on sketchbooks
for a long time, I've been really embarrassed of my sketchbooks because of the way they document the flaws in the process. the unfinished ideas, the bad lines, the paged buckled with layers of bad color choices or badly erased scribbles. people have asked me to share and i usually have adamantly refused due to embarrassment. I'm not sure I ever enjoyed keeping one but I did because a) drafts need to happen b) I've always been taught to.
however, recently my appreciation has changed. now I treasure the safety there to experiment and grow ideas without outside input or judgment.
I think, as with a vacation, you don't realize how much you need a space like this until you're overexhausted and thinking "good god, something needs to change"
I've drawn in sketchbooks for more of
my life than not, but something just clicked this month. that can't be taught.
if someone asked me to share my sketchbooks, I'd still probably refuse, but more for the reason that it'd be like spoiling a sweet dream.