How I Started Drawing Again After Years (and What I Discovered About Digital Art)
For as long as I can remember, drawing has always been a part of me. When I was little, I’d wake up on weekends, grab my crayons and a sketchpad, and lie on the living room floor right in front of the TV. While watching Baywatch, I’d get lost drawing whatever came to mind. It’s one of my happiest, most vivid memories.
✏️ Drawing actually helped me focus (even if nobody understood why)
At school, I’d sketch anything while listening to class—something mentioned by the teacher, something I saw. Strangely enough, it didn’t distract me at all. On the contrary: it helped me remember everything better. In the afternoons, when I talked to friends on the phone, I’d keep drawing: phones, TVs, anything nearby, right into the family phone book.
Art class was always my safe space. My mom signed me up for painting courses, even in local museums. But over time, life happened: parties, university, work… and art slowly faded into the background.
⏳ Ten years without drawing (and an unexpected comeback)
Between studies, moving countries, more studies, and demanding jobs, nearly ten years passed without drawing a single line that wasn’t part of a letter or a number. Until one day, in yet another new country, with an old iPad I still keep, I decided to try again.
I downloaded a drawing app and made my first lines. They were terrible. Like scribbles from a four-year-old. So I gave up.
But curiosity won in the end. Months later, I tried again and decided to complete a portrait. It turned out pretty bad… but better than before. I felt a spark and kept going.
🖼 Drawing again reminded me who I was
Little by little, I started drawing portraits of my niece, caricatures in my own style without copying anyone. It took forever, I erased and redrew so many times… but with every drawing, I got a bit better and a bit faster. It made me proud, especially during a time in my life when I felt lost.
The first illustration that felt decent, at the moment.
An illustration of a picture that has always existed at my home, of me and my mom
After a trip to Brazil, I wanted to try something new: painting a typical Venezuelan beach. It took me over five months—drawing when I could, stepping away, coming back. At first, it felt frustrating. But slowly, I noticed my own progress. And when the drawing began to take shape, I was amazed by what I was creating and by the possibilities of digital art.
The first beach I made, which is still my favorite one
🌊 Why I fell in love with digital illustration
What fascinates me most about digital art is that you can draw anywhere: in a waiting room, between meetings, on the couch at home. All you need is an iPad and an Apple Pencil.
No paints, no physical brushes. You can create any color, any texture, simulate different techniques… it’s so practical and, above all, so relaxing.
These days, I try to dedicate at least three hours a week. Each piece takes me at least a week (if I’m very focused) or about a month on average. Even though I still draw pretty “organically” (no copy-pasting or shortcuts), I’ve learned tricks that help me work more efficiently.
🌿 Beaches and beyond
I keep painting beaches because I feel like I’ll never get tired of them. But I’m also drawn to everyday scenes around me: buses, little shops, street signs… those simple things that tell stories.
My first horizontal panoramic - Cayo de Agua, a paradisiac beach in Los Roques, Venezuela
There’s something magical about starting a drawing on my old 2017 iPad and then seeing it printed large, decorating a living room or a special corner of someone’s home. Knowing I put hours of work, memories, and a bit of nostalgia into it. Because in every line, I leave a piece of my soul.
✨ Starting to draw again didn’t just bring back a hobby; it brought back a part of who I am.
And if you’ve left behind something you loved… maybe this is your sign to pick it up again.