Vent: My five-year sketchbook saga with a backyard oak tree

Back in 2019, I began a sketchbook series focused on the ancient oak in my backyard, planning one drawing per season. My independent HVAC schedule often left me exhausted, so sketches would sit for MONTHS untouched. By last winter, I had a stack of incomplete pages that spanned years, each showing the tree in different states. The prolonged gaps between sittings forced me to OBSERVE gradual changes, like the spread of moss or the way light filtered through bare branches. Completing the final piece last week felt like a monumental relief, but it also made me appreciate the slow process. Has anyone else here endured a sketchbook project that stretched out far longer than intended?

3 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In

3 Comments

leec257mo ago

Actually that sounds like you missed the energy of working consistently.

6

finley_rivera677mo ago

Totally get what you're saying about that consistent energy. Forcing weird hours just leaves me wiped out, even if I get the time back later. Found out the hard way when I tried being a night owl for a project last month. My brain was mush by 10pm and the next morning was a write-off. Sticking to a regular block for my deep work, like 9 to 12, changed everything. The hard part is just starting, but once you're in that groove daily it's so much easier to keep going. What does your usual work window look like?

3

the_cameron7mo ago

What do you make of the research on circadian rhythms and productivity? I read a piece in the Harvard Business Review that argued consistent work schedules align better with our biological clocks, leading to more sustained energy. (They cited a study on knowledge workers, actually.) It made me rethink how I structure my own tasks to avoid burnout.

2