How to Build a Daily Drawing Habit: Tips for Artists

If you're an artist or someone who enjoys drawing, and is working on improving their drawing skills, one of the most frequent questions I get is how to do stay consistent and make drawing into a daily habit, especially as life gets busy.

This is something that I struggled with myself when I became a new mom! When life gets busy with lots on your to-do list, the irony is that you need a creative outlet even MORE but feel like you're pulled in too many directions. From my own experience, these are some of the strategies that I have found work best.

1. Start Small: Commit to Just 10-15 Minutes a Day

The key to building any new habit is starting small. When it comes to drawing, you don’t need to dedicate hours each day to see improvement. In fact, drawing for just 10-15 minutes daily can make a big difference in your skills and consistency.

2. Set a Specific Time Each Day

Creating a habit is all about consistency. One of the best ways to do this is by drawing at the same time every day. Whether you’re a morning person or night owl, pick a time that works best for you and stick to it. James Clear in Atomic Habits emphasizes the importance of stacking when building habits. Stack drawing on top of something you already plan to do, and it's stickier. He also suggests "environment design"—making your environment conducive to the habit you want to build. So, when you set a specific time each day to draw, you create an environment that supports this goal. By scheduling your drawing time, it becomes a part of your daily routine.

3. Keep It Fun and Low Pressure

It’s easy to get caught up in the idea of creating “perfect” art, but this will only create stress and kill your motivation. When you’re trying to build a habit, it’s important to keep things light and fun. The goal is progress, not perfection. This was a huge issue for me too since I struggle with wanting perfection, especially in my collage work! I would get frustrated by spending time if the final result didn't come out well. Instead, I had to learn that this is part of the process. I also recommend that if you use a sketchbook, the goal is not perfect drawings on each page. The explosion of content on the internet is both a blessing and a curse because it's so easy to compare yourself to others. Just focus on habit, not perfection.

4. Mix It Up: Explore Different Subjects and Techniques

Variety is key to keeping your daily drawing habit fresh and exciting. Instead of doing the same thing every day, challenge yourself to explore different subjects or drawing styles. Sometimes people struggle with not knowing what to draw. Just draw whatever is around you. Or follow along with what I'm drawing. Literally anything can make a good subject. Don't overthink this.

You can try drawing portraits one day, still life the next, and landscapes the following day. Experiment with different materials, like pencils, ink, charcoal, or digital tools if that interests you.

Building a daily drawing habit might take some time and effort, but with consistency and patience, you’ll begin to see the results.

In fact, adopting the mindset from book The Gap and The Gain—where you focus on measuring progress based on where you’ve come from, rather than where you think you should be—will help you stay motivated. Instead of feeling discouraged by how far you still have to go, celebrate the gains you’ve made along the way. This shift in perspective will help you appreciate the small victories and keep you on track to success.