The Habit of Drawing Fast and Slow: New Book

Drawing is often seen as a skill reserved for the talented or the naturally gifted, but for me it has always been something more ordinary and more profound: a way of paying attention. The Habit of Drawing: Fast and Slow grew from this belief. I wrote the book to offer a clear, steady path for anyone who wants to draw, not as a performance or a test of ability, but as a daily practice and a way of meeting the world with greater clarity and presence.

For many people, drawing feels intimidating. We imagine we need perfect lines, polished shading, or a fully formed idea before we begin. These expectations quietly raise the stakes and make drawing feel fragile. But the reality is simpler. Drawing becomes possible the moment we shift from trying to achieve a result to building a habit of steady observation. When we learn to look more closely, drawing begins to follow naturally, shaped by who we are and what we notice. This is the central idea that runs through the book: drawing is not something we wait to be ready for; it is something we grow into through practice.

Over years of teaching online through my Circle Line Art School YouTube channel, I noticed a consistent pattern. The difficulty was rarely technical ability. More often, it was confidence, consistency, and the belief that a drawing must look finished or realistic to be worthwhile. Many people said they loved drawing but struggled to stay motivated, or stopped altogether because their work did not match an imagined standard. This quiet inner pressure is familiar across many creative pursuits, and it slowly erodes the desire to continue.

I recognise that feeling myself. Drawing is not about competing with photographs or pursuing a surface level of realism. A photograph may record everything with even clarity, but a drawing reflects what we actually notice and what we feel matters. We draw certain edges more strongly, allow other areas to fade, and linger where our attention rests. In that way, drawing becomes expressive not by intention, but by honesty. It carries traces of thought, hesitation, curiosity, and understanding, creating a human connection that goes beyond accuracy.

The Habit of Drawing: Fast and Slow is my response to this problem. It is a book about building a reliable creative practice rather than chasing quick improvements. It does not promise shortcuts, tricks, or dramatic transformations. Instead, it focuses on small, repeatable actions: learning to notice more, drawing in short moments, understanding how observation develops, and working with both fast, intuitive marks and slower, more attentive drawing. The rhythm is deliberate and realistic, designed to fit into daily life rather than compete with it.

At its core, the book treats drawing as a way of thinking. The aim is not to copy the world, but to explore it through a personal lens. A sketch becomes a record of how the mind and eye moved together at a particular moment. A hesitant line reveals uncertainty. A confident stroke shows recognition. In this way, drawing captures attention itself, not just appearances.

It is also important to say what the book is not. This is not a technical manual, a step-by-step course, or a collection of exercises to master specific skills. It does not teach perspective systems, anatomy, or rendering techniques. Those things have their place, but this book focuses on the inner conditions that allow drawing to continue over time. It is about mindset, habit, attention, and learning how to stay present with the act of drawing itself.

I wanted the book to feel accessible and calm. You do not need special tools, expensive materials, or prior experience. A pencil, a piece of paper, and a willingness to look are enough. The language is direct and reflective, something you can return to repeatedly as your relationship with drawing changes. Much of what the book contains comes from my own practice, from teaching thousands of students, and from observing how people grow when drawing becomes part of everyday life rather than a separate performance.

What I hope the book offers is encouragement rather than pressure. Drawing can be challenging, but it is never wasted. Every mark teaches something. Every drawing, even the unfinished ones, contributes to understanding. Over time, the focus shifts from results to presence, from outcomes to attention. We begin to notice small shapes, shifts of light, rhythms, and patterns that might otherwise pass unseen. This gradual change in how we look is the true habit the book describes.

The Habit of Drawing: Fast and Slow is simply a companion for that journey. A reminder that drawing is not about talent, perfection, or constant achievement, but about repeated actions, attention, and the quiet pleasure of learning to see the world more fully.

The Habit of Drawing: Fast and Slow

The Habit of Drawing: Fast and Slow is available now. Click Here to order on Amazon.

If you do read The Habit of Drawing: Fast and Slow and feel it connects with your own experience, a brief review helps the book reach readers who are looking for this kind of quiet, practice-focused approach. Even a few words makes a difference.

Circle Line Press in an imprint of Circle Line Art School.

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The Circle Line Art School Blog: A blog by Tom McPherson, Circle Line Art School. Join my YouTube channel for free drawing tutorials here.