Drawing is immediate. I don't need to stretch canvas or set out mediums. I can just pick up the mark making tool of my choice, the surface I am going to make marks on, and go.
Green Gardens, 2013 Acrylic on cardboard, ink pen 8.5" x 10.75" available in my Etsy shop
Drawing is non toxic. Solvents and mediums are unnecessary. Unless I am drawing with chalk pastels, I don't need to wear a mask or respirator. I can draw with my children and not worry about them being hurt by the equipment, and generally I don't need to worry about them getting into something when I'm not around.
Drawing is tactile. I love the feel of different mark making tools. Pencils can be large or small barreled. Oil pastels can feel silky to the touch. Then there's the way they move across different surfaces. Harder dry pastels can have a skritchy feel, while oil pastels can be like drawing with lipstick.
Drawing is accessible. All you need is a pen or pencil and a sheet of paper. If you want to go fancier, you can, but it's not necessary. You don't need to live near an art supply store. It's available to anyone who wants to draw.
Drawing is flexible. Drawing can happen anywhere. It doesn't need a studio. It can happen at the kitchen table, at the dentist's waiting room, or while waiting for dinner at a restaurant. It can be as large as you want or as small as you want. It's portable. You can do it with friends, or alone. I love getting out the drawing pads and markers and just drawing with my children.
And, most importantly, drawing is fun. You don't need to do anything but make marks if that is what you want to do. The simple act of moving your hand across the surface can help calm and center your mind, and scribbles can become anything your mind can imagine.
