Connecting The Dots

For our prompt of “Dalmatian” today, I made a sketch of a little Dalmatian puppy. I adore dogs, and though I’ve sketched several kinds over the years, I’ve never before sketched this particular breed. As a kid, I loved the original Disney animated movie 101 Dalmatians. Any movie with that many puppies is definitely one that’s going to make me smile. And since that time, I’ve always had a dog in my life, even though Elliott was the first time I’ve ever attempted to raise a puppy. Also, I love the line from the 101 Dalmatians book, upon which the movie was based, that described the human couple: “Like many other much-loved humans, they believed that they owned their dogs, instead of realizing that their dogs owned them.” I’ve definitely felt that all of the dogs that I’ve had over the years thought I was their pet. You can see in each dog’s eyes that they’re thinking, “You’re cute, but just a bit slow sometimes when it comes to simple commands,” while waiting for whatever was wanted in that moment. Waiting is not really something that dogs enjoy.

Our own pup Elliott is a mix of 14 different breeds, but Dalmatian didn’t make the cut. Though, he’s definitely not a fan of waiting for anything. Each time I even use the word “wait,” his expression moves through a serious of complex emotions ranging from doubt, to disappointment, and ending in a sort of irritable indignation. The very idea that I won’t give him what he immediately wants is a complete mystery to him. The flash of initial disappointment is more about his dismay for my obviously limited understanding of how the world should work. Indeed, it’s equally difficult to disagree with him sometimes. After all, how many times in life have I enjoyed the intoxicating effects of immediate gratification? Do I really need more art supplies? Probably, not. But if life were only made up of the things that we actually needed in order to survive it, then that life would be exceedingly dull. Over the years, I’ve learned that I don’t really like waiting either.

Each day, Elliott wakes up with a brand new burst of energy and enthusiasm, even though it’s always basically the same routine. It’s a fabulous reminder that life isn’t exciting because of all the new things that happen. It’s exciting to simply be alive. And, since it’s impossible to repeat each day in precisely the same way, even little routines are filled with little surprises. This doesn’t mean that I still don’t want exciting new things to happen in my own life. I still have a long list of dreams, and I’m still “waiting” for many of them to come true. Unlike Elliott, I don’t actually have anyone telling me I need to wait. So, in many cases it’s just a bit of procrastination. I’m currently working on a project I’ve been thinking about for years now, and realizing that it’s incredibly challenging. So, I’m taking it slowly and figuring out what I can as I go along. Slowly, my progress is inching forward, but like a dog, I’m also feeling a bit restless in the process. Yet, this time, I’ve decided to take a bit more of a methodical approach, so there’s plenty of time to spend, connecting the dots.

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Charlie O'Shields

Creator of Doodlewash, founder of World Watercolor Month (July), World Watercolor Group, and host of the Sketching Stuff Podcast. Sharing watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world!

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