In childhood, drawing is part of learning. If a child feels like it, they don't need to be asked twice, without even wondering if they are talented or if their drawing is worth anything. That is not the question. What matters is having fun. In adulthood, other activities have generally replaced drawing. That's life. However, ask an adult to draw something, not to create a work of art, but simply to materialize a concept or an idea, and you will likely get the answer: "I don't know how to draw." In all objectivity, it is likely that they didn't really know how to draw as a child either (I fall into this category too). Inhibition and the awareness of the supposed quality of one's creation have developed over the years. This reaction is a shame; it means missing out on a fun and, above all, beneficial activity for cognitive abilities. Here is a little article to motivate you to get back into it.
In Praise of Being Bad
Being good or talented in a field is often accompanied by internal, external, or both, pressure to maintain a certain level, or even to improve. If it's not a professional activity, the temptation to try to make a living from it might come and subtly bother you. However, if you are bad, there is no pressure on your shoulders. Is your drawing a failure? So what? Smile, close your notebook, and you're done. If you improve through practice, great, and if not, it's not the end of the world. Also, don't worry about illegally trained AIs; your drawings won't help them improve. Especially since they don't have access to your notebooks... I will come back to this point later. All this to say that the path is more peaceful when we don't have excessive expectations, no expectations other than simply enjoying scribbling whatever comes to mind.
Doodling Rather Than Drawing
When drawing is mentioned, our minds immediately imagine works of art that breathe talent, with clean lines, controlled perspective, and a mastered style. It is very beautiful, and it is a result that the vast majority of the population will never achieve. Fortunately, there is no drawing license required to start. Personally, I wouldn't say I draw; rather, I doodle, I sketch, I quickly outline. I doodle the world around me, animate or inanimate, whatever comes to mind, the concrete as well as the abstract, shapes, with intention or spontaneously. I use a pencil (but don't ask me to explain the different types and the codes on them) as much as a classic pen. When I'm in the office, I borrow the Sharpies lying around here and there. No colors though... But don't let that stop you if you want to add some. The point is that I don't put pressure on myself. I "draw" when I feel like it, for a few minutes. A few minutes of not looking at my phone. This is my only regular goal, a realistic goal, because there is little chance that my doodles will ever end up exhibited in a museum. And that's fine because that's not the project.
Intimate Sketchbook
Everyone knows what a personal journal (diary) is. Like it, nothing forces us to share the content of our sketchbooks with the rest of the world. It is your private space for expression, exploration, and letting go. Draw whatever comes to mind, psychedelic shapes, nudes, kawaii... Sketch daily life, the mundane, or imagine explosions, flowers from another world... It doesn't matter. Express your anger by filling entire pages with cross-outs if it feels good. Add annotations, feelings, haikus, wordplays that only make you laugh. Blur the boundary between a personal journal and a sketchbook. Make lines and words dialogue. All of this belongs only to you, away from the gaze and judgment of others.
The Benefits of Doodling
According to several pieces of research, doodling has several beneficial effects on our brain and its functioning. First, for memorization—it's no coincidence that some of your colleagues draw during meetings or presentations, even if it's a somewhat automatic habit. Taking time to draw would also help improve concentration skills. Drawing can also allow us to express what we have difficulty formulating. It seems important here to mention that the practice of doodling, even if regular, is not the equivalent of therapy with a professional. More importantly: don't necessarily wait for a down period to start drawing, whether it's in a sketchbook, on loose sheets, or on Post-its. So, you will have understood: no need to know how to "draw" to benefit from the associated advantages, and above all, to enjoy scribbling.
