"If you want something you've never had before, you have to do something you've never done before"

From a YouTube video "Artists Don't Have To Believe In Themselves To Have Success". An interview with Brad Rushing.

This is one thing that I'm really happy about this year with my IHC goals. At least regarding art.

I have stepped out of my comfort zone with this. Where before I would have put the drawing instrument (scribble stick) down when catching someone watching me, I have done my best to keep drawing. Where once I would only show finished pieces, I have shown rough pieces (sketches, such as the one with this blog post). I even drew, in pen (no erasing mistakes possible), while sitting at the table with a complete stranger!

Drawing in pen, was one of the things I wanted to get better at. To do that I decided to embrace sketching in pen. Where once I would have spent more time erasing than drawing, I now had to embrace my mistakes. That has taught me that I need to embrace my mistakes in Kung Fu as well. Though it's still hard to embrace my... ahem... spinning back kicks.

Making drawing like breathing is also something I'm working on. If I'm sitting somewhere not doing something else then it's time to draw (waiting in the car, coffee shop, waiting room, etc.). This reminds me of the blogging we are always being reminded to do. If I can't think of anything to draw (or write) I draw whatever is around me. That could be the pruners, grafting knife, remote control, coffee mug... anything. Just exercise those muscles of observation and line making and add to my visual library. In blogging that could be represented by a technique called "Ink Shedding" (you can learn a bit about that here - https://www.thewritingloft.com/need-to-get-in-the-mood/).

I still haven't reached anywhere near my 40,000 situps and pushups (or equivalent) in a year, but I'm able to do more than I used to be able to do. My stamina, flexibility, and skill are increasing. Every year, or day for that matter, that I can do more than I did before means that I am a step closer to obtaining what I've never had before by doing what I've never done before.

Notes:

Pencil sketch that I intend to finish in Copic markers and coloured pencil. We'll see how it turns out because drawing water is not my forte.