Written by When thinking of a prompt of the “best time of day” I immediately thought of a coffee break. I have these a few times a day and then the last one in the evening is a bit of espresso, signaling the very end of the day. That’s what I chose to sketch because no matter how much I failed to accomplish, the end of the day marks a moment of pure relaxation. And, better yet, the promise of an entirely new day where I can see just how much I can get done. This entire week has been a bit crazy as our only car has been in the shop the entire time. Rather than get a rental car like most sane people, we’ve adopted a new lifestyle of living without. So, I’ve walked to work all this week and grabbed rides home from coworkers and Philippe has taken the bus. Tonight, we were out of wine so we walked to the wine shop to get some. This all took a bit of extra time that a car would certainly expedite, but in my head, I couldn’t help but compare it to a coffee break. For a blissful moment through all that charging forth to get things done, I paused and did something that moved none of those things forward. It was cathartic and I loved it. And when I came back to those things, I was energized and excited to do them. There’s much to be said for taking a little break in during the day.
All throughout my career, I’ve always struggled with my attention span. It’s really short. Like totally crazy, I don’t know what we’re talking about anymore after this lovely 30 minutes of conversation short. It’s always been an added challenge for me throughout my life. What I’ve done to combat it is to take frequent breaks during the day. Thankfully, I’ve always been in creative jobs where something like this isn’t usually questioned. I just need a few moments to redirect my mind and then I can focus again properly. Sketching with watercolor has been incredible because I’ve been able to spend even more than 30 minutes, though usually much less than an hour, making something each and every day! People often talk about needing their caffeine to function properly. Though I adore my coffee, I truly think that I really just need my sketching break! It’s an adrenaline boost that no lovely cappuccino or espresso could dare compete. And though today, I was exhausted and feeling a bit uninspired when I started, I was rejuvenated by the time my sketch was complete. This is the exact reason I hold monthly challenges and get nearly crazy with excitement in encouraging others to form a sketchbook habit!
Sometimes, during the day at work, I grab my coffee quickly and finish my little break by sketching a bit. Yes, despite posting my finished sketch each and every day for almost 4 years, I still, on still rare occasions, manage to sketch things that I don’t post here. Stranger still perhaps, this only happened recently. When the euphoric feeling of drawing truly took hold. When I started, I would simply focus on making my answer for the prompt each day. Today, I can’t seem to stop sketching in every little moment I find. My earlier sketchbooks are quite linear, with exactly what you find posted here. My latest sketchbooks are filled with scribbles and doodles that never make it to a main stage post. I’m sure this is normal for those who do art full-time, but since I’m just a casual artist doing things frantically on the side it feels amazing. Sketching has officially become my new coffee break and I’m thrilled to do it each and every time. In this doodlewash, I added a cube of sugar to my espresso that I don’t ever use in real life. But in my artistic life, my sketchbook habit has become my cube of sugar and energizes me each time I enjoy that little break during the day.
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About the DoodlewashDa Vinci Paint Co.: Nickel Azo Yellow, Terra Cotta, and Cobalt Blue. (My “Shiny” Trio! Click Here To Purchase It!) + Cobalt Turquoise. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with black 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! |
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I’d love to come over and share a coffee break with you and Philippe, and we can share daydreaming distractions and the travails of short attention spans. All my elementary teachers used to say the same thing to me: Sharon, stop daydreaming and pay attention. That’s not the way to teach.
Thanks so much, Sharon! 😃💕You’re welcome any time to come join us for a coffee break! Yeah, I think telling anyone to stop dreaming is always a bit of wrong move. 😉
I love your espresso painting and I love your new Blue Glasses!!! So cool to see them. Now that I’m retired (more or less) I do art of some kind for a good portion of the day, and often have to take breaks from it. I find myself getting too fussy, trying to find some inconceivable something. Taking a break helps me reset and get back to what I was originally trying to do.
Thanks, Sandra! 😃💕 hehe… after all this time it was time to update to a current profile pic! lol Four years older, definitely wiser, and still a big kid in blue glasses! lol Yeah, I think the breaks are the best when it comes to art, but then again, the break is all I ever DO! Even then… I have to take an additional break every now and then to get out of my own head and play!
I’ll settle for sketching and double expresso, black, no sugar! Love your new look in the blue glasses!
Thanks so much, Sharon! 😃💕 hehe… yay to a double espresso no sugar! I love them as well! And glad you liked the updated look!
I have a fancy coffee every morning when I get up. If I skip it, I get a pounding headache. Unfortunately I’ve been going to the Dr. three days a week this week and next, so I have to skip the coffee. By the time I get home I have a headache and a case of the meanies until I whip up my drink. All this medical stuff will be done in a few weeks and I can go back to my boring life where my favorite time of days is summer morning dew.
Yay for getting all that behind you, Lisa! 😃💕 It will be a triumphant return to your “boring” life to be sure! Which, of course, is actually thrilling and awesome!
I love the colors on the sketch! Taking breaks is so important! Using sketch time as a coffee break is a good idea. I will try that.
Thanks so much! 😃💕 And yay! Yeah, any break reserved for something else is usually always best served by sketching instead! 😉
Thank you for the wonderful story and sketch! And the new “look” is fantastic – love the glasses!
Thanks so much, Cathy! 😃💕 Glad you liked this story thrilled you like my new look!
Funny this came up. A few weeks ago while in the break room at work (I am never there long enough to take a break there.), I noticed all 4 people in there on their phones, no one talking to each other. It made me think of the days when I had a “real” job and we would take our breaks together and visit. This was when you really got to know your co-workers and become friends. I have lifelong friends from these breaks. So sad, these days. Love your cup of jo!
Oh wow… that is truly sad! Yeah, I loved the days of the “real” job before smartphones took over! 😃💕 Thankfully my coworkers and I still take a phone-free coffee break… or mostly… of course if something comes up in conversation, we may still have to google it! lol
Almost didn’t recognize you with the new glasses but that smile gives you away. I love my coffee breaks during the day. Being that I’m retired I can have them any time and that can be a problem because I’m probably drinking way too much coffee.
Glad you recognized me, Carol! hehe 😃💕 I actually wear glass most of the time since I no longer bother with contacts, so it was time to update my photo to match! hehe I think I will definitely drink too much coffee when I retire! lol
I, too, love your glasses, Charlie! You and Al Roker got some style!! 👍😀
Gotta have that cup of something in the morning. Mine has been hot chocolate for the last 15 years. Time to move on….. Love your painting! You have a way with colors!
Thanks so much, Linda! 😃💕 Glad you enjoy my colors! I love coloring!! I had no idea that Al Roker would reveal his new glasses at the same time. lol His are a bit more grown up and sophisticated… so I love mine more! 😉
Awesome glasses an the colour perfect. Your new look is terrific . An today’s sketch goes wonderful with your story. We all seem to be drawn to some sort of coffee fix an its a short fix. But taking a drawing/sketching break makes me feel more satisfied an refreshed. Now that the better weather is almost here, outdoor sketching of anything certainly fills my need for a couple cups of coffee. Given up morning coffee/tea for a cup of hot water, know it sounds boring but its healthier. What more can I ask for.
Thanks so much, Joan! 😃💕 Glad you like the new look! Yeah, I think we can sketch to fulfill just about any urge… hehe… it’s so satisfying!
Everyone have a happy✨weekend.😊😊💖
Breaks are definitely necessary…and I love those blue glasses!! (K)
Thanks so much, Kerfe! 😃💕 Glad you like the new glasses!
You made me smile.
And that makes me smile, Laura! 😃💕 So happy you enjoyed this!
I understand about the short attention span, that’s probably why we are such good friends, Charlie! 😊 Enjoyed your art and post today. ☕️ Happy Friday!
Thanks so much, Jill! 😃💕 This and SO many other reasons my friend! hehe! Someday we have to meet up and play together! It’s on my bucket list! 😉
Hey!..That’s a nice painting!….And yes, you look great in your blue glasses!!…Actually blue is my favorite color….what’s yours?
Thanks so much! Glad you liked the new glasses! 😃💕 I would have to say that blue is my favorite, but I love color so I pick the complementary pair of blue and orange.
Nice doodlewash…Your walk to office really reminds me that I need to do my morning walks regularly to control my blood sugar levels…I do enjoy my early morning walks but some times I break the routine and then it takes a while to return to something that I enjoy….
Thanks, Anita! 😃💕 Yes! We need to walk much more than we ever usually do… hehe… I’ve been reminded of that more than ever right now. But it’s so wonderful. A great way to clear the mind!
Charlie says, ” For a blissful moment through all that charging forth to get things done, I paused and did something that moved none of those things forward. It was cathartic and I loved it.”
this just reinforces the sure knowledge that you carry your light with you wherever you go, whatever you do and you have the good sense to pause and find it when you need its glow. way to go!
I the way the shadows play … especially in the spoon…I see it as another magical door/window reflecting a whole ‘nother world to explore.
Thanks so much, Sarah! 😃💕 Glad you liked this little sketch! And yeah, I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately… sometimes we rush forward to get things done we miss the things that will actually help us get those things done! hehe 😉
I am back. Home from a Florida vacation where I took lots of coffee breaks and sketching breaks at my favorite places. Some turned out to be all day breaks. Lol Sad to see so many people on the phone with little face to face communication.
A sketching break seems to be the perfect break. You have also painted the perfect cup of caffeine!
Thanks so much, June! 😃💕 Yeah, I know! It seems like in this interconnected world of social media, we’ve managed to actually get more disconnected during the day. Yay for the sketching break… a great chance to connect with the world and ourselves at least!