Inside A Little Bubble

Today, I was running out of time, and still far behind on all of the things on my list so I opted to just take a break and play a bit with a quick sketch while trying something a little different. That’s why we have a loosely sketched fish inside some sort of blue bubble. I have to admit that being a bit of an introvert, I can definitely relate the joy of being in one’s own bubble. I happily hop outside of it and enjoy time with others, but I soon find myself a bit exhausted and need a moment to recharge. It made me wonder if fish ever face the same problems. Since they often swim in schools of several of them at a time, one might assume they never really need a bit of down time. I remember seeing an article in the New York Times a few years ago that said around 20% of the animal kingdom is a bit more watchful and tends to stay on the sidelines, also called “sitters.” I can’t remember the specifics about fish, but it seemed the sitters there were hard to catch which ended up being a lovely survival mechanism. Once caught, though, they were slow to adapt, so everything sort of balances itself out in the end.

I have to admit, my approach to art is a bit odd in that I simply make something and then ramble on about what comes to mind after that. It’s an internal dialogue that I share freely here, because I myself have often wondered what artists were thinking when they made something. It’s fascinating to me to look at a piece of art and imagine what was going on in the artist’s mind at the time or just after the piece was completed. That story that must surely be there. Granted, my quick little daily offerings aren’t gallery material, but they come with a bonus that gallery paintings don’t usually offer. You don’t have to guess what the heck was going on in my head because I happily share it with you here. For better or for worse, today, I was thinking of the social nature of fish. Which indeed sounds lofty and almost artsy, but in truth, I was just thinking whether or not this particular fish, I’ve named Michael, could indeed be an introvert like myself. The answer, is the best thing about art. It’s whatever I choose to make it.

There’s a power in creating things that weren’t there just moments ago. Each time we take that moment to sketch and/or paint, we make something rather incredible happen. Results indeed may vary, but the very act of image making is as age-old as prehistoric cave paintings. Each line and stroke of the brush communicates a story of some kind. It may or may not be translated as exactly what was going on in the artist’s mind, but a story is created each time. What I share here is only my own story of what my own image revealed to me. And what I adore is that so many of you share your own stories and memories as well. In the end, I think that’s what I hope to achieve with my art. No grand statement from yours truly, but simply an invite to remember something that’s personal to you and your own life experiences. In the end, whether or not we are introverts or extroverts, doesn’t really matter. All humans and even the animal population as it turns out, experience life in their own unique way, inside a little bubble.

About the Doodlewash Da Vinci Paint Co.: Benzimida Orange, Nickel Azo Yellow, Quinacridone Red, and Phthalo Blue. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with sepia ink in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. Want to purchase a print of this doodlewash? Send me a note with a link to this post, and I’ll add it to my shop!

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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