Just Keep Drawing
Recently, I was recalling how I started my Youtube channel. It was the spring of 2020 and the high school I taught at closed down like the rest of the schools in the country. I was home and suddenly found myself thrust into teaching online and trying to connect with my students who I just saw every school day in a whole new way. It was a time of uncertainty on many levels - what is happening globally? What is happening locally? What will happen in the future? How long will I teach from my home studio through a computer screen? We were given our expectations and I did the best I could. Myself, an art teacher, trying to teach for the first time by video and in virtual classrooms to students who were as unsure about it all like the rest of us. One day, not long after it was understood we were not going back to the classroom in person any time soon - I decided to start a Youtube channel. I had high hopes of making videos to connect with my students and help them continue to learn even if I was not in their presence. I opened a Youtube account and with my phone began to learn and stumble my way through taking clips of drawing, using colored pencils or writing in calligraphy. It was raw and certainly not the best videos.
I was a beginner. I was learning in real time as I shared these videos and through it all, I was not all that sure any of my students watched them. I got support from my family and friends who encouraged me to add music and I could see with each video I was getting a little better, maybe even making them more interesting. Next, I learned how to add a voice over. I was so excited to speak about the process in the video. I was really enjoying this new found task and wanted to get better and better. What to name this channel of mine? It was not something I remember pondering long… Just Keep Drawing. Not a head in the sand or pretend nothing was wrong kind of way, more a let’s just keep drawing through the storms that have come.
Now, it is 2023 and all those days of teaching from my home studio are long gone. My virtual classroom slowly went away and my school returned to in person like all the rest around the country. I try to look back on that time softly. Not caring to be overcritical of myself and all those videos I made. Actually, I still continue to create videos. My goal has been one video a month for 2023. I cannot say I have had a video go viral or even that I have many more than 30 subscribers to my channel. It may even appear like a dream I gave up on if you looked at it through the lens of how many subscribers I have or even posting content regularly. But rather I stay slow and steady, still learning, still trying to create fun creative content. What a challenge it still is!
But something interesting happened just before school let out one day this past spring. I was in the hallway doing my supervision on a regular school day and a former student of mine was walking by. We struck up a conversation, she was graduating this year. I had not seen her since she was in my class in 2020. Goodness, how time truly flies. I asked her future plans. She had a solid plan for getting an art degree and I was so excited for her. Then out of the blue, she said she was still following my Youtube channel and encouraged me to post more. I was floored! Wait…you still follow my channel after that class?
Even now, I am not sure how to put this into perspective except that you just never know. You never know the extent of your reach or what shape or form encouragement will take in your life.
It is moments like these that I hold dear in my heart and cherish as I continue to live this creative life.
“Even while we teach, we learn.”
Index Card Idea
I named my Youtube channel “Just Keep Drawing” and wanted to share this idea for those times when we don’t know what to draw.
Materials needed: Blank index cards and your favorite marking utensils.
This activity is very simple and fun to do. It requires no special training. Simply make a mark or shape on the card and see what you create.
Take a look at my examples below:
As you look over my examples what did you notice? Did you find similar shapes and colors? Could you pull out the starting shape? How was each card finished?
As I drew each card, I did not have some finished idea in mind. I picked up a pencil or pen and began to draw and see what shape developed. Then I added more shapes or line work to show depth and overlapping. I finally added colors and called it finished. Maybe 10-15 minutes spent on each card.
This is a task that helps me quiet the critical voice in my head and just go with the flow. I found these dot grid index cards on sale and have been enjoying using the dot grid to shape the white frame. I may not care for every single card I make, but that’s okay, I just kept drawing.
Give it a try and see what you create.
SHAPE OF THE MONTH:
STAR
Coloring Page of the Month
I added a few stars to this page but rather focused on drawing bracelets and having all the fun figuring out how links connected to look three dimensional.
Print, color and cut out for a few bookmarks.
Another summer month in the books! I have really enjoyed drawing new things, old things and continuing to create all I can. The schedule is never too empty, yet somehow, some way art making continues. I believe each mark counts and that is what I tell my students. Though all marks are not super stars, each one will bring you to the next. It may not always be a straight path, but a path I am ever grateful for nonetheless.
Stay creative out there and just keep drawing~
Hannah