The importance of sketching

I had to remind myself of something today: how important it is to just keep filling my sketchbook, no matter what I'm putting down. It came to me as I was thinking about my designs, and how I want to progress further in developing my own signature style.

I think that during the last five years as an art director in advertising, I have focused on the opposite: cultivating a diverse portfolio. I've tried to show range, that I am able to speak (visually) from the voice of my client, no matter who that client is. Now, as I focus on merchandising my own art, I need people to want my products because they came from me, and they like what I do. My pieces need to be recognizable as mine; they need my thumbprint, which is quite a shift for me.

I know intuitively that the best way to do this is through being a prolific sketcher. There's just no way to just "think up" what you want your art to look like. So, my plan is to fill at least five pages of my sketchbook every day, no matter what. Even if it feels like I'm just drawing to fill my quota, because even that can be beneficial, I think.

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