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Lately I’ve been drawing animals in my little sketchbook using mostly colored Sharpies (permanent markers) and some Copic markers. No black allowed!!

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Now that I’m halfway into my little book (like a small Moleskin), I’m afraid to ruin it with a bad drawing, since most of them so far are okay. So every time I start, I remind myself that this is PRACTICE, dummy. Practice!!!

It’s interesting that I need to talk myself off the ledge every time I pick a pen up to draw. Or paint for that matter. I envy people who seemingly “just do it.” For me it’s a little mini war with myself, each and every time. One of my favorite art quotes comes out of the book “Art & Fear” by David Bayles and Ted Orland:

Artists don’t get down to work until the pain of working is exceeded by the pain of not working. —Stephen DeStaebler

and another from the same book:

Fear that your next work will fail is a normal, recurring and generally healthy part of the artmaking cycle.

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Today is the day I’m going to finish that large commission that has been in my studio for months. NO excuses!!!

Have a great day, everyone.