I have learned that I still lack a proper attention span, so anything that requires precision or careful line work is definitely not going to be “my thing.” I actually attempted to make a more careful line drawing earlier this month and got so bored that I just started scribbling instead. I have much more to learn and try still, and so I’m excited to DO so in the future. While I’ve had a blast this month with my art, I’m still in the process of the journey itself. But, the idea of riddles like this were always alluring, not for the idea of winning the physical prize, but simply the idea of successfully solving the mystery. Thankfully, I was smart enough to never actually venture out alone in search of a creepy cabin in the woods. But I was sure there could be some abandoned cabin in the woods that was hiding the secret to some sort of treasure. Of course, living in the suburbs of the Midwest meant I wasn’t going to be boarding a ship anytime soon and sailing off to parts unknown. The idea of having a mystery like that to solve amazed me. There’s no mad dash to a box filled with treasure, but simply a steady approach of moving forward one sketch at a time.Īs for actual treasure maps, I always dreamed of finding one as a kid. Bits of approaches I’m playing with that I might keep or could end up discarding entirely. Each little doodlewash is another clue as I go along. I’ve always described my art journey as an adventure and that’s certainly been the case this month. And as long as I keep sketching and turning pages, I know that there will always be a few treasures along the way. That moment when I turn the page of my sketchbook and try again. I’m less concerned about discovering some final end result than I am about just knowing what happens in the next chapter. For me, it’s always been less about the treasure and more about the story.
![doodle fit 2 magnifying glass doodle fit 2 magnifying glass](https://www.yourbestdigs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/sunglasses-drawing-test-375x248.jpg)
Have I found it? Not quite, but this month’s adventure makes me feel like I’m getting closer and closer to understanding just where I should head next. It’s the “X” on my own artistic treasure map. Each day is a pursuit to find a sweet spot that feels most comfortable to me. I’ve discovered the same thing with my own art journey. I remember reading books as a kid with characters in searching for some elusive treasure, pointing at the map and exclaiming, “X marks the spot!” In truth, the pursuit was the entire book, as there would have been much of a story if the treasure were easily found. Though finding treasure seems like the most amazing thing, I love the mystery of the pursuit the most. For our Doodlewash prompt of “Lantern,” combined with the Inktober prompt of “Treasure,” I opted for a quick little doodle of a lantern-lit treasure map.