When I lose myself on paper 🐣

I am no artist. I am not even close to getting there. But I have been in these casual conversations with pen & paper.

I get these random visuals in my head. They get triggered just anywhere— in dreams, meetings, travel, dinners, showers, walks, books, greens or just anywhere.

They start emerging like an imaginary travel destination in some corner of my mind. And then there is an irresistible itch to visit each and every dot of it. That’s when I start drawing.

When I start, it feels like I am setting off on a journey in which I often get lost. Either because of not being able to see what I wanted to see or because of landing at a completely different place. Which sometimes is gorgeous. And sometimes so ugly that I want to abandon drawing and stay ‘safely’ happy with the imagination packed inside the head. But I don’t give up. I try hard to make it real. With ink. However good or bad it is. But just out there on paper.

I end up feeling secretively elated.

While having these conversations with pen & paper, I have realized this is what subconsciously happens in my mind.

• I get the confidence to make zillion of such abstract thoughts a tangible reality. That’s the confidence to do many such things which at once seemed unrealistic to me. Whenever I struggle with a new idea of any sort-at work or at home, this practice of resolving abstract internal conversations pushes me towards rich visualizing & solving.

• I confront my state of mind & talk to it. I find an alternative pathway to pay attention to my chronic anxiety. Instead of loading myself with a jumbled up bag of anxieties drawing helps me in classifying them into small paper-type jars.

• I keep reminding myself that getting lost is fruitful. Not always beautiful. I fumble with lines. I miss out the big picture that I started with. I get too engrossed in details sometimes. But I feel these transitions from chaos to madness are somewhere doing a job of making me a better creative professional.

Here are the personal travel destinations that I am talking about. These are just personal expressions. They were never meant to be touristy or masterpieces.

I feel, drawing is my way of making love with my imagination. What’s yours?

The only unlimited thing in the universe is your own imagination. Love it.