Embracing the "Ugly" Sketchbook by Nandita Kamalakannan

 Embracing the "Ugly" Sketchbook by Nandita Kamalakannan

Have you ever bought a brand-new sketchbook, opened to that crisp, white first page, and

suddenly felt completely paralyzed? Same. There’s this heavy pressure to make every single

page a masterpiece. But lately, I’ve been realizing something important: trying to be perfect is

actually ruining the fun of making art.

If you scroll through TikTok or Instagram, it’s easy to get discouraged. Every artist seems to

have a flawlessly curated sketchbook. Even their "quick doodles" look like they belong in a

museum. But what they don't show you are the hundreds of failed sketches, the weirdly

proportioned hands, or the markers that bled through the page. Social media has a habit of

making us compare our messy behind-the-scenes to everyone else's highlight reel.

That’s why I’ve started a new rule for myself: I keep an "ugly" sketchbook.

An ugly sketchbook is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a completely judgment-free zone where

the only goal is to just put pen to paper. There are no rules and absolutely zero expectations.

Want to draw a neon green dog with six legs? Do it. Want to scribble aggressively with charcoal

because you had a stressful day at school? Go for it. Tape in wrappers, test weird color

combinations, or write down your thoughts.

Art shouldn't just be about creating a pretty final product that gets a bunch of likes online. It’s

supposed to be an outlet. It’s a way to process how we feel, experiment with new ideas, and

sometimes just zone out while listening to music. When we let go of the need for everything to

look aesthetically pleasing, we actually give ourselves the freedom to improve and find our own

unique style.

So, if you’re hoarding a blank sketchbook because you’re afraid to ruin it, I challenge you to

grab a cheap pen and mess up that first page on purpose. Draw a crooked smiley face or spill

some water on it. Break the curse of the perfect blank page. I promise, the art you make after that

will be so much more authentic—and a whole lot more fun to create.