I’ve always believed that painting and drawing are primarily about thinking first, then everything else. It strikes me every time how the simple act of drawing can lead us into deeper layers of thought.
Because there is thinking—and then there is thinking about thinking.
When we’re in the process of thinking, we reflect, brainstorm, make decisions, and solve problems. But thinking about thinking—or metacognition—is how we observe and analyze our own thought processes, recognize patterns, notice biases, and are able adjust our thinking strategies to come to new insights.
Drawing is a powerful practice in this process.
Each time I put pen to paper, I consciously try to notice the patterns in my thoughts and hand movements, and intentionally break them to keep room for exploration and a bit of challenge, no matter how small.
Recently, during my daily stretch routine, I had an epiphany: as I shifted from drawing straight lines to wavy ones, I could predict my hand’s movement before it even happened. I realized that even attempting to be unpredictable in my sketching process had become a pattern in itself.
This insight into the mind’s tendency to create patterns—even when trying to break them—has been such an eye-opening thought for me. And it will likely stay with me for a while.
I’m looking forward to exploring and writing more about it.