A year in sketch

A year ago, I finished the first sketch of my life — and accidentally began my art journey. What a wonderful and rewarding year it’s been!

Accidental start

Thanks to Substack, I stumbled upon

Carl Jackaman

’s artwork and, out of curiosity with zero watercolor experience, joined his watercolor sketching club.

My first sketch is for one of Carl’s prompts last year. It took me three days and many failed attempts to complete this piece, using just a pen and a swab. This happy accident became the unexpected start of my art journey.

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Rewarding year

It’s been a truly wonderful and rewarding year. It opens a whole new word of watercolor and so much more.

Over the past year of sketching:

1. I’ve discovered small beauties I’d never noticed before.

2. I’ve connected with incredibly talented and supportive Substackers.

3. I’ve learned to see deeper connections — between people and nature, within nature itself, and among people — through color.

4. Sketching has become part of my daily rhythm, bringing a sense of peace and joy.

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Learning by Doing

As someone who learns best by doing, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of art through hands-on experimentation.

1. interpretation – At first, I focused on copying every detail I saw, which often led to cluttered pieces lacking clarity. Now, I’ve learned to form my own interpretation.

2. Simplification – I’ve since learned to capture the essence of a subject, leaving out what isn’t essential.

3. Creation – I now use color more intentionally—not just to reflect what I see, but to express how I feel. Leaves don’t have to be green; they can be burnt orange if that’s what I want to convey.

I’ve completed almost all of Carl’s sketch club prompts this past year - they’ve been incredibly helpful. To celebrate my first year on this journey, I’ve revisited and repainted some of those prompts this week.

My works - last year (left) vs. this week (right)

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