Welcome to another Figurative Friday Folks! Here's a post regarding the 8 limbs of sketchbooking (a creative twist on the traditional 8 limbs of yoga, often adapted in sketchbooking circles to describe a holistic creative practice).
In the heart of every sketchbook lies a rhythm—a pulse that dances between intention and expression, between observation and imagination. Figurative Fridays is one such beat in the creative week, a day dedicated to the art of drawing the human form. But more than just a practice in anatomy or proportion, Figurative Fridays can be a ritual of reflection, embodiment, and artistic growth. When framed through the lens of the 8 limbs of sketchbooking, it becomes not just a study—but a journey.
Let’s explore how Figurative Fridays align with these 8 limbs - or Pages (if you will), and how this practice can deepen your relationship with your craft, your subject, and yourself.
1. Intentionality (Yama): The Why Behind the Drawing
Just as the first limb of yoga, Yama, asks us to consider our ethical compass, the first limb of sketchbooking—intentionality—asks: Why am I drawing this? Your answer must be: To better express myself.
On Figurative Fridays, set your intention before pencil meets paper. Are you drawing to understand anatomy? To express emotion? To unwind after a long week? Or simply to reconnect with the practice of seeing?
When you bring mindful purpose to your sketching session, the experience shifts. You begin to approach the figure not just as lines and curves, but as a vessel for meaning. This awareness enriches the act of drawing and builds a foundation for deeper creative exploration.
2. Discipline (Niyama): Honoring the Practice
Like yoga’s second limb, Niyama, the sketchbook’s second limb—discipline—is about showing up. Figurative drawing demands consistency. It's not just about talent, but tenacity.
Figurative Fridays offer a weekly anchor. By dedicating just one day to this focused practice, you train not only your hand but your eye, your patience, and your presence. Over time, you'll notice more than just anatomical improvement. You'll start to develop a personal language of gesture, shape, and energy—a signature that can only emerge through repetition and reverence.
Try setting a ritual: clear your space, warm up with blind contours or five-minute gestures, and then move into longer poses or stylized figures. Let the practice become its own reward.
3. Observation (Asana): Sitting With the Subject
In yoga, Asana refers to the physical postures we assume. In sketchbooking, observation is our posture—a way of sitting with and seeing the subject.
Drawing the figure requires active observation. You're not just recording what’s in front of you; you’re translating the weight of a hip, the tension in a shoulder, the story in a glance. This limb reminds us to be still and truly see.
Whether you're working from a live model, a photo, or imagination, the practice of focused seeing is transformative. It cultivates presence and teaches you to interpret shape, shadow, and structure not just with accuracy, but with empathy.
4. Experimentation (Pranayama): Breathing Life Into Form
Pranayama in yoga is the breath—the life force. In sketchbooking, experimentation is our breath. It is what keeps the practice alive.
Figurative Fridays are a perfect time to experiment. Try switching mediums—charcoal, ink, gouache. Draw with your non-dominant hand. Use timed exercises like one-minute poses or contour-only sketches. Each variation injects fresh oxygen into your creative lungs.
Don’t be afraid to step out of the box. Let go of perfection. The most vibrant sketches often emerge from risk, from spontaneity, from loosening the grip of control.
5. Focus (Pratyahara): Withdrawing from Distraction
Pratyahara is about turning inward, away from external distractions. Figurative drawing is a natural gateway to this state. When deeply immersed in capturing a pose or gesture, the world falls away.
During your Figurative Friday session, try to create an environment that supports inward focus. Silence notifications. Play instrumental music or sit in quiet. Let your sketchbook become a space where the only thing that matters is the line, the form, the breath of the figure in front of you.
This kind of focus not only enhances your drawing but nurtures a meditative relationship with your art.
6. Flow (Dharana): Holding the Gaze
The sixth limb, Dharana, speaks of concentration—holding the mind steady. In sketchbooking, this is the limb of flow: the sweet spot where your attention is fully anchored in the act of creation.
Figurative drawing thrives in flow. One moment you’re analyzing negative space, and the next, your hand is moving on its own, guided by instinct. Gesture drawing is especially useful here. Short bursts of high-focus sketching can unlock that magical state where time suspends and form becomes fluid.
Notice when you hit flow. What triggered it? What helped sustain it? Use those cues to shape future sessions.
7. Synthesis (Dhyana): The Art of Integration
Dhyana is meditative absorption—when concentration becomes sustained awareness. In sketchbooking, this becomes synthesis: the moment your knowledge, intuition, and skill begin to merge.
On Figurative Fridays, synthesis might look like this: You start drawing without overthinking. You trust your instincts. You mix gesture with structure. You honor reference but allow your own style to emerge.
This is when figure drawing moves beyond practice and becomes art. The page breathes with energy. The lines speak. You’re not just copying a pose—you’re interpreting it through your unique lens.
8. Expression (Samadhi): The Creative Union
Finally, we arrive at Samadhi—union. In the 8 limbs of sketchbooking, this is expression: the highest form of the practice, where form and feeling converge.
This might happen only briefly, like a flash of lightning in a dark sky. A single drawing that captures everything you felt in a moment. Or it might unfold over time, as you look back at your Figurative Friday pages and see a story—your story—emerging.
Expression isn’t about mastery. It’s about honesty. Vulnerability. Being fully present in the act of creation. Figurative drawing, done with heart and intention, can carry us to this place again and again.
In Closing: Making Figurative Fridays Your Own
The beauty of Figurative Fridays is in its rhythm. Once a week, you return to the body—not just the one you’re drawing, but your own. You tune into movement, form, and feeling. You meet yourself on the page.
Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just starting your sketchbook journey, consider adopting the 8 limbs of sketchbooking as a guide. Let each limb inform your practice, support your growth, and remind you why you draw in the first place. If you'd like to download a graphic I've prepared on the 8 Limbs (or Pages) of Sketchbooking I've linked it above!
So this Friday, open your sketchbook. Take a breath. Set an intention. And begin.
The figure is waiting for you—not just as a subject, but as a teacher.
Speaking of teachers, I will be at the Sunnyside Library, in Sunnyside, WA this afternoon and back at the Downtown Yakima Valley Library with some great thoughts for you on Manga and the art of Caricature respectively. Check out the dates on the Events page here!
