🖋️ Part 2: I almost quit on my creativity until I found Sketchnoting (Part 2/3)

Hey there!

If you're here, that means you either liked what you read, accidentally clicked a link, or (my personal favorite) you're looking for creative sanity in a world that’s not helping. I’m Urmila, writer, artist, educator, accidental IT professional, certified yogi, and full-time believer that creativity is for everyone.

☕ Teacups and Tiny Victories ✌

This Substack is my love letter to slow growth, messy beginnings, and the magic that happens when we show up as ourselves, even when we’re still figuring things out. If this piece gave you even a tiny spark of joy or clarity, I’d love it if you bought me a coffee.

Thank you for being here - for reading, reflecting, and showing up with such beautiful humanity. You make this all worth it. 💛

Now, let’s dive in…

🖋️ Part 2: I almost quit on my creativity until I found Sketchnoting (Part 2/3)

I observe a lot. I feel deeply. And I love sharing my thoughts and visuals with the world.

But for a long time, I wasn’t finding joy in creating. Not really. Not in a way that felt effortless or exciting.

Telling stories — especially the ones that move me — brings me alive. And when they resonate with people like you , who leave heartfelt comments or send messages saying “I want to try this too!” — well, that means everything.

A big thank you to thank you to Mohammed,

Hans Jorgensen

Eugene Grin

Lisa Cunningham DeLauney

and

Neela 🌶️

for showing up with such beautiful energy and curiosity 💛

Some of this comes instinctively to me now. But I think it’s also a muscle I’ve built over time. (If you haven’t read Part 1, go ahead,I’ll wait right here 😊.)

Before you even think why you should take my word for it, let me share my past with you. Over the last decade, I’ve tried a lot of creative mediums:

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🎨 My Creative Journey in Mediums

1. Urban Sketching

I started sketching on location — cafes, temples, streets — and it led to my first solo exhibition, art sales, and helped me feel seen in a place like Hong Kong, where being a brown woman made integration tough.

• ✅ The good: Real-time, raw, and rooted in observation.
  ❌ The not-so-good: I chased perfection, compared myself endlessly, and burned out before a major symposium in Amsterdam. I quit… for years.

  Now? I’m coming back to it gently, slowly, and on my own terms.

  

  sketched live on location in Wanchai- Hong Kong

  2. Mixed Media Abstract Painting
  During the pandemic, I painted abstract pieces rooted in mental health. That work landed me an exhibition with Schoeni Projects in London.

  urmimenon

  

  A post shared by @urmimenon

  ✅ The good: Therapeutic, expressive, deeply personal.
  ❌ The not-so-good: A friend once said, “I wouldn’t hang this in my house.” I spiralled. Doubt crept in. Plus, setup and cleanup were a nightmare.
  

  

  some of the pieces that got featured

3. Digital Illustration
This was portable, fast, and perfect for collaborations, such as my first art fundraiser for the Covid relief in India featured in the South China Morning Post, fundraisers for Afghanistan, mental health causes, Haw Par Mansion Foundation.

urmimenon

A post shared by @urmimenon

• ✅ The good: No mess, instant shareability, easy edits.
  ❌ The not-so-good: Too much screen time + over-reliance on tools killed the magic. I got bored.

  

  fields of gold- an ode to my village- this is the view from my home back in Kerala

4.📓 Creative Journaling

My lifeline during one of the most stressful times in my life — juggling a toxic full-time job and a second postgraduate degree. I even hosted creative journaling workshops! Seeing others connect through self-expression was pure joy.

my creative journaling workshop:)

✅ Pros:

• Tactile & grounding

• Expressive & flexible

• Collaborative & therapeutic

❌ Cons:

• Resource-heavy (art supplies, stickers, pens!)

• Not always accessible on the go
  

  

  creative journaling is like a love letter to your inner child

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✨ And Then Came Sketchnoting

• I discovered sketchnoting just two days before my trip to Thailand and decided to use it to document the entire journey.

• Within 15 days, I felt something I’d been missing for years: pure, unfiltered joy in creating.

• It’s flexible, personal, and keeps up with my pace of thinking and observing.

• People loved it. They wanted to try it. It wasn’t cumbersome or intimidating.

• Nothing gives me more joy than getting people inspired to try something creative

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🎯 What Makes Sketchnoting Different for Me?

• Not a drawing test: If line work isn’t your thing, you can lean into words. My first two sketchnotes were mostly text because I was rusty, and still worked!

  

• Color freedom: You don’t need a rainbow. Stick to 3–4 colours. I use primary colours — fewer choices = faster decisions + more visual coherence.
  

  

  

• Words-first? Go for it: Keep it short, legible, and let the layout guide the reader.
  

  Here’s a quick peek into my Thailand trip that reignited my creativity, plus the basic tools you need to start sketchnoting today!!
  

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📝 What’s Coming Next

In Part 3, I’ll answer all your questions, walk you through:

• How to make a sketchnote spread

• Positioning, spacing, and highlighting

• Keeping visual interest (for yourself and readers!)

• And how to never run out of things to capture

Plus, I’ll share: ✅ A video walkthrough of how I create my spreads
✅ A free downloadable template to start your very first one

You asked — I’m delivering 💛.