Playing is Part of the Process

Posted on by Libby Saylor

I’m a super playful person…a goof…and am most often considered the whackiest among my friend group. And yet, I still struggle to recognize the importance of play when it comes to creativity, and even down time. For me, I have a really easy time getting playful when I’m in the company of others. But when I’m alone, I tend to take myself, my life, my thoughts, and my actions pretty darn seriously. And I do believe when I can incorporate more play into my alone time, and specifically into my creative time, I am SO much more productive. Honestly, it’s when many miracles take place.

woman blowing bubbles in a field of grass

Photo by Kamil Feczko on Unsplash

Play Before Work

I recently incorporated using a sketch book into my creative process, and I’m still trying to understand the reasons why. Initially, I saw a few artists on Instagram, whom I admire very much, using sketch books. But I could never figure out why they would waste all of the beautiful art they were making on sketches when they could just be making the real thing? However, upon closer inspection, I realized the difference between their sketch work and their serious work. And the serious work is incredibly elevated in comparison to their sketches. I think their sketches are just so good, because they are operating on such a high level, that I mistook those sketches for the real deal upon first glance. I have also found that sometimes BRILLIANT work can come out of a sketch book practice. Because play is magical. It’s where the innovation, the fearlessness, and all the discovery takes place. And it’s ESSENTIAL to productivity, as well as growth and happiness.

Also, ummmm, it’s fun!

Backyard by Terry Ekasala, oil on linen, 60" x 49" 2023

Backyard by Terry Ekasala, oil on linen, 60″ x 49″ 2023. This is an abstract artist whom I greatly admire and who uses a small sketch book to play before working on her larger paintings.

Getting The Gunk Out

I think “Getting The Gunk Out” should be my alias or something, since I use this phrase in almost every blog post! Just call me GTGO from now on. But I use it because it’s so relevant to everything I do.

I have found that when I use a sketch book to play before getting down to serious creative work, the sketching acts as a vehicle to get the gunk out. It’s similar to when I first sit down to meditate. The first few minutes are mostly me just managing my spinning mind. I don’t force my mind to stop spinning in those first few minutes, just like I don’t try to meditate perfectly as soon as I sit down. Instead, I know that of course my mind is spinning after running all day without stopping. Therefore, of course my mind is going to take at least a few minutes to just chill out. I like to give myself that, and I think it’s okay. Then, at a certain point, my mind calms and I can be a bit more thoughtful about my breathing and my overall meditative thought process.

The same process is true for creativity. I have too much gunk in the surface of my mind, and soul, and heart when I first sit down to create. I need to sketch a bit in order to get some of that gunk out. And some of it is true gunk, like nothing I would ever want to show as a finished piece. That’s okay! Then, after the gunk is out, I find that my focus is much more thoughtful and intense, and some amazing work has come out of my post-sketch book practice. It’s truly miraculous!

collage in a sketch book

A recent collage I made while playing in my sketch book.

Various Versions of a Sketch Book

I think this sketch book practice can come in all kinds of shapes and colors and sizes. Not everyone is a visual artist, but I think this idea is applicable in so many ways.

  • Journaling or free-writing before an intense writing sesh
  • Playing silly songs or just making noises with your voice or instrument before performing
  • Warming up your body before engaging in a competitive sporting event
  • Talking out loud to yourself before giving a speech
  • My roommate in art college used to make beautiful designs out of trash on the floor, and I think that’s an amazing way to get some of the gunk out before doing serious work

The possibilities are endless and I’m sure I’m missing a ton of other versions of sketch book practices, but you get the idea.

What is Your Version of a Sketch Book?

I’d love to hear from you on this one. I think we all have ways we warm ourselves up for the things we care about. However, I know that I really wasn’t doing enough of that in my creative process. I was treating it all so preciously. But letting go of a bit of the preciousness makes so much room for so many new things. So, do you have a “sketch book” practice in your life? If so, I’d love to hear about it. And if not, would you consider starting one in your field of choice?

Until next time, this is GTGO signing off! 🙂

xo

Libby

Bubbles in the air

Photo by Alfred Kenneally on Unsplash

32 thoughts on “Playing is Part of the Process”

  1. Years ago I heard my wife talk about the importance of play for kids in her classroom. It hit me how valuable it was to my own creativity. Years ago it was still surprising for me to see how getting on the ground and playing legos with my kids helped me immensely with a presentation I was working on that touched on collaboration and working together. Play let’s us put our guard down and let’s our brains relax and dream. Love the post, so important for people to remember!

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  2. Growing up, and even as an adult, the expectation seemed/seems to be to get your work done and play afterwards. I never did well with that and still don’t. I’m much better when I play first. Then I can approach work in a better frame of mind and finish the job quicker and/or better.
    As far as a sketch book- as a musician, I would say certain ways of practicing sound like the equivalent of a sketch. Great post!

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  3. I LOVE your “GTGO” philosophy! And the idea that a ‘sketch book’ can take many forms…not just artistic…makes so much sense to me. And have you been peeking in my windows? I’m a big fan of talking to myself for ‘rev up’ moments. Thank you, Libby! 🥰

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  5. In her book “The Artist’s Way”, Julia Cameron recommends taking yourself out on a date. Do whatever makes you happy, but do it alone. It frees the mind time to wander around, and I have found that my solo adventures often result in unsticking a stuck blog. 😊

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  7. I journal sometimes, and it’s often rambling crapola, but it’s “getting the gunk out” and clearing the road for something better to arrive. I don’t do it as much as I would like to, so this is just the inspiration I needed. 😊

    Also, my boyfriend used to be an animation sketch artist and his favorite part of the process was the sketches, especially emulating other artists. Life drawings in the style of George Bridgman, capturing the leg of George Roussos’ wonder woman in one pen stroke, and getting the pressure right for Tim Burton art. I get the impression that by “copying” others, we can learn new techniques and then eventually refine our style and incorporate various new and exciting elements into our own works!

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  8. As one with goofy, super playful chromosomes in the depths of my gene pool, hear you loud and clear GTGO! 😊
    Although my sketching genes have mutated to stick figure status, I default to my camera to capture scenes to escape in musings to write about and reflect on.

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  9. I am definitely the free write person who simply opens a google doc blank page and starts cramming my wild thoughts onto the pretend paper page before ever writing a draft for HoTM. So many ideas just flow that way and then I can go back and pick, choose, delete and reformat to make some sense of it all, or trash the whole thing and start again.

    I am so grateful for technology now and the ability to try my words first. Plus I’m saving multitudes of trees as I remember the time before word processing and all the spiral notebooks filling up recycling bins… 🙂

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  10. This is so good. Especially, “Because play is magical. It’s where the innovation, the fearlessness, and all the discovery takes place. And it’s ESSENTIAL to productivity, as well as growth and happiness.”

    Love your versions of a sketch book for different practices. Maybe another example would be trying out recipes before serving it to others?

    Wonderful post, Libby!

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  11. Hey, thanks for reminding the importance of “play” in the creative process. I tend to forget it, make everything so serious and all. “Playing” is a capacity that we can lose very fast!

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  12. I like this idea. I’d say that my version of a sketch book is to cook/bake without much in the way of a recipe. I feel totally free and in the groove when I do that. It’s play, it’s science, it’s love, it’s delicious– unless of course it isn’t.

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