Want to Remember More? Draw.
THE BENEFITS OF DRAWING
I got into the habit of sketching daily scenes from the bus. It's a great way to warm up my drawing muscles and stay in shape every day (yes, drawing muscles are a thing! And they require continuous training).
“Sketching is also a way to preserve memories and everyday moments.”
Have you noticed that you memorize things better if you draw them? When I decide to give all of my attention and focus to draw something, it creates a deeper connection in my brain and longer lasting memories.
This effect has also been scientifically proven. In fact, when people draw certain items instead of writing them, they have a much higher chance of remembering them.
Even if you think you cannot draw, drawing as a process can increase your level of memorization - all you need are 4 seconds for a quick doodle.
“We believe that the benefit arises because drawing helps to create a more cohesive memory trace that better integrates visual, motor and semantic information.”
I've recently found my old sketchbook from a trip to Venice in 2011. It immediately sparked memories from that place and I could recall the exact place where I was standing while I was drawing many of the scenes.
The power of drawing in correlation to the mind is fascinating.
So where could you possibly find better models to draw than while commuting?
THE CHARM OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT - OR LACK OF IT
Public transport is a bit intimidating. You get to share your personal space with strangers, soak up all the smells that could be coming from grocery bags or strong perfume, and listen to a lot of conversations just because you forgot to take your earphones.
But sometimes, there are fun situations too.
Like a guy explaining to his friend how much he ADORES pudding with caramel.
Or a girl wearing fake flowers in her hair.
Or another girl telling her friend to move away because it's too hot.
#WIP - WORK IN PROGRESS
I am currently working on a lot of the sketches from the past year. This includes inking and vectorizing them.
Not to go too much into details now, I will show you the whole process in my next blog post.
Until then, here is a sneak peek into my work in progress.
