Sketching Inanimate Objects: Practicing Value and Shading in Small Windows

This short tutorial video was created on a day when I did not have much time—but still wanted to draw.

If you have read my previous blog, Creating Art in Small Windows: Art Practice for Busy Professionals, you already know that I no longer wait for long, uninterrupted hours to make art. Waiting for “free time” often means postponing creativity indefinitely.

Instead, I learned to work within the time I actually have.

This sketching session is one of those moments.

Why I Chose to Sketch Inanimate Objects

For this tutorial, I focused on sketching inanimate objects—simple, everyday items that are easily accessible and familiar.  I used an old jar and positioned it in a way I want to transfer on paper.

Drawing inanimate objects removes pressure.

They do not move. They do not require emotional interpretation or likeness. They allow us to focus on form, light, shadow, and value—the foundations of drawing.

This makes them ideal subjects for short practice sessions, especially when you don't have enough free time.

Understanding Value Through Shading

The heart of this sketching exercise is value—how light and shadow define form.

In the video, I apply different shading techniques such as:

• Cross-hatching

• Checking

• Light and layered strokes

These techniques help us explore how dark and light areas work together to create depth and dimension. More importantly, they train our eyes to observe carefully and our hands to respond patiently.

This kind of practice doesn't require speed, although I have increased the speed by 8X. It requires attention.

What This Sketching Practice Is Really About

This tutorial is not about finishing a perfect drawing.  You will notice that the drawing is not perfect.  Still, its charm is its imperfection.

It is about training the eye, steadying the hand, and building familiarity with value.

When you practice shading—whether through cross-hatching, checking, or simple tonal buildup—you begin to understand how objects exist in space. You learn to see subtle transitions instead of outlines alone.

And when done regularly, even in short windows, this practice strengthens your drawing foundation.

Sketching as a Grounding Practice

For busy professionals, sketching inanimate objects can be deeply grounding.

It requires:

• Stillness

• Observation

• Patience

As you shade, your breathing slows. Your focus narrows. The noise of the day softens.

This is one of the reasons I return to sketching again and again—not just to improve my skill, but to reset.

You Don’t Need to Get It Right

In the video, you will notice pauses, adjustments, and uneven strokes.

That is intentional.

Sketching is a practice, not a performance. Value studies are meant to be explored, layered, corrected, and revisited. Every line teaches the hand something new.

If you are waiting to feel “ready” before practicing shading techniques, you may never begin. Improvement comes through repetition, not before it.

How to Use This Tutorial

You may:

• Pause the video and follow along

• Repeat the exercise using different objects

• Practice for 10, 15, or 30 minutes only

Choose one object. Observe the light. Apply value patiently.

That is enough for the day.

A Gentle Invitation

If you are busy, tired, or creatively disconnected, I invite you to try this:

Choose a simple inanimate object.
Pick up your pencil.
Explore light and shadow without pressure.

Let this tutorial guide you—but let your hand move freely.

Art does not always need intensity.
Sometimes, it only needs presence and consistency.

You are free to share your completed work.  Email it to me using the comment form, and I will see if I can add it to this page.

HAPPY SKETCHING!!!

 

Is AI Replacing Animators? Why Human Creativity Still Leads

I recently heard from a friend who is an animation artist that he wants to learn how to paint.

That conversation stayed with me.

I have been painting since 2012, and for a long time, I honestly thought that traditional painting—working with canvas, brushes, and physical materials—would eventually become obsolete. Many artists I know shifted toward digital work and animation, where opportunities seemed more stable and in demand.

At one point, I even thought: maybe painters like me would be left behind.

But with the rapid rise of artificial intelligence in creative production, something unexpected is happening. It now seems that digital artists and animators are the ones feeling most threatened by AI, while traditional, human-centered art is regaining its value.

AI in Video and Animation: Amazing, But Not Exact

Recently, I experimented with AI by turning one of my paintings into an animation. Watching my artwork come to life was undeniably amazing. The movement, the atmosphere—it felt almost magical.

But when I prompted the AI to make the water move, something interesting happened.

Instead of animating my painting, the AI generated new images. It followed my instruction, yes—but not to a “T.” The result was visually impressive, yet it no longer fully reflected my original intent, emotion, or composition.

That experience clarified something important for me:

AI follows instructions, but it does not fully understand intention.

AI interprets patterns. Artists interpret meaning.

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Why AI Should Remain a Tool, Not a Replacement

Artificial intelligence is powerful. There is no denying that. It can speed up processes, generate variations, and assist in experimentation. Used properly, it can be a valuable creative tool.

But creativity itself—true creativity—does not come from efficiency alone.

Human artists bring:

• Lived experience

• Emotional memory

• Cultural context

• Intuition and judgment

• Intentional imperfection

These are not things AI possesses. AI does not struggle, doubt, grieve, hope, or reflect. It does not wake up with questions or wrestle with meaning. It does not grow through failure.

Artists do.

The Difference Between Generating and Creating

AI can generate images, animations, and videos. But generation is not the same as creation.

Creation involves choice—why this color, why this movement, why this pause. It involves restraint as much as expression. It involves knowing when not to add more.

As artists, our work is shaped by who we are, where we’ve been, and what we believe. That uniqueness cannot be replicated by algorithms trained on existing data.

AI can remix the past.
Artists imagine what does not yet exist.

Why Traditional Art and Human Skill Still Matter

Perhaps this is why my animator friend now wants to learn how to paint.

Traditional art trains something deeper than technique. It develops:

• Observation

• Patience

• Emotional awareness

• Presence

When you paint, your body is involved—your breath, your hand pressure, your rhythm. These subtle human elements give art its soul.

Ironically, as AI becomes more dominant in digital creation, human-made art becomes more valuable, not less. The authenticity, originality, and emotional honesty of human work stand out even more in a world of generated content.

A Balanced Future: Artists With Tools, Not Artists Replaced

I do not believe the future is about rejecting AI.

I believe the future belongs to artists who use AI consciously, without surrendering authorship, intention, or voice.

AI should assist—not decide.
Support—not replace.
Enhance—not erase.

When we allow machines to lead creativity, we lose something deeply human. But when artists lead—and use AI as one of many tools—we gain new possibilities without losing meaning.

Seeing my painting animated by AI was exciting. But it also reminded me of something essential:

The heart of art does not move because of code. It moves because of people.

As long as artists continue to think, feel, question, and imagine, creativity will remain human at its core.