written by: Salma X-2
It was mid-summer of 2021, online school was at its peak and thick eyeliner was the new trend. I was 12, a dangerous age to be in when you’re stuck inside with nothing but the internet to go to for entertainment. I was picking out my profile picture on instagram( settled on a galaxy picture, i think i missed 2017 a bit there) and saw something on my homepage.
It was an illustration with about 2k likes or so. I vividly remember what i had felt at the time. I was completely mesmerized, how can someone just do that? to create something out of nothing? See something as complex as a human face and crafted a rendition that was so unique on their own? I stared at the picture for a long time (and probably made my brain forget what it was because I can’t remember for the life of me) . That’s when i picked up my old pencil. It was rough and chewed on the edges yet still endured my academic career. I placed down a line.
That was where it all began. I started drawing girls with cheap markers (blue hair and gold earrings usually), then comics about two girls on their new cafes opening, and fanart for my favorite youtubers at the time. I eventually moved on to digital art because my mom (bless her heart) recognized my growing knack for scribbling down lines and decided to buy me a tablet with a stylus pen I had abused the hell out of. The thing that started as me wanting to find a new hobby in the pandemic turned into part of my identity. It’s a bit dramatic, but I don’t think I can go back to life before drawing. Even a simple doodle had done wonders for me as a person (it’s a domino effect, but still).
Now, I want to go and major in something art related for college (hopefully at one of my country’s top universities aamiin) . I know this isn’t the most exciting of stories, but it is a story that I hold close to my heart. If you made it to this sentence then please, get out there! Find what makes your brain tick and your life have meaning! Or maybe something you just like doing! Whatever it is, there is no better hobby or passion, because the spark that comes from them will always be understood. Whether you’re an adjusted adult or a 12 year old stuck in the pandemic. Go and create.