“routine behavior repeated regularly and tends to occur subconsciously”

“An acquired behavior pattern followed until it has become almost involuntary”

“Something you do often and regularly, sometimes without knowing you are doing it.”

—Dictionary definitions of “habit”:

If we want to make art and we want to get better at it, we’re told to build a daily sketchbook habit. Now, I do create almost every day in some way, and I do keep a sketchbook, but is it a habit?

Definitely not.

I sketchbook in bursts. When I’m inspired. When I have ideas about what I want to sketch. Otherwise, I do something else.

This strategy of course is not a habit, and if I’m honest I’m just not satisfied with my sketchbook practice. It lacks consistency and pages often feel random. I struggle with finding something to draw every day—and while I love art projects, I often wrestle with self doubt when it comes to my sketchbook. (Why am I doing this? What’s the point?) And bottom line, I just don’t work in my sketchbook enough.

I’m not embracing its place in my art practice.

So I had a rethink.