Magic rabbits

And drawing the lines

I woke up thinking about imagination. We all have one. Imagination comes pre-installed in all humans along with the abilities of language and tool use. Imagination is so common that most people don't think they have one.

If you've ever stood in front of a refrigerator and looked at the various items in it while thinking “I could make this… or that… for lunch” you've just used your imagination.

If you've ever used a physical item in a way for which it was not originally intended then you used your imagination.

If you've ever had an upcoming 4 day weekend and thought “what if I went here or did that..?” you used your imagination.

Imagination is the ability to form mental images and project them into the future and think of action steps towards that idea. It's related to “if this then that” kinds of logic - but one that sees potential.

Creativity is the ability to use tools or language or your body within the physical world in order to bring the imagined concept into the tangible world so someone else can “see” what you have in mind.

In the real world the words “imagination” and “creativity” are often treated as interchangeable but the above is my distinction for the purposes of this post.

During breakfast over several different mornings this week I found a quote, wrote it in my sketchbook and illustrated it with tiki mask wearing animals. I chose the masks and animals as representative of the imagination going out into the world wearing a mask that gives imagination protection from harm as well as promoting peace and harmony.

During other mornings I drew a rabbit blowing bubbles and wrote another quote.

And that quote reminded me that imagination can be put to any purpose, one can imagine all sorts of horrors as easily as one can imagine all sorts of pleasing things.

As this illustration (below) from a book I did (link here) shows it depends on which wolf is chosen to be fed.

Our imaginations get fed with stories that we hear or read. Our imaginations get fed by the stories we tell ourselves. Our imaginations get fed by the things we repeat, by our choices with tools, language and what we do with our bodies.

Which is why learning and practicing a new tool/skill, expanding a vocabulary and moving a body regularly is so important… doing so can feed our imagination, our sense of possibilities. It helps us remember that it is humanly possible to create what we want to see more of in the world - we don't have to passively accept things as they are. While change may take time or have imperfections it is always possible. This, as things are, or… something else, perhaps better.

For me it's not about doing a creative skill, like drawing, perfectly from the start. The point is to have a regular practice of feeding my imagination fun things that make me smile, make me curious and get me moving.

On a slightly different topic, in the comments of my last post someone asked if I'd do a video showing how I use my ink and wash technique in my sketchbook. So here it is.

Here's an image of my 4 step ink wash process - this example is on smooth watercolor paper very like what is in my sketchbook.

My technique using gouache paint colors is very similar but everything starts by drawing lines with a watercolor pencil.

Here's one of my favorite books about drawing using imagination “Keys to Drawing with Imagination” by Bert Dodson (Link here)

I hope your weekend is full of imagination, creativity, rabbits, cats, good wolves and everything else that's pleasant, gentle and kind.

P.S. I probably don't need to mention it but since it's a thing now to tell people your A.I. policy: I refuse to use A.I. - all of my art is a 100 percent handmade organic free-range creation by a living human, aka me, and I will continue to hand make things as long as I have hands. I also typed every single word in this post with my fingers. Well okay, with one finger, so all the mistakes are mine all mine. If I could have handwritten a letter to each of you I'd have done that and avoided digital stuff completely. But as it is I do as much analog stuff in real life as I can humanly manage.

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