Drawing becomes accessible when it stops demanding performance and starts inviting participation.
The 8 Pages of Sketchbooking are not about drawing better pictures.
They are about building a relationship with the act of drawing itself.
Just as yoga was never meant to be about extreme poses, sketchbooking was never meant to be about perfect pages.
Most people don’t quit drawing because they lack talent…they quit because the doorway feels guarded. The sketchbook should feel more like a welcome mat than a test. This sets up accessibility as an emotional and structural problem, not a technical one.
So how does one approach emotional and structural problems — through perserverance and motivation; with perserverance addressing the structural challenges and motivation addressing the emotional.
Why Yoga Is the Right Metaphor
without getting metaphysical
Patanjali’s Eight Limbs is a philosophy but can easily be seen as a user manual for practice in any endeavor. Yoga, by the way, didn’t survive thousands of years because it made people flexible.
It has survived this long because it meets people where they are. This is also where I intend the Eight Pages of Sketchbooking to meet you where you are creatively. No matter where you are imaginatively these pages will bring out the adventure you seek eventually. Just remember your motivational mantra as to why you will perservere through your practice.
It’s a rarity to see such refined and amazing results from an artist that hasn’t already put countless hours into their craft. It only means they’ve a profound gift for listening to their bodies and can more easily translate what they see through their limbs to the paper or media at hand. And even they will ultimately tell you they require practice to build their skill sets to greater heights. Having stated this there are a few points to summarize this practice by, which makes the metaphor feel functional, not mystical.:
Yoga acknowledges the body, breath, focus, effort, rest, and reflection.
Drawing also involves the body, breath, focus, effort, rest, and reflection.
Both fail when we jump straight to mastery and skip preparation.
Accessibility Pillar #1
“No One Starts on Page Eight”
In yoga, no one begins with deep meditation. They begin by showing up and breathing. In sketchbooking, no one begins with finished illustrations.They begin by opening the book. It’s important to note that the 8 Pages exist so beginners don’t feel lost, and Intermediate artists don’t feel stuck and advanced artists don’t feel burnt out. Each page lowers the pressure by giving permission to focus on one mode of thinking at a time. Think of each page as a different way of entering the drawing space.
Intention – Why am I here today?
Mind Warm-Up – Loosening thought before line.
Gesture – Letting movement speak first.
Focus & Rhythm – Staying with a single idea.
Imagination – Giving yourself permission to wander.
Concentration – Sitting with one thing longer.
Creative Zen – Drawing without commentary.
Reflection – Learning without judgment.
Accessibility Pillar #2
“Drawing Is a Practice, Not a Personality Trait”
This is where Patanjali’s influence shines. Yoga doesn’t ask: “Are you flexible enough?” It asks: “Are you willing to practice today?” You only need to engage the page you’re on This is a powerful permission slip for beginners and returning artists alike.
You don’t have to identify as an “artist”
You don’t have to draw every day
You don’t have to draw well
Accessibility Pillar #3
Separating Drawing From Judgment
Many people confuse sketchbooks with portfolios.
This system actively separates sketchbook from portfolio in that your sketchbook is supposed to be that place where everything goes. Your sketchbook is that container which contains the practice room for the dirty flaws and half-baked ideas we are inundated with every day. It’s a rehearsal for the final piece; which oftentimes isn’t really the final work after all. There’s always more to add to the body of our work. Therein lies the innate connection that the 8 Pages Of Sketchbooking has with Patanjali’s living philosophy. Just as yoga practice isn’t evaluated mid-pose your sketchbook is not a professional portfolio. Drawing practice shouldn’t be evaluated mid-line.
The 8 Pages create containers where judgment is postponed.
You should know that I haven’t always drawn in the style I do presently. I’ve practiced over many hours to get to the point I am today; and - legit - I’m still practicing!
Until I discovered the concepts within Patanjali’s Eight Limbs of Yoga I spent countless minutes and hours on honing my skills in drawing. Having explored the depth of these concepts I found a path that aligned perfectly with a mantra I crafted in 2011. That mantra being, “Your journey becomes an adventure when imagination lights your way.”
Through the lens of each of these eight pages I was able to free my mind from the constraints many of us (no matter our skill level) find ourselves in. Multiple layers of tension and the need to ‘perform’ from the first stroke was removed from the equation. I found I could more easily justify ‘getting sketchy’ and staying there for a time in order to simply warm myself up on the drawing page. In this way - even on low energy days I could get into my sketchbook and practice my craft.
This week don’t try to draw better. Try to draw — kinder.
At the end of this Blog I encourage everyone to:
Pick just one page
Spend just 10 minutes
Close the book without judging the result
