Sketching is a Hand's Thinking

Thank you, Friends, for a big response to a last post. I'll update the process of picture book illustration from time to time. Stay tuned.  
BTW, how do you use a sketch book? Let me hear your ways. I use a sketch book for two main purposes : practice/experiment and an illustration idea storage, not for a simple record. And of course, they are all for fun! Sketching is my hand's thinking. Active thinking does not need to be perfect. 

 (I sketched a presenter on "social media" at a meeting) 

I'd quote these : 

“It's not about perfect. It's about effort. And when you bring that effort every single day, that's where transformation happens. That's how change occurs.” Jillian Michaels

"If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done." Ecclesiastes11:4  ("Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.") Perfectionism gets us nowhere. In my view, Jillian's say "fits to all" or any area in life.   

(Above, 3D understanding of the head)

Regarding a sketch book's "practice" nature, daily sketching is very much like "strength training" in athletics. If we don't do it, we'll lose muscles. Similarly, drawing skills are fundamental for any art. Without drawing skills, it's impossible to learn other techniques. No excuse. Thank goodness, I love drawing since childhood. Everyday sketching is not a pain at all. Draw, draw first, before my findings/emotions will be gone -- is my motivation.

Drawing is my hand's thinking. No, my brain thinks nothing. I "feel" something and get on work. Instinct. In experiment, I go out of my comfy zone and enjoy something new. Experience is the best teacher. Theory follows Experience. So, I try something first.  My hand remembers sketched subjects well. The more experience, the better my eyes remember subjects.

Talking of "illustration idea storage," a sketch book has a more experiment nature. Very adventurous, more wild and messy. I cannot upload too many attempted drawings with notes and glued pieces etc, etc, on pages. One day, if I could organise them, I might upload it? Of course, I make TONs of mistakes or messes! Sometimes, it hurts me. I feel sad.

But I want to fail better and challenge it again. Make sense? For me, words are empty. No magic, but practice. My hands will find answers. Hands trained by sketch books can enjoy new techniques and express more on papers. Precious fruits, learned skills will never leave an artist. Further, it will open another door to take a higher road.  

I know all my illustrations have been born from daily sketches. Friends, I'm nearly finishing up a black and white storyboard, in the middle of  travails. I'm struggling, working very hard and learning lots. Thank you very much for your big cheers. I'll foster this new born baby to be a picture book! 

Friends, you, too, Happy Painting!!!  

Sketching is a Hand's Thinking