My cup runneth over these days. I want to update you on all of my doings and share some wonderful stuff made by others that are making me happy on this lovely spring day.
This book is apparently now in German (awaiting my copy but someone bought this in Berlin and sent me the picture):
This book is apparently now in Russian (awaiting my copy but saw this on Instagram. Also awaiting the Spanish and Turkish ones) :
This book is fantastic, the best primer on art appreciation ever:
This week I did a little urban sketching, drawing a crusty old locksmith shop in the Village. I was inspired by one of my idols, Nina Johansson, who we managed to convince to teach at Sketchbook Skool. Here I am doing my homework for her klass, despite a never-ending stream of obstacles.
New thing: Each week I’ll be conducting (?) a little chat on Facebook Live to share a book or two that have inspired my own sketchbooking. Here’s the first one.
I’ve written blog posts about it. I’ve made a podcast about it. I’ve even written a book about it. But the inner critic, the monkey in my head, remains a part of my life. Keeping that voice under control is, frankly a lifetime project.
Here’s a powerful new weapon for your arsenal. Powerful and free.
Recently, I was talking to my pal, Jim Posner, who is a former Wall Street executive, turned Mindfulness meditation instructor. He can relate to everyone who’s ever been a victim of that inner critic. Many years ago he went through his own crisis —a job loss, while his wife was pregnant with their first child. He became terrified of the future, overcome by anxiety, and could barely function. He kept telling himself he wasn’t good enough. His inner critic beat him up so badly that he suffered debilitating panic attacks. Eventually he did crush that inner critic.
Jim asked me if I’d join him in making a free series of interviews specifically designed to help you conquer your inner critic, crush self-doubt, unleash your full potential and stifle the monkey. Kinda like the Shut Your Monkey podcast but with a whole new super-group of experts chatting on video.
Jim put together an amazing group of 21 experts — best selling authors, accomplished doctors and scientists, well-known artists, CEO’s, top executive coaches and respected professionals in fitness and well-being. Oh, and me. I had an amazing discussion with Jim and it’s part of the lineup.
He’s interviewed each of us about mindfulness, self-doubt and -criticism, and he’s put it all together into a free online summit. Free, no sales, no shtick, no strings. Just smart people giving useful advice. Experts who really want to help ease peoples’ suffering and increase their potential.
Here’s how it works:
Click here to watch a video from Jim here that explains the idea and to sign up. Then, starting on April 24, every day for 21 days, you’ll get emailed a video interview with an expert. Pretty simple. Unless you’re a monkey.
I think it will be full of lots of useful ideas and insights that I, for one, can’t wait to put into practice. Let me know what you (and your monkey) think of the series.
I will be leading a workshop at the amazing Workhouse Arts Center in Lufton, VA this weekend.
I’ll also be giving a talk that’s open to the public on Saturday night, April 8 (Patti’s birthday!) at 6 PM. I’ll be showing hundreds of drawings, sharing stories, and signing books — and I’d love to see you there.
Here are the details about the event. It’s in Building W-16, 9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton, VA 22079
When we launched our first Sketchbook Skool kourse, someone asked, “Is this self-help? I thought it was a drawing class!”
Fair question. But the fact is, making art starts with self-expression, so we tend to talk a fair amount about issues that impact creative people and get in the way of that expression. Things like motivation, habits, blocks, expression, and the inner critic. If you are just starting to make art as an adult, you may want to understand why on earth it took you so long.
I love to draw. But drawing is far more than a technical exercise for me. It’s meditation, it’s connection, it’s appreciation, it’s awareness. It’s a way to make sure that I stay connected to the things that matter to me, every day. In fact, one of my first books was called Everyday Matters because drawing helped me appreciate my life in ways both big and small.
When people find out I’m an author, their next question is “What do you write about?” I usually say I write about art and creativity, but I think what I really write about is the problems I face and how I can solve them in a way that helps others solve them too. That’s led me to write about everything from my childhood to how to get ink stains out of laundry. Which leads me to our new Kourse, Exploring.
I decided to explore two very different but essential things in the week that I teach in Exploring: creativity, and how to make drawings pop off the page.
First, the latter.
A problem you certainly wrestle with early in your drawing life is how to represent lighting, texture, and dimension, to help bring your work to life. So I share my years of exploration through dozens of examples in my sketchbooks. And rather than just flip pages, I really discuss each one, why it works (or doesn’t) and how you can apply those lessons in your own work.
Then I do some experiments to show you how light changes mood and meaning, and how you can represent shades and colors using plain old black ink on white paper. Also how to indicate different materials, from glass to grass, skin to bricks, using just lines and dots.
Okay, that sounds a bit technical, but I think I manage to make it pretty fun. Your most important art tool: your brain
I created a bunch of videos for this klass that delve deep into the creative process:
What makes you creative?
How do you get good?
How do you deal with criticism?
Where do ideas come from?
Why are you afraid to draw?
How do you keep motivated?
If any of these questions intrigue you, you’re ready to start Exploring. It’s not all self-help, but it will certainly help you help yourself to expand in new directions, enjoy your creativity, and have a wonderful five weeks with me and our other teachers, Lynne, Nina, Brian, and Felix.
Watch the video, then come find out even more about the klass on our website. And finally — sign up and start Exploring with us! We start on April 17.
I’m gonna to take a break at noon to watch Brian Butler’s Facebook Live He’ll be taking drawing requests from the audience and it will be fantastic. See you there.
I’ve been in Greenville, SC for about 36 hours and it took a bit of doing to get here so far but I like it. I’ve had catfish and grits but no peanuts, boiled, roasted or microwaved.
I gave my first speech yesterday morning and signed a load of Shut Your Monkey books and in half an hour I’ll do another talk and see if I can get these designers drawing. The weather has taken a turn for the springular and Main Street is full of stuff to draw and benches to sit on to do it.
Danny Gregory 