"…do the hard work of actually getting better at the work."

~Seth Godin

I never met a class I didn't adore. Well, okay Accounting 101 sucked for the 45 minutes I endured it, but for the most part I freakin' love taking classes.

Community college classes. Online classes. Weekend workshops. Give me a notebook and a lecture and I’ll happily bask in the glow of learning new stuff.

Craftsy is my latest addiction. I've been bingeing on their sketching classes of late.

I admit I have a problem with overconsumption of learning opportunities and under-application of what I learn. Sigh. At some point, I know I have to do the work, apply what I've learned.

A New Skill

I’m learning a new skill—drawing and and keeping a cohesive-looking sketch journal. Since I won't improve without doing the “hard work of actually getting better at the work,” I'm coming to terms with regular practice.

And I've put a moratorium on signing up for new drawing classes on Craftsy so I can apply what I've already consumed like extra Snickers bars the day after Halloween.

I’ve set two challenges for myself over the next year. I'm engaged now with doing the hard work of getting better at the work of both sketching and writing cohesively.

The challenge?

To sketch every day and blog every day.

I want to get better at sketching and writing. But I really want to get better at seeing the world and at expressing myself and at honoring my point of view.

This shit works!

What I didn’t expect is how quickly the work would start to transform.

Look!

From 9/6/17.  One of the first pages of my current journal, a Moleskine sketchbook, the first one I've ever filled completely.  Tentative lines.  Not much in the way of "design." — From 9/6/17. One of the first pages of my current journal, a Moleskine sketchbook, the first one I've ever filled completely. Tentative lines. Not much in the way of "design."

From 9/17/17.  I'm applying some of what I learned about value sketching in a Craftsy class called "Better Paintings with Watercolor Sketching"  with Angela Fehr.  Link below. — From 9/17/17. I'm applying some of what I learned about value sketching in a Craftsy class called "Better Paintings with Watercolor Sketching" with Angela Fehr. Link below.

From 9/20/17.  A little bolder, but I can tell I haven't started daily sketching, yet.  This shows me I have a taste for finding quirky things to draw.  Which reminds me how my writing voice often tends toward the quirky, too. — From 9/20/17. A little bolder, but I can tell I haven't started daily sketching, yet. This shows me I have a taste for finding quirky things to draw. Which reminds me how my writing voice often tends toward the quirky, too.

From 9/23/17, the day I committed to daily sketching.  I've been sketching more, though not daily at this point.  The lines are bolder.  I like the wonkiness (again with the quirk).  I remember resisting drawing this because I di… — From 9/23/17, the day I committed to daily sketching. I've been sketching more, though not daily at this point. The lines are bolder. I like the wonkiness (again with the quirk). I remember resisting drawing this because I didn't know where to start and it seemed like it might be complicated with the shoe strings and all. I feel that resistance EVERY TIME I sit down to draw something. What is that? (I feel a blog post coming on!)

From 10/30/17.  Ahhh...now we're getting somewhere.  I'm practicing some of what I've learned in several different classes--the watercolor technique for the sky; creating rock textures; designing a page.  I drew this from a photo I to… — From 10/30/17. Ahhh...now we're getting somewhere. I'm practicing some of what I've learned in several different classes--the watercolor technique for the sky; creating rock textures; designing a page. I drew this from a photo I took during my Appalachian Trail hike. I still hesitate to go outside and draw from real life.

From 10/31/17.  I had a dream where I was painting and taking liberties with the line, the ink undercoat and the watercolor.  So I did that here.  I refused to color within the lines.  I love these sketches, especially the hydran… — From 10/31/17. I had a dream where I was painting and taking liberties with the line, the ink undercoat and the watercolor. So I did that here. I refused to color within the lines. I love these sketches, especially the hydrangea, for all the random, loose style can suggest. Plus, I went outside and drew from life, not photos. Woot!

Craftsy really is the bomb, y'all. Online classes you get to keep forever and watch whenever and wherever it suits you. Here are a few I’ve got in my library. They’re all about sketching, but Craftsy offers lots of other creative media as well. Cake frosting, anyone?

Sketching Landscapes in Pen, Ink & Watercolor with Shari Blaukopf
Dynamic Detail in Pen, Ink & Watercolor with Steven Reddy
Illustrated Nature Journaling with Gay Kraeger
Better Painting with Watercolor with Angela Fehr
Sketchbooks: Drawing the Everyday with Paul Heaston

I've also got my eye on some individuals who've created courses or platforms. Liz Steel's Foundations comes to mind. I love her style, her Australian accent and the fact that she's one woman doing her thing on the internet.

Also, Danny Gregory's Sketchbook Skool. He's a master of quirkiness, so I feel a bond.

I'll stop there, though, before I talk myself into buying another course. The best course right now is practice. Doing the work.