing, I used to obsess over perfection. I would get so technical, particularly with skin retouching and color grading, that it would mentally drain me. But with drawing, I don’t pressure myself to make every line perfect or beat myself up for mistakes. The results no longer matter as much as the act of creating itself, because I enjoy the process and feel at peace with wherever my pencil takes me. It makes me feel like that kid in art class again, curious, free, and simply creating.

ImagesbyWill Photography 

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