How I Built Daily Drawing Habits That Stuck

Like many creatives, I used to dream about drawing every single day — but life (and excuses!) always seemed to get in the way. Over time, I realised that the key wasn’t willpower, but building habits that actually worked for me. Now, daily drawing is one of my favourite parts of my routine, and I want to share how I made it stick.

UsE Prompts as a Jumping-Off Point

When I first started, I leaned heavily on prompts. The @Kidlitart_Drawing_Challenge on Instagram I created became a fun, low-pressure way to try new things, while Inktober pushed me to commit to a whole month of themed drawing. Prompts helped me focus on what to draw instead of wasting energy deciding.

Experimentation is the best

I gave myself permission to play. Some days I sketched characters, other days I tried out brushes in Procreate, and sometimes I just filled a page with random shapes or doodles. By experimenting, I took the pressure off perfection and gave myself room to explore.

Get Automatic Drawing for Flow

One of my favourite discoveries was automatic drawing — just letting my hand move without overthinking. This meditative practice was surprisingly freeing and often sparked ideas for future illustrations or characters.

Carving Out Small Pieces of Time

Instead of trying to block out hours, I started with tiny bursts of drawing: 10 minutes while my coffee in hand, or quick sketches before bed. Those little windows added up and soon became a natural part of my day. I keep these little sketches and sometimes, they come back into my picture books process.

create Consistency

The habit stuck because I stopped worrying about making “finished” pieces every day. Sometimes my daily drawing was messy or unfinished — and that was okay. What mattered was showing up.

and then…

Daily drawing isn’t about discipline or creating masterpieces every day. It’s about giving yourself space to explore, experiment, and enjoy the process. By using prompts, trying new techniques, and carving out small slices of time, I built a habit that not only stuck but also brought so much joy back into my art.

Hey, there! I’m Jasmine Berry, a freelance illustrator based in sunny Perth, Western Australia. Most days you’ll find me sketching away on my iPad or surrounded by pencils and cats, chasing new ideas. I like to think of myself as eternally optimistic—always seeing the fun, the colour, and the possibility in every project I take on. Send me a message if you would like to collaborate on a project.