After reviewing all my sketches from the just-finished year, it’s time to review my 2024 goals and set some new ones.

My 2024 sketching goals were:

1. Draw more objects at home 
2. Create a program for night-time research and development sessions
3. Develop techniques for quick experimental line and shape sketches

(you can read more about them here).

So how did I do with my 2024 goals?

In a word, not very well! Even though I’m happy with how much sketching I did in 2024, I didn’t really focus on these three goals.

1. Draw more objects at home
When I was moving and settling into my new place I did draw a collection of my dad’s special tools and in the past two months when I moved back to a larger sketchbook (A4 and 7×10″) I’ve had more room on the page and included more objects. But as a general rule, I’d like to add more to my pages.

2. Create a program for night-time research and development sessions
I definitely did not do this! 🙂 Sketching sessions at night were very rare in 2024 and normally involved doing colour charts. It goes without saying that I want to do more research and development!

3. Develop techniques for quick experimental line and shape sketches
I didn’t intentionally work on this goal, but I was experimenting while preparing my Travel Sketching course (particularly Lesson 3: Layers). I do have several examples of sketches where I was exploring this theme, but it is something that I want to develop in 2025.

So, basically, all goals are still relevant for the coming year. But instead of just relisting them, I’ve decided to focus on building one habit!

One habit for 2025

This one habit will open opportunities for continuing to work on the three 2024 goals, and it will also help another theme that I want to focus on. That fourth theme is to explore more alternative layouts in my sketchbook pages.

So what is this habit??? It’s quite simple actually…

Finish my sketchbook pages each night!

In 2024 I’ve often told myself that I’m too tired in the evening to add notes and a little design to my sketchbook pages – and then completed them the next day. But really, it normally doesn’t take that much effort to finish my pages! And I know that if I sit down after dinner to do that each day, then I’ll draw more objects, I’ll most likely get in the mood for doing some research and I’ll continue to explore ways of combining edges and shapes in new ways.

So there you have it – one simple habit for the year!

In the past few weeks, I’ve already started implementing it, so there isn’t that Jan 1 pressure. I’m also very happy that I’m hosting a Live Version of Foundations (starting 8 January), as that will definitely focus me on edges, shapes, and drawing objects. If it’s a good fit, I’d love to have you join us – find out more here.

I’m looking forward to new sketching adventures in 2025!

Finally, I wish you a very happy New Year. I hope that it is a good year for you and your loved ones and that it will be creative, too!