Copy Your Darlings
A hobby that genuinely relaxes me: copying drawings. No pressure, no high expectations, just lines.
When I was younger, it seemed like the wrong thing to do. As if I couldn't be a real artist because I liked it. In my mind, real artists only enjoyed the work they create for themselves, with personal ideas and imagination. Why would I waste my time doing something that wouldn't get me anywhere?
Now I understand the magic of it. I don't do it, and I've never done it with the aim of monetizing it in any way (the wonders of capitalism). I've never even done it with the desire to improve my skills. I just do it because it soothes me. By copying a drawing, I inadvertently observe the final piece in much more detail than I would just by looking at it. It makes me pay attention to the artist's choices and techniques with much more interest and love. I don’t have to create anything, I don’t have to overthink it.
No pressure, no high expectations, just lines. and appreciation.