Why Your Brain Needs Long Boredom to Make Beautiful Things
We’ve eliminated boredom and accidentally killed original thought!
Creativity Isn’t Missing it’s Interrupted
Most people don’t think they’re creative.
They’ll say things like:
“I wish I could draw.”
“I used to be creative, but I lost it.”
“I’m just not wired that way.”
But what if creativity isn’t gone at all?
What if it’s simply never given enough uninterrupted time to appear?
The Problem Isn’t Talent , It’s Fragmentation
We live in an age of constant interruption.
Notifications.
Feeds.
Messages.
Tabs open everywhere.
Even when we sit down to “relax,” our attention is split into fragments, 30 seconds here, a minute there, always scanning for the next hit of novelty.
Research in cognitive psychology has shown that frequent task-switching increases stress hormones like cortisol and reduces our ability to enter deep focus.¹ The brain never completes a full attention cycle. it stays alert, reactive, and unfinished.
Creativity, however, requires the opposite state.
It doesn’t appear instantly.
It unfolds.
And most people interrupt the process right before it gets interesting.
The Myth of Instant Inspiration
Social media has quietly trained us to believe that creativity is spontaneous.
We see a finished drawing, a beautiful painting, a confident performance and we assume it arrived fully formed.
What we don’t see is the first 30 minutes.
The awkwardness.
The doubt.
The boredom.
The mess.
Neuroscientists research on creative cognition suggests that creative breakthroughs are often preceded by periods of low stimulation and mild boredom.
The brain needs time to move from surface level thinking into deeper associative networks.
But boredom feels uncomfortable .
So we escape it.
And in escaping boredom, we abort creativity.
Why Boredom Is Not the Enemy
Boredom has a bad reputation.
We treat it like something to eliminate rather than something to pass through.
But boredom is a threshold state.
It’s the moment when the brain runs out of easy stimulation and begins searching inward instead of outward.
Studies on mind wandering and creativity show that when the brain is allowed to idle without constant input, it begins to make novel connections.
This is when ideas re-organise themselves.
But this doesn’t happen in five minutes.
It happens when we stay.
The 2-Hour Window That Changes Everything
Here’s something most people don’t realise:
The first 20–30 minutes of any creative activity are usually uncomfortable.
You feel restless.
You question yourself.
You feel “bad at it.”
Many people quit here.
The next 30–40 minutes are mentally noisy.
Thoughts wander.
Doubts resurface.
The work feels clumsy.
Then. if you stay, something shifts.
Attention settles.
The nervous system down regulates.
Cortisol levels begin to drop as the brain exits reactive mode.
Around the 60–90 minute mark, coherence appears.
Not perfection… Coherence.
This is the moment people mistake for “talent.”
In reality, it’s time finally doing its job.
Why Hands-On Creative Work Is Especially Powerful
Not all focus is equal.
Scrolling is passive.
Watching is passive.
Consuming is passive.
Hands on making, drawing, painting, sculpting is different.
It engages:
visual processing
motor coordination
spatial reasoning
sensory feedback
This multi-sensory engagement anchors attention in the body, not just the mind.
Research in embodied cognition shows that physical interaction with materials helps regulate emotional states and improves learning retention.
Your hands slow your thoughts down.
This is why drawing for two uninterrupted hours can feel calming, grounding, and strangely restorative, even if you’re “working.”
It’s not productivity.
It’s regulation.
Creativity Is a Skill of Staying
Most people don’t fail at creativity because they lack ability.
They fail because they don’t stay long enough.
They quit at:
the boring part
the messy part
the part where nothing seems to be happening
But that part is the work.
Creativity isn’t about constant output.
It’s about remaining present while something slowly takes shape.
This is why beginners often surprise themselves when given enough time and structure.
Once interruption is removed, creativity shows up on its own.
Reclaiming Creative Autonomy
There’s a deeper cost to constant interruption.
When our attention is always pulled outward, we lose authorship over our inner world.
We react instead of initiate.
Consume instead of create.
Scroll instead of stay.
Creative autonomy is the ability to choose one thing and remain with it long enough for meaning to emerge.
That autonomy isn’t lost.
It’s just out of practice.
Why Structure Matters (Especially for Beginners)
Unstructured time can feel overwhelming.
That’s why methods, exercises, and clear steps are important, not to restrict creativity, but to protect it.
Structure removes decision fatigue.
It gives the mind something to rest into.
It creates safety.
When structure meets time, creativity becomes inevitable.
A Gentle Invitation
If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your creative side, consider this:
You may not need more inspiration.
You may not need more talent.
You may simply need fewer interruptions and permission to stay.
Two hours.
One activity.
No scrolling.
Let boredom pass.
Let the noise settle.
Let your hands lead.
Creativity has been waiting patiently the whole time.
Why Your Portraits Look “Off” - And the 3 Filters That Will Finally Help You Draw Faces With Confidence
If you’ve ever sat down to draw a portrait and ended up with a face that looked like its features were slowly migrating south… welcome. You’re in the right place.
Every beginner struggles with portraits.
Not because they “can’t draw,” but because they were never taught how to see.
After years of trial and error, failed sketches, dramatic erasing, and eventually developing a clear, beginner-friendly system, I realised something:
Portrait drawing becomes simple when you learn to filter what you see.
Today, I’m sharing the same three filters I teach in The Portrait Method — my hands-on charcoal portrait workshop for beginners. These are the filters that finally made portrait drawing make sense, and they’ll do the same for you.
1. The Egg — Seeing the Head in 3D
The first filter is simple:
The head is an egg.
Not a sphere, not a cube — an egg.
Wider at the top, narrower at the bottom, slightly fuller behind.
Once you begin seeing the head this way:
You stop drawing “floating features”
Your proportions instantly improve
You place features more accurately
You think in 3D instead of outlines
Most beginners try to draw features before they’ve even drawn the head.
This filter fixes that instantly.
2. The Box — Understanding the Direction of the Head
The box gives your portrait something beginners rarely achieve on the first try:
Correct perspective.
Every head is always angled somewhere: up, down, left, right, or beautifully in-between.
When you use the box filter, you’re asking:
Can I see the top plane?
Can I see the side plane?
Is the face turning toward or away from me?
This decides everything that comes after:
Eyes tilt correctly
Nose lines up
Mouth sits naturally on the curved surface
Shading follows the form
If your portraits often look like they’re melting or twisting, this is the filter that fixes it.
3. The Envelope — The Big Shape That Solves 80% of Your Problems
This is the part almost every tutorial ignores.
Before you draw anything, you start with:
The envelope — the large outer shape that includes the entire head AND the hair.
It gives you:
The silhouette
The scale
The tilt
The gesture
The overall structure
If the person has big hair?
The envelope includes it.
If their head is tilted dramatically?
The envelope shows this immediately, before you even draw the face.
The envelope stops you from guessing your way through the portrait.
It’s your blueprint.
4. Using All 3 Filters at Once (This Is Where Everything clicks)
Here’s the real secret…
You’re not meant to use these filters one at a time.
You use them together.
At first you’ll think step-by-step:
“Envelope first…”
“Okay, now the egg…”
“Where is the box turning?”
“Where is the big shadow shape?”
But after a while, something shifts:
The filters blend into one way of seeing.
Suddenly you look at someone and instantly know:
“Huge hair that looks like a bell, envelope first.”
“I can see the top plane so that means the head is tilting down.”
“Strong side lighting from the left, draw the shadow shapes on the right.”
And after enough practice, you don’t need all three every time. You choose the filter based on the portrait in front of you.
This creates a huge leap in confidence, the kind beginners feel instantly during my workshop.
Why These Filters Work (Even If You’re a Complete Beginner)
Because they remove overwhelm.
Instead of thinking, “How do I draw a face?”
You break it into three simple questions:
What’s the big outer shape and how can I simplify it?
What’s the underlying volume?
What direction is it facing?
Once you answer those, the portrait nearly draws itself.
You get:
Structure
Accuracy
Depth
Clear lighting
Confident lines
A repeatable process you can use forever
You stop guessing.
You start understanding.
Your drawings instantly look more lifelike.
Want to Learn This System in One Day? Join My Workshop.
If this clicked with you, even a little, you’ll love my in-person beginner workshop:
The Portrait Method: A Charcoal Workshop for Beginners
Learn the 3 core filters, step-by-step, in a small group (10 spots only).
You’ll get:
Hands-on guidance
A 5-hour structured lesson
All materials included
A complete portrait finished in class
A system you can use to improve on your own
If you’re ready to stop guessing and finally draw portraits with confidence, you can learn more here:
Why You Should Start Drawing Today (Even if You Think You Can’t Draw)
When was the last time you picked up a pencil and let your thoughts flow onto paper? Drawing isn’t just for artists—it’s for anyone looking to see the world, and their ideas, differently. Whether you’re solving a complex work problem or seeking clarity in your personal life, drawing can be your secret weapon to unlocking creativity and innovation.
Drawing Activates Your Brain in New Ways
Did you know that drawing uses both hemispheres of your brain? The logical left brain organizes lines and structure, while the creative right brain fills in the imagination and emotion. When you draw, you’re essentially giving your brain a full workout. It’s no wonder so many great thinkers—like Leonardo Da Vinci and Steve Jobs—used drawing to bring their ideas to life.
Think Like a Visionary: The Strategic Power of Sketching
Steve Jobs was known to sketch during meetings, not to create art but to visualize his ideas. Translating abstract thoughts into visual form helps you see patterns and connections that were invisible before. Think of it like brainstorming on steroids—sketching a problem or idea forces you to engage with it differently.
Doodle Your Way to Inspiration (and Don’t Forget the Sound Effects!)
Take five minutes during your lunch break, grab a pen, and let your mind wander onto paper. Don’t overthink it—just draw whatever comes to mind, from squiggly lines to stick figures.
And here’s the twist: make sound effects as you draw. Scribble with a triumphant "whoosh!" or sketch your coffee cup while muttering "glug-glug-glug!" Sure, it might feel silly, but that’s the point. Adding sound brings emotion to your sketch, making the act of drawing not just visual, but dynamic. It’s about loosening up, having fun, and connecting with the energy of your ideas.
When you allow yourself to play, you unlock a layer of creativity that’s as invigorating as it is inspiring. Who knows? That lunchtime doodle might spark your next big idea.
How Drawing Connects You to Art
Here’s the thing: when you draw, you don’t just engage with your own creativity—you also start to see art itself differently. By experiencing the process of creation, you’ll develop a sharper eye for detail, emotion, and technique. This can help you appreciate (and maybe even collect!) art that truly speaks to you.
It’s not just about producing a masterpiece. It’s about understanding the magic of creation and how it mirrors life’s complexity and beauty.
The World Needs Your Unique Perspective
Drawing is more than putting lines on paper. It’s a way to think, to feel, and to connect with the world around you. Whether it’s a doodle, a sketch, or a detailed rendering, every mark you make reflects your unique perspective.
So, pick up a pencil. Let your ideas flow. Add a "whoosh!" for good measure. And most importantly, enjoy the process. You might just surprise yourself—and see your world in ways you never imagined.
What’s Next?
Ready to try it out? Start with a doodle today and share what you create. Let’s inspire each other to think differently, one sketch at a time.
#CreativityUnleashed #ThinkDifferent #DrawingForAll #ArtAndInnovation