When I finally sign my name on a painting, that’s when it is definitely done.

Getting something like this “done” in roughly 8 days feels amazing. Glad I kept going.

The work reminds me of a dream state. I see things like this when falling asleep or just waking up. It represents an in-between universe, like the a brain’s junk drawer of light and movement.

Storytelling Workshop Done

Built a storytelling workshop and shared it this week at a local UX & Product networking group. The energy from everyone was great.

Ended up doing a lot of research on storytelling and writing. Focused on “clear thinking” and frameworks.

Here were some of the slides:

Then, just a glimpse at the prep and event:

Pretty fun week overall.

There were some major ups and downs, which led to no updates, but I dragged myself through the mud to the finish line.

Remember

Always “unsubscribe” from worry and fear. It will get you nowhere.

Thanks for everything.

You’re super valuable.

See you soon.

Took some close-up photos of a bigger drawing. Printed 20 of these and worked with my daughter to select a few.

Over the weekend, used those images to set an initial drawing and underpainting on the other canvases.

Then, continuing to figure out the initial painting. (Takes a while… and I keep turning it to make it easier to reach areas.)

That’s about it. Again, just trying to share daily-ish updates. Aiming for 30 days. Hope this finds you well.

Paul

Reference

Decided it would be good to reference parts from an existing drawing. I didn’t want to overwhelm myself by overthinking the subject, but just make existing things come to life.

I took a few photos and printed them out:

Just looking at my old drawings, there’s loads of content to move to paint:

Painting Process

Started by drawing the concept out with charcoal:

Then, layered on an underpainting in red. This mixes with the charcoal and produces some depth:

Roughed out some color overlays. Spilled coffee. Started to question if this was a good idea:

Added some lines to build it out. Then, it felt worthwhile and made more sense:

That’s where I have paused.

Listening

1 - Storytelling

I have a “storytelling workshop” to lead next week and figuring out what to share. While painting, I have been listening to lots of videos on Storytelling.

What that turned into is binge watching David Perell’s “How I Write” channel. Never heard it before and have love it.

This interview with Mark Forsyth was fantastic.

This is like painting in a room with smart people talking about smart things.

2 - I Am Rey

Found this creator’s channel on TikTok and decided to see if there was more on YouTube. If you can handle the way he talks, the content is superb.

I laminated and stuck these notes up on the wall. Then, looked at the canvas painting and realized it was dated 2015. That’s a decade ago. It taunts me.

Looking back at some old photos, seems like it began in 2013. What? Well, paintings have always taken a while to finish. They are challenging. For this one, I even used photos to figure out possible color schemes.

More recently, I did finish this wild one. I let it be about light, disruption, melting and liquid energy. This thing I stewarded for years, but finally called it done in 2023.

What is important?

Looking back at my old notes, there have been so many scribbles about my old jobs. All of it seemed important. None of it was.

All these sketches have been fleeting. Technology moves on. I’ve been through 4 layoffs now. The thing that remains consistent is the call from deep within to “go for it.”

Out of anyone in the world, I’m the only one with my assignment. I’m the only one that has “whatever creative” locked up inside of me that has not seen the light of day… and will never see itself come to life unless it is stewarded into existence.

Time to lean in. Lean into time?

Stretch

Collected my old handmade stretchers from the garage and attic. Cut canvas, stretched it and applied gesso to prep.

I’ve always imagined myself becoming an old artist that makes paintings.

I looked in the mirror today.

The time has come.

Looking back can be fun.

Looking back can be challenging.

Looking back can help you look forward.

Do you keep a binder or box of old notes? Tell me about it!

Headphones recommended. May not be good. On TikTok, it sorta loops. You should look there, if possible.

I found these videos from Alan Fisher on TikTok. He runs a channel called TheQuantumLounge on YouTube as well.

Maybe you’ll find this refreshing. I sorta compiled w/o permission, Alan. Assuming you’ll be fine with that, because… it doesn’t matter anyway.

Anyway, as a Creative Person, “FUD” can sit on my chest and make me want to lie down. So, if there’s any creative task that I want to do for myself, it can be a workout to get through it. I’ve been fighting this since a kid. Nothing new.

That’s why I love spending time encouraging myself. Even when there’s anxiety, I still feel a glowing shield all around me in the midst of it. To get over the anxiety, I just “unsubscribe” and lean into love, joy & hope.

What if all that “FUD” could be uprooted, unsubscribed, once an for all? What would you do?

From the video, I shared one of the digital card drawings. Ended up tracing it with ink… and laminated it.

Then, just showing off how I also laminate other things that inspire. Here are some notes from a School of the Possible breakout discussion that I made into a quick card.

Like any modern spoiled brat that needs to recall memories, I looked at my phone photos archive to figure out what was going on in early 2022. (You know, that’s the last time I updated this sketchbook.)

What I found was a photo of these papers stuck up in my office. Let’s call them the "Triptych of Encouragement,” but each one of the notes is ruthless.

#1 – Generator

This one is rough and says:

• Project-oriented idea generator

It assumes too much. Firstly, having a project assumes that I know what I’m doing. Picking up dog poop in the backyard could be the most “defined” project I put myself through.

Then, “Idea Generator”? This whole thing would be more realistic if it said, “Half-Backed Idea Abandoner.” That’s reality.

But, no, that’s not how we’re supposed to roll. In the Kingdom, we give ourselves a break and lean into hope. Not temporary hope, but hope that leaves a stain.

So, I wrote this and stuck it on the wall to challenge me.

It wags a finger at me and calls me to greater things. It says, “Focus, Bro. You got this, Bro.” but still leaves me in shock.

#2 - Independent Mission

This one is a bit more cryptic. It is a collection of a few sticky notes.

Little Notes

The first two say:

• Agree with God - What He says about you and your circumstances

• Righteousness - Says God is here, believes… say & believe

They’re both cryptic-ish, but I can interpret them. They’re about mindset. Mindset is the ever-revolving energy around us and we participate with the mind patterns we set and establish.

We need to see ourselves in light of Jesus. He first loved us and knows our deep/hidden value. We need to know it and align ourselves to that deep/hidden value… and walk it out. Then, speak it out. From the depths of our heart, we speak… so speak well.

Then, the next says:

• Independent Artist, Designer, UX-er

There’s a focus on being independent and then a cycle-through of roles.

Independent Note

Maybe “independent” means “calling my own shots,” but we’re never really independent. We’re always serving something. I just don’t want that service to be fear, pride, jealousy… or whatever other kind of poor spiritual mindset.

There’s a Greek term called “hupotassō” that would be worth breaking down at some point. In the simplest terms, it means that we are always under some kind of submission to authority.

I want to be independent, but under correct and/or trustworthy authority. If I was ever able to figure out how to be independently wealthy, a good path would still have me guided by God in service/benefit to others.

Then, artist, designer, ux-er speaks to how I’ve never been able to resolve myself as any one of these. (This is something I may need to figure out.) UX-er is the least vague.

KOG Note

KOG = Kingdom of God

Now, this whole idea of “Kingdom” is a big deal. I’ve been leading a weekly men’s group and discussing this topic for months. As Jesus People, we’re called “Ambassadors” of another kingdom. How are we actually walking that out?

Mission

Just being “on mission” changes how you wake up. It changes your “why” and “what” and how you make decisions. Being “on mission” should make you align to principles and figure out if decisions align.

#3 - Kreative

This one is hilarious. As a creative person, it is incredibly hard fighting against all the FUD Flesh that gets in the way.

FUD = Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt

Flesh = Everything in man that does not know God’s love

This is such a tough-love note to have on the wall, because it says, “Look, you have everything you need. You have the seal of approval and can go whenever/wherever you want.”

Just like a driver’s license means you are now free to roam around the USA in a car. A “Kreative License” means that I am free to make “all the things” and go, go, go.

I do need a car and gas and snacks, but you get the idea. Maybe the car/gas/snacks will be provided and all I need to do is start rolling? Honestly, that’s more true than anything.

Make a Thing

I decided to put this into one graphic to print and laminate. Some new elements in there.

Here’s an animation of the drawing coming together.

Then, here’s the final assembled image.

Then, laminated and posted.

OK. Keep Going!

In both the resumé and my digital portfolio, I used the same two themes: Visual Thinking and People. After the interview, I thought about how everything has been evolving since presenting my work two years ago.

I ended up creating a bigger “current state” graphic, adding a few more themes… including the idea of designers “dreaming out loud” and building a culture through transparency, strong customer-backed design rationale, and shared principles.

Here’s that sketchbook:

Anyway, to “keep going” this week, I created that graphic and a little video that goes along with it.

If you can handle a 9-minute ramble, here’s what I got:

Thanks and hope that you’re well out there.

– Paul

Here’s the video that captured a deliverance in San Antonio. I was caught in the middle of it, just helping to make sure the young guy didn’t spill over and hurt himself. After the dust settled, it turns out that he didn’t quite remember anything – he was completely unaware of what was happening. His siblings were in shock as well. Here was their typically quiet brother acting incredibly strange.

Daniel Adams, the founder of The Supernatural Life, was able to lead this family into freedom from this ancient witchcraft spirit. You can check out the video here on YouTube. (By the way, this whole situation seemed to “just happen” out of nowhere, but God had a plan. Thankfully, someone had the mindset to start recording.)

Something Extra

Since I saw this deliverance video from Torben Søndergaard of The Last Reformation, it seemed like something to work with as well. His entire ministry and life leaves me speechless.

In Closing

Wow. What’s up with all the deliverance stuff? Not sure, but it became a solid theme and a reason to draw this week. This stuff is strange, but impactful.

Thanks to my daughter and her friends of the super sweet cheering section!

See you next time!

As a creative person that’s juggling job and family, how do you maintain that sense of curiosity and making? Well, I think the secret is to keep going, don’t stop figuring it out and definitely don’t stop sharing work. Keep your studio doors open and make time to contemplate (and really know) what you’re doing and why.

There are so many things in life and ways that your mind can try to defeat you. I mean, has that ever happened to you? You want to continue, but it is like there’s another force that’s constantly setting you up for failure or trying to over-engineer what you’re trying to figure out.

When studying art in college, I learned from the painter Don Crow. I always remember painting in the studio and over-complicating the work. Hard to remember the moment, but he spoke something into me about keeping it simple and to be an artist, “you just need to figure out how to keep going.”

That’s over 20 years ago and the moment is still fresh. You see, artists should continue working, but we can stumble and fall into traps that keep us from moving forward. It could be self-doubt or navel gazing that stops us. Or, simply analysis paralysis.

As I have learned the craft of user experience design, I solve complicated problems for businesses and express the solution through the lens of empathy. Businesses can’t afford to fall into the trap of not knowing what to do. As a designer, I’ve learned to juggle and hustle, shifting gears between tactical and strategic thinking.

There’s a magic that artists can bring into businesses. We’re often able to connect dots that need to be connected, but are often skipped when chasing after revenue. Deep customer empathy and the ability to drive learning through actual feedback is where artists can thrive, but we need to be able to tell stories that matter to the business.

That’s a lot, but back to it.

As creative people, we have to keep going, day by day. It is the little interactions and methods that we leverage to continue, even when it feels like we’re stuck in the ditch. We have to figure out how to move forward with integrity and love.

As for me, I want to see so many things come to life. So many ideas and maybes! Eventually, everything can collapse in on itself and what happens? Nothing. Zilch. Now, that’s not how it is supposed to be. There should be at least trickle or glimmer shining through, right?

That’s what “Keep Going Sketchbook” is about – moving forward, delighting in fuzzy thinking, figuring out what needs to evolve from sketch-to-concept-to-life, and discovering the joy of continuing to make something new.

Maybe, just maybe, I can focus on keeping it light, singularly focused, staying in the “sketchbook delivery mode,” and making joyful things come alive. I’m so happy to share this with you!

I guess someone will want to come along for the journey.

There must be others out there that need a nudge or inspiration to keep going. So, don’t stop. Let’s go!

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