What I've Learnt From Drawing in my Sketchbook Everyday in May (so far)

At the start of May, I set myself a little challenge: to fill one sketchbook page every day. I called it A Page a Day in May, and it has ended up turning into so much more than just a daily creative exercise - it has truly been a reminder of why I started drawing in the first place.

For a long time, I have struggled to keep a sketchbook. I have always felt this pressure for every page to be perfect, polished and worthy of sharing. This ended up with my sketchbooks being abandoned after just a few pages because I would end up getting frustrated, being stuck in a loop of overthinking and self-critique. And since launching Indi Arden a few years ago, I have found myself prioritising drawing for products instead of just drawing for myself. Everything felt like it needed a purpose- and sometimes that takes the fun out of it.

But this challenge has changed things for me.

By giving myself the space to just create every day - without any expectation - I found that I was able to be much more freer with my pen. Some days I created full, colourful scenes. Other days, I just doodled shapes or experimented with colour palettes. I stopped worrying about the outcome and instead started focusing more on the process.

I let go of perfectionism and embraced the fun side of drawing. And along the way I have managed to fill up a huge chunk of sketchbook with random shapes, quotes, prints and colours that have excited me.

It almost felt like I was reconnecting with my inner child again - a version of myself who used to draw just because it felt good. I remembered how art could be an outlet, not just a means to an end. And in that looseness and freedom, I also found inspiration again!

The best part?

Some of these spontaneous doodles have already sparked ideas for future products. I now have pages filled with colour combinations I want to use, small designs to turn into stickers and themes that I would love to explore in future collections.

This challenge has reminded me that drawing for just the joy of it is not only nourishing for my creativity - but it is also where some of the best ideas are born. It has helped me to see that my sketchbook is a place of experimentation and not just a portfolio.

So what is next after May?

I want to keep this momentum going. Moving forward I am going to challenge myself to draw even more! Whether it's just a quick scribble or a quick idea, I want to jot it down, because when I nurture my creativity and freedom I know that fun new things will follow. I also want to continue sharing these pages more openly, and not just the polished end results, but the messy middle too.

It's all part of the journey!

So thank you for following along for A Page A Day in May. If you have ever felt intimidated by a blank page, maybe try your own version of this challenge. Give yourself permission to just draw - no rules and no pressure. Here's to more messy, playful pages ahead!