Sketching Through Self-Doubt (and sharing anyway 😉)

Most of you know me for my florals—soft petals, cheerful blooms, and whimsical illustrations across notebooks and stickers. But what you don’t often see are the pages in my sketchbook filled with… people. 😳

Yes, I actually draw people more than anyone knows.

Portraits, characters, moments I imagine. They are all quiet sketches that sit tucked away in my notebooks. I never share them, and to be honest, I don't think that I have ever actually colored one in either. I prefer to sketch them and leave the details to be interpreted for whatever I need at a given time. Part of me always whispers, “Maybe one day this could be a coloring book.” Another part of me says, “People don’t know you for this. Sharing could seem weird.”

That second voice is louder than it should be in my head, but today, I’m turning the volume down just a little bit to share here with you.

I'm sharing some of these portrait sketches here for the very first time. Because honestly? They’re good. I have a style that I'm proud of. Plus, I have taken so many courses, honed my style, and learned the techniques—at this point, it’s not a skill issue, it’s a fear issue. I’ve been learning instead of doing. And maybe that’s something you’re sitting with too.

You might have something you’re passionate about, something you secretly excel at—but you hold yourself back because it’s not what people expect from you. You tell yourself you’re “not ready.” But maybe… you are.

I don’t know exactly where these portraits will land in my work yet. But I do know this:
✨ I want to explore creating a character-driven coloring book.

✨ I might start blending florals with portraits to create something brand new.

✨ I want to start incorporating these people in my hand lettering work for greeting cards and journals that will feel more relatable to the people that I want to connec to.

✨ And I want to feel proud of the quiet, sketchy things that make me feel alive when no one’s watching.

So this post is for that "thing" in your life that you keep hidden away in your metaphorical sketchbook. For that "thing" that you keep doubting your capabilities and potential on. Go ahead with it. You're ready.

I’m letting mine be seen now—starting with you. 💛 You all are actually the first outside of my immediate family that I'm sharing these with.

Let me know if anything I shared today resonated with you. And thank you for being here with me as I grow.

With love and courage,

Ashley