Left-Handed Sketchbook

I'm right hand dominant.  But a couple of years ago I joined The 100 Day project  and gave myself the challenge of 100 Days of non-dominant hand drawing.  AND  actually made it to the end of the challenge, with a little over 100 sketches, drawings, paintings, scribbles on whiteboards (hey, sometimes we  have to make the most of the time  and materials at hand). It's a practice which, like blind contour drawing (see earlier post) I return to when I need a boost creativity and productivity boost.  

Lazarus, our plant who returns to life regularly!

So, why? Well, it's fun. Not easy at first, admittedly, but it's a gentle challenge and you get to laugh at yourself, not to mention provide healthy entertainment for family and friends, plus, it helps you let go of that pesky perfectionism. Then, as you get better, (stick with it, I promise you will) it's a nice "party trick", particularly for teacher-people to grab  students' attention.  (Great challenge for students, too).  If you persistently end up with abstract art instead of neat sketches - that's all part of the fun, and those "abstracts" always have potential. 

---

Gum leaves in favourite vase (which appears in much drawing practice!)

Inspired by the sketch on left, different leaf arrangement though. And the vase is blue in real life!

Non-dominant hand drawing is a brain workout. like blind contour drawing.  As we've already established in earlier posts, workouts are good for that muscle between our ears. It helps kick the less-exercised side of our brain  into gear and spark up those neural pathways, improving  coordination and enhancing creativity.

Our dominant hands hold muscle memory, which is very convenient for getting daily stuff done, but our non-dominant hands are the quiet introverts  with loads of untapped potential waiting to be noticed. Want to start thinking outside the box more often? Show your non-dominant hand some love. If it doesn't take you out of the box, it will at least re-shape it, and a change is as good as a holiday, right? 

It was a #WhiteboardWednesday (waiting for Himself to finish up a meeting)

Most of us are perfectionists when it comes to drawing. We think everything has to be smooth, neat, and Instagram-worthy. But drawing with your non-dominant hand? There’s no room for perfection here—only imperfection, chaos, and loads  of happy accidents. This a good thing.
When we embrace the wonky lines and imperfect shapes that  from our less-coordinated hand, we can begin  letting go of unrealistic standards, can learn to laugh at the mess, and that sense of humour can trickle into all aspects of our creativity. We're free to explore, experiment, be in the moment and just enjoy the process. 

Non-dominant hand drawing supports our ongoing process of learning to see.   We become more mindful of small details, of how lines and shapes and light and shadows interact,  because we're forced to slow down and  to pay closer attention to even the most basic movements. We see  both our subjects  and our renderings of them with fresh eyes.  As you practice, you'll find that your non-dominant hand sketches have a life and  personality and character all their own. 

Taking time to get lost in the Banksia process.

How to Get Started:

• Step 1: Grab some paper, a pen, and your  cuppa of choice. Use a pen, or even a crayon, not a pencil. Avoid that erasing temptation! 
• Step 2: Hold your pen/crayon/marker in your non-dominant hand like you’re learning to write again. It’ll feel awkward, but that’s part of the charm.
• Step 3: Try drawing something simple at first—like a circle or a squiggly line. Cover a page with random shapes and lines. Then, as you get more comfortable, challenge yourself with something more complex (or change up the colours and just keep drawing squiggles, if you're having fun with them, because why not?).
• Step 4: Laugh at how weird and wonky  it all is. But also, celebrate it. You’re doing something new, and that’s amazing.

When you feel ready for a further challenge, try blind contour drawing with your non-dominant hand! Comment here, or on LightSplashes socials , and let me know how it goes. 

Blind Contour with Non-Dominant Hand. Himself hiding under hat and behind lens (his social media profile pic).