Making Art ✨ vs Having Fun 🌈

Since December, I’ve been doodling in my daily journal.

I started with circling key realisations and giving myself gold stars when I did well.

Then I became more adventurous: doodling the cup of iced coffee I’m drinking and vases of flowers I wish I had.

I quickly noticed the stark contrast from calligraphy.

While calligraphy is deliberate, measured and careful, I try to let myself loose with doodling and not think too much.

I don’t plan. I don’t pencil. I don’t even know what I’m doing half the time. 😂

Obviously my doodles are not art ✨.

But it’s been so much fun 🌈, and that makes me childishly happy.

It’s a drastically different experience from my aborted #the100dayproject a few years back, when I tried drawing.

I was trying to draw as realistically as possible, figuring out shadows and perspective from the start. It was completely over my head.

I didn’t enjoy it one bit, and drawing was giving me more stress than fun.

No wonder I gave up after a few days.

This made me understand: I don’t need to be good at everything I try or do.

Of course I can improve my drawing skills. But right now, my doodling is a form of creativity that makes me happy.

That’s enough.

And that may be the case for your calligraphy too.

You may not be great at it. Your technical skills may be lacking. You may have lots of room for improvement.

But if you’re enjoying it and having fun right now?

You do you. 💪🏻

You don’t need to be good at it.

Enjoy practising, creating, writing with what you can.

When you feel ready, and only when you feel an inner yearning to improve, there are always courses and instructors available to help you.

Don’t rush the process.

Don’t force yourself to play catch-up.

Don’t let comparison dim any of your fun or joy. 🌈

This was first published in my email newsletter, 💌 Curious Letters, where I share tips and stories about calligraphy.

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