32 days of drawing: lessons from a recovering non-drawer

04 Mar, 2026

As of today, I have been drawing for 32 days! Here are the numbers:

• I have drawn hundreds of lines: horizontal, vertical, curved
• I have filled 72 pages of A5 sketchbook paper
• I am already on my second sketchbook
• I have completed about 40 “proper” sketches (i.e. not line practice or doodles)
• I have copied at least 17 illustrations from comics, manga and other art pieces
• I have experimented with colour, perspective, comic panels, and character design
• I must have spent at least 160 minutes drawing, though the real number is probably far higher (especially on more detailed attempts)

These are crazy numbers for me.

I have always been very self-conscious about my lack of artistic ability. Growing up, I always felt like whatever I drew was lousy. My dad was the one who used to help me survive my art projects for school. I used to draw random robots, vehicles with missile launchers, and even doodle but I could never shake off the feeling that if someone saw these….it would be disastrous!

So to have put in the time and effort that I did makes me feel like I have stepped so far out of my comfort zone. Thank you, [Austin Kleon](tab: https://austinkleon.substack.com/p/tomorrow-is-february)!

I’m really glad that I took up this challenge because it has taught me many lessons. I’m sure more will come to mind as I continue, but here’s what I have for now:

1. Start with what you have. The cheap sketchbook, pencils, and fineliner I got have served me well
2. Accept that your art will suck. If you start late like me, your taste will exceed your abilities for a long time. But if you persist, you will improve!
3. Find the fun in the process It feels like a long journey to getting anywhere near good, but appreciating small things like coming up with cute characters, drawing smoother lines, or even getting one body part right help me keep going
4. Copy art that you like (and acknowledge it). Who cares about being original now? Copying is a good way to get in the reps and gain inspiration.
5. YouTube is a really good resource. If you commit to putting into practice what you learn, there are many good channels out there to help you draw better!
6. You need to pay the cost. Practicing drawing line after line can be boring. But you need to do it, so that your hand will listen to your brain. Fine motor control needs a lot of practice, which means…A LOT of lines. (But see Lesson #3.)
7. Consume art. The more you feed your creative tank, the more stuff in your brains to make stuff with. Be inspired and energised by all the amazing art in and of the world.
8. Share your work but be careful. If you’re just starting out, protect your artistic self. Choose carefully who you share it with in real life. But sharing it in public, like on a blog or some platform, can be a good way to learn in public. (BearBlog has felt very safe for me!)

If you’ve feel like you can’t do X, slowly building a body of evidence will help prove that you in fact can! I’m excited to see what magic lies within all of you.

I’ll leave you with a recent piece that I did, which is not perfect, but I’m proud of the progress I’ve made.