How doing a drawing a day changed my life | David Litchfield | TEDxBedford 

Want to be an artist? Then make art. It doesn't even need to be GOOD, it just needs to BE.

if you draw something, or write something, or record something, or sketch, or build, or code, or sing something... you've just put something in the world that didn't exist before, but exists afterwards. that alone is worthwhile. and maybe someone else will like it even more than you do.

I watched this video almost a year ago. Immediately it inspired my to try doing the same. In a month I'll be exhibiting my first 365 drawings :D Thank you David Litchfield for inspiring me.

Don't EVER go on Google images halfway through a drawing and say "ugghh my drawings are so baaad" this is probably the best advice you will get when starting art. Just draw what you can and improve your own style and whatnot.

It took me 38 years to realise I was an artist. 38 years to finally dare and express myself through art. And two months into my humble painting career I suddenly got commissioned, to my utter astonishment. Every since, I've been painting every single day and can't imagine my life without it.

Was drawing him as he was talking. But man I've been slacking off lately. He's right. There's always time. Its just we chose to waste it on videos and entertainment.

I'm listening to this while drawing my 245th daily drawing! It started with Inktober, and I was rubbish, but over the course of the almost 250 days I've improved greatly. I would definitely advise any artists to set aside anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour of every day to draw, it will help you grow as an artist and it's a great stress reliever.

Young children sing, dance, draw, paint... Going to school helps the masses learn that they cannot sing, dance, draw, paint... If you are alive, you have time to do these things. Go for it.

Such a great thing to do...Well done...Now i will write a story a day...

I've drawn my entire life. I love it. It's something that sooths me and something I don't really share, but I really take pride in. I took 2 college art classes...1st being a basic drawing class...the 2nd was a figure drawing class. Both taught me so much! Unfortunately I haven't drawn in about 2 years now because of an illness called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. A connective tissue disorder that effects all my joints and all my organs. It causes immense pain in my hands and that has really caused me to lose one of my biggest pleasures and since of calms in my life...drawing. I was that girl who never left her house without her sketchbook. But now just holding a pencil for a few min will cause my hand to cramp and get stuck in that position. I've been really missing my art lately and therefore have been watching "sketchbook tours" here on RU-vid like a mad woman, living a bit vicariously through those videos. But I can't not draw anymore. I simply cannot let EDS (Ehelers Danlos Syndrome) win. I know there has got to be some way to make it work. And I am not going to stop looking until I find a way in which I am able to put pencil back to paper. Anyone else have EDS or any other diseases that affect your joints (especially your smaller joints) who thought they could not longer sketch but have somehow found out a way to? Idk if it's going to take a certain kind of brace, maybe really tight compression, maybe only drawing in increments of 5 minutes, or....idk. Something! But I will find it. Lord knows I need this back in my life. It was my therapy, and outlet, a form of expression. It means so much to me and something I should never have been willing to sacrifice for 2 years, no matter how seemingly impossible it may seem to do these days. Anyhoo, if anyone has any tips or ideas (remember there are no stupid ideas) I would really really appreciate you sharing them with me! Thank you for reading. ♡

A good way to practice drawing is carrying a small cheap notebook and pen, and draw people on the bus or in a park. If you mess up, try again. Don't erase, don't scribble it out, just try again. You will see progress after a few months, because I know i have 😊

i think im going to start drawing everyday i mean im not very good but it seems like good therapy

I went to the exhibition when it was up and although u'd always loved drawing that gave me a kick that I needed. My brother and sister and I all loved it and to this day we all have posters from the exhibitions framed on our walls. As we were walking away from the exhibition we saw David Litchfield enter the place and start talking to people. I was too shy at the time to go and talk to him although I regret it now. I'm really happy that this has worked out for him and I can't wait to see what he does next.

I started drawing daily since I was 7. Now I'm 14 and still doing daily drawings. I have 2 bookcases full of sketchbooks...

I've been drawing everyday for 2 years and it really changed my life :) I'm so happy

I'm doing several drawings a day, I so get what this guy felt, I'm living it right now. I feel lost and that I'm not progressing but I'll keep on drawing. I'll be back here in a year If I remember, to post my experience.

So true, we have to make the time for what we want. We need to seek out what inspires us so we experience feeling passionate - this will drive us to make time. I am a artist (who works a day job) who had a baby two years ago and I knew time would be transformed. Time is scared, we have to adapt and become shape shifters so we can move and groove with and around distractions to make art - to be creative. Just keep moving forward and if it means going back and taking baby steps with your process just do it. We are all creative.

I did a draw a day for a few months....and the weirdest thing was looking back and seeing how bad the first ones were.

The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is writing my thoughts down that are still in my head about the dream I had before I woke up. When I read it an hour later I'm always like wtf... yesterday I wrote 'looked asleep looked away peter', and I remember it did make sense when I wrote it, lol.

I've managed to keep up daily drawing for 10 years, going on 11th right now. First year was by far the toughest, but after that it started becoming more and more of a "habit" and easier to do. That's not to say there aren't days I wished to skip, so you still need a certain amount of self-discipline. Enjoying the actual process of drawing over the end result helps as well.

Learning to make better drawings is I believe one of the toughest tasks . It is an exhausting process and a very beautiful one too.

David is one of my all-time favourite illustrators. His work is beautiful - especially his use of light and shadow.

yes art a day keeps the anxiety and reality away also is escape from home without leaving home

I used to sit next to him in German at school and he would draw these amazing pics I always new he would make it! Well done mate...

Today is my fifth month drawing daily n_n

You said it buddy. People think their career has to make them miserable and that they can't do something they love, but we're ONLY supposed to do what we love, especially if we want to meet with any amount of success.

What a great guy. An original thinker!

The hope on this world is to construct more art, and "open the teenagers mind" Well done David, special thanks for TEDx

Love his style !

Oh wow David!!! Your stuff is gorgeous. Strange and beautiful. Endearing. Loved it all xxx

I was literally just talking to my artist friend tonight about how I felt like time was running out, and that I started doing art again. This is just what I needed to hear.

i try to do a drawing every day. like he said, often the drawings or painting i love get a warm response and works that i didn't like other people loved.

A great guy - what an inspiration you are David

6 years after you started this and 3 years after your Tedx Talk, your words and actions continue to inspire! Your talk has motivated me to start something. Thank you!

Well done David, always knew you would make an impact, even back in '98. Very talented.

I can't believe I found this now...so many years later! I too had completed a 365 Day Cup A Day project here on youtube (back 1/11-12/11...6 months after he started his journey). I made a cup a day for an entire year to learn how to throw on the pottery wheel, posting daily videos of my progress and then sharing the completed cups. I even had a gallery show the following year of all 365 Cups. Unless someone has completed a monumental journey such as a year-long project, it's difficult to explain the changes you encounter along the way. The growth in skills and even accountability and mindset...lead on the people that supported you throughout the project. The last cup I made bore the names of all the people who helped me through. A once in a lifetime experience. Over 500 videos later a 365-day journey, like you said, is the beginning of a new life...it was totally worth the struggles!!! From one kindred spirit to another ...WELL DONE!

Very inspiring! I now feel motivated to follow my passions, I neglect for so long :-)

His art reminds me a little bit of Edward Gorey, who did the illustrations for the PBS TV series 'Mystery'.

I'm supposed to do my math homework for uni today and look where I ended up....

I’m going to do a drawing a day for a year starting today Thank you David Litchfield for your inspirational talk

I wish we could have seen his first drawing next to his 365th one

Good video. Today was my first day of drawing after a long long time, I stopped drawing after an incident when i was 12, and today I've started again after almost 28 years. It felt good and I hope it turns out to be therapeutic. I have a feeling deep inside that all of it is still stuck inside me and letting it all out will change my life for good.

Thank you. I was inspired by this during the beginning of the year so I started jan 1, 2018 and still been going. I am confident that I will get it done as I have had many challenges and still did it. Thank you as this helped me grow alot and can truly relate how u felt. I loved art but never went to this career as it seemed unstable and just went to the medical field.

Thanks for this in depth talk. I started to draw about a month ago and went into a “timeless zone” and it really seemed to rest the mind. A RU-vid artist, Katy Jobling is wonderfully inspiring and she is self taught, and that also gave me a push to draw.

I kinda want to try this...

I love painting,I forget time and the mundane life I learned to relax and slow down and create. Thank you,illustrator.

What’s funny is that I usually listen to tedtalks when I draw. I was drawing my daily warmup before getting into my main project and this is really great to hear

I am a painter...and struggle at times on how to resolve and figure out how to paint an area of the image...drawing helps...helps me figure it out...simply and graphically. Seeking others help is precarious and vulnerable at best...but welcoming. Either way I will do the painting how I will do it...I can only say you have to get past all the excuses, your feelings, your tiredness and just sit down and do it. Keeping it simple is one key for me that allows me to do this on a daily basis. Thanks for your video.

Thank you I needed to hear that, it came on time, I was about to stop drawing but now I will keep going specially in these days and circumstances we need to inspire ourselves and the world

Amazing that time and dedication can do for one person.

I love his illustrating style! I think Tim Burton would approve!

Thank you. I bless you with love and light.

Yeah, remember that you're not bad, you're just not as good as you want to be yet. Draw a lot. I say this because every time I feel stuck or feel like I haven't progressed at all, I look back at my old art that I used to be proud of and realize just how far I've come. It's a helluva motivator

Congratulations, great great moment telling your story. Wish you the best

Thank you for sharing. I am encouraged to keep going. Love your drawings.

I've started drawing after twenty baron years, so I can relate completely with this. And I'm loving it.

I started drawing when I was 10. Those dark times where I was constantly bullied, was always alone at break time. But I'm glad if happened cause I found my passion in Art. Art brought me so much joy in my life. Now I'm majoring in Graphic Design.

There is this drawing challenge called "365 drawing challenge" where EVERYDAY you draw a drawing And it is challenging! At first you think it's easy but really it's difficult Sometimes you want to draw but you can't or you don't have time I love drawing but sometimes I can't do it ( I can draw but I'm not motivated) and I lagged behind the challenge So 2017 will be my 2nd year I will try to attempt the 365 drawing challenge and hopefully I won't fail this time

Hey Dave, thanks for this.God bless you and your family always. God bless the TEDx team too and your families always! 🙂🙏

Very distinct style. Creative and inventive. Not your average doodle. He deserves to succeed in this field.

The finish of this talk was impeccable

Tomorrow will be my first day to start illustrating! Thank you for sharing! So inspiring!

Excellent! And: CONGRATS!! Today you are my hero, David ! You ROCK!

This is an awesome Talk. Thank you for doing it

I really like his picture sketches, especially that wolf in a coat done in blue pen on the pages of his film studies book. I can see his improvements. Nice speech.Thumbs up.

That was very well presented David, awesome work! 😃

his drawing is very cheerful and hopeful

Just discovered this, so very inspiring.

*watches video* Woah that's really inspiring I actually feel really positive right now *reads comments below* Nevermind..

I love this journey.

So freaking wholesome I love it

Definitely want to give this a go as well. Thanks for sharing your story!

This is exactly what I needed to hear today. Thank you for sharing your story. :)

this is encouraging. thank you.

It’s the Spring of 2020 - every time he touches his face I feel a twinge of anxiety. This COVID19 experience has changed me.

I FEEL SO MOTIVATED.

I love his style!

That so interesting for me i like it you inspire me to express my feeling day by drawing..that a nice way to fit into what i feel and i think

I'm so happy for him!

Great advice I needed to hear and follow.

They are just amazing thinking and drawings are fab.

Good for him. Sincerely. It's not really instructive for the viewer though. I mean,he says he was already drawing every day, and describes it as his 'passion', says it's what he's always loved to do etc. I think it's pretty easy for someone in that position to decide to make that activity his job. What about if you don't have something you love doing? No passion? How do you find the thing you're 'meant' to do? There's no clues in this anecdote. Also he's still having to maintain a 'real job' evidently to continue with this, so he's not yet in a position to say whether it will pan out in the end. He's making the best of it, getting as much exposure as he can - and he feels good about himself and his goals. All positive things. But he's an illustrator because he's adopted the attitude that this word defines him, not because it's how he earns a living. How many people have I met who self-identify with a career they don't actually have? Lots. And most will never follow through. I think this guy will though. Good for him.

I'm going to start doing this starting today!

awesome thanks for sharing your story! And thaAns to TED for letting people do this awesome speaks!

I'm gonna write a kids book (not even just an aspiration I actually am) and am looking for an illustrator and will look into this guy, I love his work.

Love this video & your drawings ❤️!

Goal...Brilliant. Loved the video, great artist...illustrator! I will begin my drawing a day today. (I mean I draw everyday) But I will like the strict guide of doing this!! Thank you for sharing~

I usually draw more than one drawing a day so this challenge is basically me everyday; except for the posting them online part.

Thank You , I needed to hear that :)

This is so inspiring!

I love the drawings!

For my first two years in college I had taken classes for psychology. Though I excelled there my heart was longing for something else. One time I was drawing my left hand during my class Perspectives in Art (for non-art majors) and my professor told me when he's seen it "You should've shown it to class". That changed my life. I realized I was in the wrong major and made me choose to take Art instead and pursue my childhood dream to be a digital artist. 😂 I admire the presenter's will to draw everyday. That's commitment right there, even though I am a student artist now I can say I couldn't draw every single day. Mostly my projects now include animating and coloring animated characters. And other video and photography as well. But even though I don't draw everyday I could still see progress every time I'm drawing. Maybe those practices in my first two years as an art major really taught me something. But nevertheless, I believe that if you draw everyday then you'll be very good at it. great talk :)

Art is the most beautiful thing sadly not everyone understands that it comes from the pain inside us

ive always been a procrastinator..but i guess its time to change my life a bit.. so..challenge accepted ill draw once every year! starting soon

Hi art style is magnificent

Today was the 40th day of drawing every day for me. Still going strong, I didn't think I had the commitment for it, but here I am

Being creative is a beautiful.

I've been drawing everyday, started a year ago. I wake up early everyday and look forward to waking up to draw! It matters.

The moment i put the pencil on the paper, and the moment after is like a meditative time. I can see the fact i'm in a process of something, without judging. All the expectation of the result is nothing compared to the time i spent for that thing. I hope this will last forever, i like to study body and gesture, but now i'm starting to understand colors

reminded me that i should do what i love, which is also drawing