Forget “Meaningful” Subjects - Just Draw!

Don’t think; draw!

When you're out of ideas for your sketchbook, don’t stress about finding a “meaningful” subject. So many of us get stuck thinking that what we draw needs to be profound or special. But here’s the truth: anything becomes meaningful once you start drawing it. The magic is in the process, not the subject!

Take something simple - like a coffee cup, your shoes, or a piece of fruit - and just draw. Then change the angle or position and draw it again. Before you know it, you’ll have a whole page filled with unique studies. Everything starts to connect once you give it your attention, and what seemed ordinary becomes interesting.

That’s exactly what I did recently. The tree in our backyard gave us loads of juicy, sweet pears, so I grabbed my sketchbook and filled a page with pear studies. I didn’t overthink it, and it turned out to be so much fun!

Materials used:

- Hahnemühle Nostalgie sketchbook (A4 size)
- Sailor Fude fountain pen (55-degree calligraphy nib), filled with Platinum Carbon Black ink
- Daniel Smith watercolors
- Pentel Aquash water brush

Remember, it’s not about the subject—it’s about enjoying the act of drawing. Everything becomes meaningful when you draw it!