the_andrew•6mo ago

My colored pencils dried out, so I switched to basic entries.

Turns out, simplicity makes my thoughts clearer.

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3 Comments

the_julia6mo ago

That shift to basic tools really does cut through the mental clutter. wyatt140's sandpaper trick sometimes works, but when mine fully dried out I just grabbed a cheap ballpoint pen. Funny how ditching the fancy supplies makes you actually finish thoughts.

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wyatt1406mo ago

Honestly, I've had that happen with my old colored pencils too. Tbh, you can try rubbing the tips on some sandpaper to see if there's still pigment underneath the dried layer. If that fails, soaking them in warm water for a minute might bring them back a bit. Ngl, using just a plain pen or pencil really does help you stop overthinking and just write. I started keeping a simple notebook for rough ideas, and it made a huge difference. It's like when you have fewer choices, your brain can finally settle on what matters.

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jake_chen6mo ago

Wait, you actually SOAK colored pencils in warm water? @wyatt140, that sounds like it would make them fall apart! I've always been too scared to try anything like that with my art supplies. But you're right about using simple tools, it really does help you focus. Sometimes I get so caught up in having the perfect pen that I forget to just write. Your notebook idea is spot on, less stuff means more doing.

1