Sihay

There’s something liberating about picking up a single pen and deciding that it will be enough.

As an artist, I’ve often been caught in the tangles of overthinking—paralyzed not by the lack of inspiration, but by the surplus of choice. Which medium to use? What color palette to follow? How can I make it perfect? But in recent days, I’ve been gently leaning into the simplicity of working with just one medium: ink.

A Return to Simplicity

Using only ink removes the noise. It strips away the decisions that often cloud the beginning of any creative act. The first mark becomes easier to make when I know I don’t have to juggle tools or techniques. There’s no need to switch brushes, change layers, or test swatches. The limitation, in a strange and beautiful way, becomes the freedom.

There’s clarity in monochrome. My attention turns inward—to the rhythm of lines, the texture of strokes, the softness or sharpness of detail. I stop chasing after “perfect.” I start flowing. I become present.

Humble Devotion

When I simplify my process, I also quiet the pressure I tend to put on myself. Art no longer needs to carry the weight of proving something. It becomes what it was always meant to be—a humble act of devotion. Each drawing, whether finished or still in progress, is a quiet offering. Not just to the world, but to myself.

I do not have to take myself too seriously. But I do stay serious in my intention. The act of showing up to the page matters more than the polish of the result.

What Art Gives Back

In this simplicity, I find more than I ever seek. Art becomes a mirror—reflecting not just the outside world, but the internal one. The process of drawing feels like a soft meditation. A time to breathe. To notice. To listen.

Each inked stem, each veined leaf, every shadow and negative space—I see myself in them. And I am reminded, again and again, that peace is something I can make with my own hands.

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These images—botanical and fauna sketches, humble and intricate—are witnesses to this gentle process. A pen, a page, and presence. That’s all it takes.