Drawing for the Soul

Everyone can drawYou can draw if you can hold a pen or pencil and move it across a page. Sometimes, when people say that they can't draw, it's maybe because they don't know WHAT to draw. Or the expectations they place on themselves are very high. They expect to be able to draw photo-realistic portraits or technically precise and correct botanicals. You don't have to consider yourself an 'artist' to draw, so let go of that idea immediately. Another reason that some people believe they can't draw is that they got to a certain age, were criticised, developed a harsh inner critic, and decided that they couldn't draw. You'll see your confidence and skills grow as long as you remain open to trying and having a go. Relax into it. The scary blank page can be a hurdle to drawing, so if you're stuck for things to draw or don't know where to start, this book might help. In the projects section, there are lots of ideas to get you started. Once you have a prompt for what to draw, it doesn't matter how experienced you are. You just put pen to paper and go for it. Keep an open mind and believe in yourself.Let go of perfectionI encourage you to have an 'oh, well' attitude regarding these projects. The exercises in this book are supposed to relax you, not stress you out. It's okay to want to strive to do the absolute best drawing you can do. But sometimes, if we pressure ourselves to be perfect like this, it can be pretty oppressive and cause anxiety, which isn't what we want. Leave your ego at the door and be prepared to mess up, smudge, scribble and embrace the imperfect wobbly lines. Making your soul feel good comes from trying new things, experimenting, and letting go of that perfectionism.The aim of this bookThe purpose of this book is to get you into a beautifully relaxed flow state while drawing. Relinquish stress and enjoy the process. I want you to feel comfortable and happy when you're drawing, so I have tried to make each project reasonably simple so that you can become

Zoë Ingram is an artist and illustrator based in Edinburgh, represented by the prestigious Lilla Rogers Studio. You'll find her work on fabric, stationery, greetings cards, magazines and books and home décor collections, as well as gracing the covers of books. Clients include Ikea, Hallmark, Penguin Random House, Harper Collins and more. She is the author of 20 Ways to Draw a Strawberry and Draw 500 Fantastic Foods for Quarry Books and Oh My Gouache! for D&C.