Sketch Dreams Into Life
Stroke by stroke... one builds on the other. Dreams come into form.
“Stroke by stroke, dreams are brought to life on the canvas of life.” — The Prolific Creator
A dream is not achieved all at once.
What starts vividly in the mind...
Begins as a vague shape brought into form.
I recently started sketching again... the kind where pencil is put to paper. Now I’m rediscovering simple truths of life through the tip of a pencil.
Truth #1: Start with small, light strokes.
Try drawing a circle by hand with a single stroke. It is quite difficult! But if you try drawing one with many smaller, lighter strokes, the circle takes form beautifully. This is because each smaller stroke allows room for quick correction in your mind's eye. Even if one stroke is a bit off the mark, the next one corrects.
Truth #2: Fill in the details.
Once the circle is sketched out in rough form, you follow with darker strokes to lift the circle off the page. These strokes are more sure-handed, because a path has already been laid. What was once uncertain is now known.
Truth #3: Add depth.
The circle starts in two dimensions. Shading gives it depth. The circle is brought to life. And with a simple light source, it even casts a shadow. What once only existed in the mind’s eye has now achieved life-giving form.
Your dreams are much like a sketch. They...
Start with small, light strokes to outline shapes
Fill in the details with darker, more sure-handed strokes
Add depth with shading and a source of light
Even the greatest sketch artists start with one small, uncertain stroke. So when will you finally put pencil to paper? Your master sketch will require thousands of strokes. But it starts with only one.
🤔 Food for Thought:
What is your biggest, most daring dream?
When will you lay down the first, gentle stroke?
Is today not a perfect day to do so?
⚙️ One Small Step:
When contemplating something big in life, think first of the general shapes. Start sketching them in rough form with small, light strokes. Each stroke represents one small act. When viewed together, shapes take form as do the dreams they represent.