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I absolutely love this drawing exercise—it’s my favourite way to wake up my creativity and to shake things up a bit!

Just like this morning, I found myself slipping into my all-too-familiar perfectionist mode and being too precious about my work. Dealing with perfectionism is a constant task for me and a core theme in my work. This exercise feels like a permission slip to let go, get messy, and truly enjoy the process without overthinking the final result.

Why Drawing Exercises Can Benefit Your Practice

I have used variations of this exercise often, but today I chose to do twenty 30-second sketches in ten minutes.

This is quick-fire drawing on the clock and can be used to:

Warm-Up the Creative Juices: This exercise is the perfect way to transition from everyday life and ease into your creative space.
Ignite Creativity: When inspiration feels lacking, drawing exercises can spark your imagination and encourage creative breakthroughs.
Loosen Up Your Marks: If your work is feeling stiff or overly controlled, this is a great way to relax and inject fluidity, movement, and spontaneity into your strokes.
Break Free from Perfectionism: The time restriction keeps you from endlessly tweaking and trying to get it ‘just right’; it encourages you to embrace the messy and the imperfect.
Access Your Intuition: Working quickly means that there is no time for your crtical inner voice to kick in, leaving no room for doubt or second-guessing. Instead, you tap directly into your intuition, letting your instincts guide the process.
Find Your Unique Voice: Helps you uncover the recurring marks, shapes, and patterns that naturally emerge in your work, building the foundation of your visual vocabulary.
It’s pure fun! Sometimes, we just need to let go, play, and rediscover the joy in creating. Let your inner child take the reins and embrace carefree expression.

Grab your favourite drawing tools, find a cosy spot, and let’s dive in!

Step 1: Get Prepared

Materials Needed:

For this challenge, I used a pencil, coloured pencils, highlighter pens, felt-tip pens, and oil pastels. However, you can use any materials you are drawn to and love using. Often, I will choose one drawing tool, usually a pencil for me, and it works just as well.

The paper was from an old sketchbook that I cut into 4x6-inch single sheets. I prefer working on loose paper, but you could always do this in a sketchbook by drawing squares or rectangles before you start.

A clock is a must, as it gives the constraint to the exercise, and creativity loves constraints. I used an old-fashioned clock with a second hand that I can see moving round. I keep an eye on the clock to see when my time is up for each drawing. I am sure there are other ways, like a sand timer or digital methods, that you could use.

Setting Up Your Space:

Choose a space where you can comfortably lay out your materials—I usually use my art table in the studio. In the past, I’ve worked on my bed, the floor, or even while sitting on the sofa. Whatever space feels right for you, go for it!

Once I’ve chosen my spot, I set up everything within arm’s reach to avoid breaking the flow by searching for materials mid-exercise.

To boost the energy and create a sense of urgency, I often play some upbeat music in the background—it adds a fun rhythm to the process and keeps me motivated!

Before I begin, I like to take a minute or two to settle in and centre myself. This helps me shift into the present moment and release any mental chatter.

Step 2: The Drawing Exercise

Ready to dive in? Let’s do 20 x 30-second sketches in 10 minutes! Here’s how I approach it:

Start with the Clock: Wait until the second hand hits 12, and then begin your exercise!
Choose Intuitively: Pick up a tool and draw your first line instinctively. Let each subsequent mark respond to what you’ve already laid down. Keep going until the 30 seconds are up!
Keep the Momentum: When the 30 seconds end, set your paper aside, grab a fresh one, and start again.
Embrace Imperfection: Resist the temptation to pause and refine or 'perfect' your sketch before moving on to the next drawing. Let the process flow naturally without overthinking.
Complete 20 Drawings: Once you’ve created 20 drawings, stop!

Remember: It’s not about perfection or whether you think the drawings are “good” or “bad.” The magic lies in the process itself—so enjoy it!

Step 3: Reflection On Your Work

Once the 10 minutes are up, I like to tape all the drawings onto a wall to get an overview of everything I’ve created. I often find myself drawn to pieces from later in the exercise, as my confidence in my mark-making and compositions has developed over time.

It’s a great opportunity to notice recurring themes, shapes, and patterns that naturally emerge, contributing to your unique visual language.

From there, you can decide how to move forward. These ideas might spark your creativity to:

Develop a new body of work or collection inspired by these pieces.
Recreate your mini drawings as larger, more expansive artworks.
Integrate specific shapes, lines, or patterns into future projects.
Use the compositions as a foundation for new creations.
Design a fresh colour palette inspired by these works.
Transform them into unique collage materials.

There are endless possibilities!

How I Landed A Licensing Commission Using This Method

Abstract Floral ideas for Thought Clothing

Here’s an example of how I used this technique to generate ideas for a licensing commission I worked on a few years ago. The project was for an ethical clothing brand called Thought Clothing, and they commissioned me to create 10 A3 paintings for their packaging.

The brief was focused on abstract florals or landscapes, so I turned to this technique to spark ideas. I challenged myself to create as many sketches as possible within an hour, allowing just 2 minutes per drawing.

These are the initial rough sketches I submitted to the company. From this batch, they selected 10 designs they loved. I then developed those into coloured roughs, which, once approved, became the final paintings.

This method was instrumental in quickly exploring ideas and arriving at designs that aligned with the client’s brief.

Abstract Landscape ideas for Thought Clothing

Now it’s your turn!

I hope you dive into this exercise and experience the fun it brings—how the rapid drawing unlocks freedom of expression and taps into your intuition to spark a wealth of ideas.

And always remember: Creativity is your superpower!

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