Wild ones,
You know how when you wrote papers for uni or even high school how you would have an abstract at the top? Well, I am just going to add the last couple of paragraphs here and hope that it convinces you to read the whole thing, and watch the video.
Because I want you to know I think you are pure magic.
“The supplies are not what makes the magic, that, dear one comes from you.”
You can always ask me what brands I like, or what I use, and I will always tell you, and encourage you to use what you can afford or are curious about. Please don’t stop asking me - because it is an opportunity to be curious and learn and also a good way for me to sincerely remind you of your own innate awesomeness.
But you know what?
We need your art, the wild needs you to sing their song.
What you do it with does not matter to them, don’t let it matter to you.
The video above will show you all the brands I have on hand, and you know what?
All of them work the same.
Let’s get into it
(you know I could talk coloured pencil allll day right?
And that video is a little longer than I intended, but anyhoo.
Read on!
I have been having some really lovely and really important conversations with my group of gorgeous creatives in The Wild Sketchbook lately about using coloured pencil.
Talking all things pencil through with them helps me realise that there are some aspects that I perhaps don’t go into enough detail about, or that I hadn’t even realised I was doing, but that could be really helpful to bring up.
So I want to talk to you about three specific things, but I don’t want to write a whole novel here, so I will split it up over a couple of days.
The three things?
Brand
Value
Coloured Pencil Vs Graphite
In the video above I realise I actually talk about all of these things, and kind of get ranty (because I am passionate!), but for today’s post I want to talk brands and specific colours.
In ALLL the eBooks and workbooks and supply lists I make for courses, I always say
“The supplies are not what makes the magic, that, dear one comes from you.”
And I say that with utter sincerity and truth, AND I know from my own experience that it is very hard to believe, particularly when you are just starting out.
It is perfectly reasonable for us to assume that the tool is what is the difference between the work we are doing and the work we see the teacher doing.
Completely understandable.
Because we don’t talk often enough about all the practice and time and messing around and experimenting and skill building that is the actual difference. All of that has to happen, regardless of the tools you use.
Don’t think me saying this means there is any shame in asking those questions, there absolutely isn’t. And I will always answer you. It is a good question - we can’t know what we don’t know, right?
But I also don’t want a brand or colour to be what stops you from making art.
Sometimes we unintentionally procrastinate (out of fear, and perfectionism, and self doubt), not starting a project or class because we don’t have the right supplies. But you can have a veritable art-shop full of supplies, they aren’t magic (again, ask me how I know).
You still have to do the work.
This is one of the main reasons I have made these two courses this year. The Wild Sketchbook, and Drawn to Wild. I want to reassure you, to empower you to feel safe in knowing that ALL if the magic is in you, it all just takes time.
We live in a time of instant gratification and hyperlapses and sped-up everything, and we are unconsciously conditioned to believe that we have to be able to work that fast, or that there is a “hack” or “foolproof formula” to art.
And there just isn’t. Nothing good comes that way.
It takes time.
Take your time.
And be present.
I will always tell you what pencil or supply I am using in a class, but I do not want you to have to use the same. I want you to feel excited about the project, not overwhelmed by a supplies list. I do not expect you to go out and buy all the things I use, I share them for transparency and learning processes. We often have more supplies than we can go through anyway (hello fellow art supply hoarder).
If you are just starting out, even better - put that credit card away and close those art shop tabs open on your browser.
What coloured pencils and graphite pencils do you have in the house? None? GREAT, go to your local supermarket and pick up the least expensive ones you can get (pack of 36 for $7 at K-mart? Yes please!) and just start.
Worry about brands later, if and when you are wanting to become a professional artist or sell your work.
In all seriousness, all you need is a pencil (doesn’t matter what sort) and paper (doesn’t matter what sort) to make art. To set your creative wild heart free. It is all already inside you, we just have to give ourselves (and each other) enough loving kindness to take time to practise, find enough curiosity, and a few seconds of courage, to have a go. And keep going. And keep going. And keep going.
You, wild heart, are pure magic. I see you. And I am here for all the wonder you get to discover AND make. We need your art, the wild needs you to sing their song. What you do it with does not matter to them, don’t let it matter to you.
You, and your creativity, are worth soooo much more than even the fanciest of gold-plated supplies.
“The supplies are not what makes the magic, that, dear one comes from you.”
You can always ask me what brands I like, or what I use, and I will always tell you, and encourage you to use what you can afford or are curious about. Please don’t stop asking me - because it is an opportunity to be curious and learn and also a good way for me to sincerely remind you of your own innate awesomeness.
Ok.
I hope that has convinced you.
If not, the video above will show you all the brands I have on hand, and you know what? All of them work the same.
Go make art, wild one.
If you want calm, gentle, consistent wonder, come join me for a year of slow and connected in Drawn to Wild
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