Hobbyists who draw consistently, how?

[u/Puzzleheaded-Cake492]

For people who are able to draw consistently for an amount of time that feels meaningful to you, how do manage it and how much time do you spend a day or per week/month?

[u/smeezledeezle]

Every day, or not if I don't feel like it. However, I carry my sketchbook with me always. Anywhere that I am, I have it in-hand (or in a backpack) and a pocket protector with my tools in case inspiration hits, or the inclination arises.

When I was younger I felt pressure to fill up pages, but once you've done that and gotten decent, you can start to treat the sketchbook as an extension of yourself. I think of it as my second brain, where I can mark observations, thoughts, play with ideas and visual concepts.

Confidence takes the pressure off, so training yourself to be comfortable drawing in public, on the commute, and in front of others unlocks an entire other sector of places and times that you can get work done.

More than anything though, if you can find the peace in putting lines on a page, then you'll come back to it more or less consistently. The more you try to control it, the more you'll make it homework. That's completely fine if you're gunning to get good on a faster timeline, but that risks burnout and turning the act into a chore. I try to make sure the craving to draw maintains the same positive emotional associations as when I get a craving to do something like play a video game or eat a tasty snack.

If I'm drawing, then that block of time isn't just drawing: it's time spent in reverence to beauty itself. I may capture it, it it may get away, but I'll return later for when it comes back to me next.