Be Prepared

I learned a very valuable lesson this afternoon about being prepared. I was watching a video of a friend on Snapchat and it gave me the idea to do a cartoon. I was downtown, didn’t have any drawing materials with me and was afraid that I would lose the idea by the time I made it home several hours later. Thus I found myself stopping at Hobby Lobby to buy a drawing pad, pencils and an eraser. This was in spite of the fact that I have stacks of all of these at home, because I did not want to lose the inspiration for the cartoon before I could make it home to draw it.

I am an Eagle Scout and in Scouting we were always taught to “Be Prepared”. For what you might ask? In this case, moments of inspiration, and secondarily not having to buy more supplies than I already have when those moments of inspiration hit me. I am not saying that I am going to keep a full art studio with me in my car at all times, but I learned today that it is a good idea to keep a drawing pad, HB pencil, eraser and pencil sharpener in my car so that if a moment of inspiration hits me I am able to stop and record it with out having to run home to my studio or go to an art supply store in order to get the stuff needed to record it. I am going to add a lined notebook and pen to that kit as well, because I never know when an idea will come that needs some written attention,