Practising Until It Feels Natural
written by Joe
I once spent an entire flight drawing little people on my phone — figure after figure, box after box. It felt a bit ridiculous, but I knew I needed to improve. Not just to draw faster, but to build confidence and maybe start developing a style of my own. What surprised me was how quickly it worked. After 100 sketches, your hand just knows. You’re not thinking about how to draw anymore — you’re thinking about what you’re trying to say.
That practice changed the way I approach drawing in design. Sketching people isn’t just about filling space — it’s about showing how a place feels. Once you get past the mechanics, you can capture atmosphere, movement, and meaning. It becomes a way to communicate ideas more clearly and show how people will actually experience a space.
It also reminded me that you can learn to draw anything. All it takes is time, repetition, and a bit of patience. I’m still practising, still learning — but that flight proved that even the smallest exercises can shape the way we think, work, and tell stories.
