My big mistake was giving up on daily warm-up sketches. | Digital Art Showcase

Pat Barnes · 2026-02-28T13:36:22.113228+00:00

I used to do quick sketches before every digital painting session to get my hand and eye in sync. I got lazy and stopped, and now my showcased art looks stiff and lacks the flow it used to have. How do you push through the temptation to skip the basics before diving into a big piece?

ivan8277mo ago

I used to think "non-negotiable" sounded harsh, but forcing myself for a week is what finally made it stick for me.

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zara_craig837mo ago

Ever try making warm-ups non-negotiable? Just force yourself for a week, it gets easier.

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jade6477mo ago

What's the science behind that making it stick? I read about the "don't break the chain" method where you mark an X on a calendar for each day you do it. The visual chain of success makes skipping feel worse than just doing the short warm-up.

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alexh887mo ago

@zara_craig83 is right, but the trick is making it fun, not a chore.

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