Some of my happiest, deepest, and most thoughtful moments are when I’m away from the computer. The laptop closed, the mobile phone switched off (or in my weaker moments, in airplane mode). That’s when I sink into a 12-hour flow state attempting to create something new, something physical. My head, hand, and heart, working together, pulling at one another, trying to wrestle control of what ends up on the page.
Immanuel Kant said, “The hand is the window on to the mind.” and Darwin linked greater dexterity of the hand to greater brain capacity in humans. I’ve learned, through simple practice, that I think better when I’m using my hands. Typing (and writing) is one thing, but nothing works quite so well as the physical medium I’ve come to love so dearly.
I know there are many digital illustrators out there who are doing amazing work. And intellectually, I know the digital medium brings a lot positives to the modern-day professional freelance artist. I’ve tried these things. I’ve spent too much money on fast computers and bigger and better graphics tablets. But nothing has been as successful at bringing my head, heart and hands together than the absence of a computer. Maybe it’s the same for other people.