All of us must have dabbled in sketching at some point or the other in our lives. Be it on paper or the walls of our home, most of us would have enjoyed the experience, no matter what the end result looked like. The reason behind it is that it is a form of expression that helps us break free from the stereotypes of our daily lives, and communicate in a way which we otherwise don’t. There are naysayers who would view sketching as a waste of time in today’s fast moving world. But we would disagree because there are so many practical benefits of learning to sketch. Let’s take a look and see for ourselves.
Communication: as the famous adage goes, pictures speak a thousand words. We truly believe in this because pictures appeal to the senses in a more effective way than words. While learning to sketch, we also learn to communicate in different ways through our creations. The human brain is capable of a multitude of thoughts, emotions, and feelings, and there is no better way to communicate those than bringing them to life through our sketches. This holds true especially for introverts, children and people with disabilities who might have difficulty in conveying their exact feelings through words.
Problem solving skills: it might come as a surprise to many, but sketching also helps people hone their problem solving skills and improves their critical thinking capabilities. If you are to start with a blank sheet of paper, you will think about different ways to give expression to your thoughts before finally coming to a theme. This would later translate into you trying to approach problems from different angles, and thinking outside of the box to find that perfect solution.
Emotional health: Sketching is a great stress buster. With so many things happening in our day to day lives, it is the perfect outlet to vent it all through colors and shapes. It helps us find a form of momentary escape from our demanding lives, as well as our computers and smartphones. It is in fact the perfect opportunity to get up close and personal with our true selves, something we rarely get the chance to do these days. What more, sketching also contributes greatly towards improving our outlook towards life and helps encourage positivity.
Cerebral skills: We rarely get the opportunity to exercise the right side of our brain, which controls our creative side. Sketching gives us the wonderful opportunity to develop this part of the brain. Additionally, it improves our concentration skills besides helping our brain relax at the same time.
Other than the benefits above, learning how to sketch would also give you a great opportunity to showcase your skills to your family and friends. However, the most important aspect of acquiring this skill is that it helps you acquaint yourself with your innermost emotions and thoughts.
No wonder Karl Lagerfield once said, “I never look at my watch when I'm sketching!”