The perfect sketch

There is no such thing, of course. A sketch can’t be perfect. In fact, it’s quite the opposite: sketches are supposed to be imperfect. If they were any better, they wouldn’t be sketches but drawings.

But I don’t want to talk about what makes a sketch a sketch or a drawing a drawing. I want to talk about the context in which I make my best sketches.

This morning, I had the pleasure of having to create a few sketches for work. Visualizations of concepts I’m working on. I only had one hour, so I had to work fast — which is the whole idea when sketching. I had everything I needed: blank paper, some Sharpies and a thinner pen.

But what I didn’t have is my full attention. My laptop was still open, so I was tempted to check my team’s chat channel every few minutes.

And my pens were running a bit dry, so the ink wasn’t flowing well on the paper. I wanted to use some pencils as well, so I borrowed my daughter’s coloring pencils, but they weren’t the right hardness I wanted. I didn’t want to walk upstairs to get my own better pencils and markers, because again: I didn’t have a calm enough state of mind. I felt the time pressure.

It turned out fine. I was able to make the sketches for my project, but I didn’t really get into the flow. This flow which I know so well: that feeling as if there is nothing in the world but me, the paper and my pen. When I’m in the flow, the sketches just magically appear. They may not look perfect, but it feels perfect to make them.

But getting into that flow is pretty hard. I realized that next time, I need to get my materials right and close my laptop. I need to slow down first, so I can work faster.

The perfect sketch doesn’t exist. But the right tools and state of mind can make the context perfect.