Why I love to Draw

Drawing has been more than just a hobby for as long as I can remember; it has been an integral aspect of my identity, a communication between my inner world and the world around me. While other people find consolation in music, literature, or outdoor hobbies, I find it in the delicate glide of a pencil on paper, brush on canvas, where lines and colors combine to form their own universe. Drawing has a special place in my heart for a variety of reasons, ranging from its healing properties to its ability to make the ethereal physical.

One of the main reasons I enjoy drawing is the emotional release it provides. Drawing, like nonverbal therapy, gives a secure area for me to express myself without judgment. Whether I’m experiencing moments of ecstasy or navigating a maze of fears, drawing or writing down my feelings helps me analyze, comprehend, and, finally, come to grips with them. Each line stroke or layering of colors acts as an emotional dialect, allowing for a silent but powerful interaction with myself.

Preparing for the arrival of the muse is akin to preparing for a cherished guest; it’s an act steeped in ritual and intentionality. I begin by sharpening my pencils to a fine point, each twist of the sharpener echoing the focus I am seeking to attain. A blade slicing the wood to reveal the sharp edge of graphite or color pencil, a sharpness that, in my mind’s eye, is already making its definitive stroke on paper or canvas. A neat workspace is crucial, so I tidy my drawing table, removing distractions and organizing my tools to have them within arm’s reach. The space around me needs to be as uncluttered as the blank canvas that awaits my strokes, a physical manifestation of the mental clarity I aim for.

In addition, I have an ample supply of Earl Grey tea on hand! The relaxing perfume of bergamot, along with the warm embrace of the (bone-china) cup in my hands, acts as both muse and companion. With each preparatory step, I’m not just making my external environment ready; I’m also setting the internal stage, making room for inspiration to flow freely and unencumbered.

Drawing is the act of making something from nothing. Watching a blank canvas or piece of paper transform into a complicated abstract work, or portrait, or landscape, provides a sensation of deep satisfaction, success, and empowerment. This creative process allows me to play the role of a demiurge, establishing or violating rules to produce something unique!

The satisfaction I get from this is not just from the finished product, but also from the complicated road that leads to it — the color choices, the subtlety of lines, the difficulty, and occasionally and importantly, the lucky accidents that make the artwork biologically alive.

To sketch is to see, not only to stare. Drawing trains my sense of observation, forcing me to see nuances that I might otherwise overlook. The contours of a face, the interplay of light and shadow on a landscape, or even the intricate patterns on something as small as a leaf become interesting subjects worthy of investigation. This increased awareness enhances not only my artistic activities but also my overall life experience, making me more aware of the beauty that exists in even the most mundane things. I live in a rainforest, and everything around me calls my attention, and informs my work.

Drawings serve as a record of my life’s events. I call my paintings drawtings, because the paintings often start with a powerful drawing. Each drawting captures not only the subject matter but also the feelings, thoughts, and circumstances in which it was created. Whether I’m chronicling locations I’ve been in, people I’ve met, or simply flights of my imagination, these artworks become a visual diary — a timeless record that I can look back on, each line and stroke bringing me back to the moment it was created.

Sometimes my drawtings have foretold events such as in the drawting below called “Premonition: Whispers from Tomorrow”- this was done a few months before the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017, in Puerto Rico.

Drawing provides a sanctuary of concentration and prolonged focus in a world increasingly dominated by the digital medium and transient sensations. I have embraced the world of AI prompt-generated imagineering, and I am loving it — but it does not give me the brain-to-hands satisfaction that drawing does. Drawing invites me to disengage from the craziness of the outside world and reconnect with both my inner world and the endless wonders of the world outside. It is both a haven and a playground, a discipline and a release.

Above all, it is a type of love — a way of deeply engaging with life in all of its nuances and complexities. Drawing is a form of magic.

And that is why I love to draw.

3t Vakil