The little things

I joined Stefan Große Halbuer in his October daily drawing challenge Plastober. I decided to draw with pencil (and eraser) in a simple comic style in line drawings. I didn’t have a schedule, I simply grabbed a bit of sunshine when it appeared. I often sat at my desk and listened to a podcast. I typically drew two to four images a day, sketching them out and then refining the lines. Perhaps I learned about the day’s word in a dictionary, perhaps I stared out the window a bit while my brain whirred along. I often found inspiration during my daily stroll through the wilderness.

My everyday outdoor adventures were often the fodder for my pencil drawings. Getting outside keeps me mentally and physically active while providing inspiration and refreshment. It reminds me why I illustrate for science, sustainability, and nature.

I’m learning to be thankful for the little things and see beauty in my everyday. I’m allowed to stop and watch the small birds flit about on my treks. I can inspect lichen that looks like Shrek’s ears—and learn it becomes soft and pliable in the rain. (Many lichen in this area belong to the genus Cladionia and are a primary source of food for reindeer / caribou).

Windows of opportunity and inspiration present themselves in abundance if we stop striving for a moment and see what’s around us. So many gifts are given when we stay open to new possibilities instead of seeking perfection.

Serendipity: finding valuable or agreeable things not sought after; an instance of this

This watercolour painting was created from a portion of a pencil drawing for the Plastober prompt Season. My inspiration aligned with Colour Collective’s weekly colour prompt Cobweb, and the small details were sparked from Dan Tavis’ Draw This in Your Style.

It’s such a joy to find new artistic communities that get my creative juices flowing. Who is filling your energy jar? Go ahead and tell them they are doing awesome things.

Stop and smell the roses. Or the daffodils. /
Ta tid tid til å nyte duften av rosene. Eller påskeliljene.

Pencil drawings inspired by #Plastober21 by @plastic.pen (Instagram). Colour illustration inspired by #DtiysTavis21 by @dantavis (Instagram) and #Cobweb by @clr_collective (Twitter).