Imagine that situation: you go outside to draw, take materials you need. Finally, you found a suitable place for the sketch and the view that you liked. Then suddenly you realize that people are sitting around, walking around and it becomes embarrassing. What people will think of you? What if someone comes up and asks you to show him your work? Or peeks what you draw, and what is the worst will criticize you? These all make you to collect all the materials in your bag, and go to a less crowded place or maybe return home. Are you familiar with that? If you are, these 5 reasons make you feel more confident, when you sketch in crowded places.
Cope with spotlight effect
In psychology, when it seems that everyone is looking at you and seeing your failure (maybe its not, but you think it is) called the spotlight effect. But this is only your feeling and nothing more. No one is really going to criticize and look for mistakes in your sketches. How to deal with this feeling? Draw more often in crowded places, and the feeling that everyone is looking at you will bother you less.
Share your art with real people
Most people come up to you because they are сurios in what you doing, and say something like “how cool it is”. For example, in one of my travels, a woman approached me and asked what I do. I said that I was sketching a church. Perhaps she was interested if I showed her the sketch, but I wasn’t ready to share at the time. You don’t have to share the sketch if you’re not confident with it.
Sketch in company
Sometimes people come up to you because they draw too. Or maybe they want to sketch like you, but something stops them. As a tip, it’s a good practice to draw outside in a small group or with a partner. You will be more confident, feel less awkward and have a lot of support from each other. Step by step and you will have no problem to sketch alone, but sometimes it make a lot of fun to sketch in a group.
Sketching outside
Build your confidence
Actually it doesn’t matter what the other people think about your drawing. Because you usually don’t know exactly what they think at all. So what you are doing is “putting” your thoughts into their mouth. Conclusion, you don’t know if they really care about your drawing, it is only in your mind and your fears. It’s not your business what the others think.
Learn to deal with criticism
If so it shouldn’t be taken as a critique or taken too seriously because it is only an opinion of somebody. Different people like different techniques, styles and have different visions of art. Important thing about it is that nobody wants to hurt you. It’s all about self confidence. If you feel comfortable with your result and your sketch you should care less about somebody’s opinion.
As I remember, I was never anxious to draw in public. I was so eager to draw everything, that I just didn’t care. My first time drawing in public was in a small group, but then I started to draw alone. I didn’t knew about what is perspective or about different techniques. My sketches were childish but I continued to draw because, I was passionate about it. All you need to do is to draw more often, learn the basics and practice. And don’t forget to sketch outside and in your travels!
How to make a quick sketch? All about it here.
