Why I take sketch breaks instead of surfing the Internet • Hacker News Board

Re: Why I take sketch breaks instead of surfing the Internet

#31

Post by chernevik » Fri, Oct 28, 2011, 6:48 PM UTC

I do this too. I also take off my shoes and do little toe-tap drills with a soccer ball. (Which can become a respectable work-out in 6 square feet.)

They're both non-verbal, I can almost feel myself using a different part of the brain. It's a good little rest, and erases my mental "context" of the problem -- I catch a lot of silly errors when I return to work.

Re: Why I take sketch breaks instead of surfing the Internet

#32

Post by brudgers » Fri, Oct 28, 2011, 6:50 PM UTC

A good book on sketching and it's application as a business communication tool is Dan Roam's The Back of the Napkin.

http://www.amazon.com/Back-Napkin-Expanded-Problems-Pictures...

Re: Why I take sketch breaks instead of surfing the Internet

#33

Post by gzmask » Fri, Oct 28, 2011, 7:09 PM UTC

I use meditation. same idea though, keeps the mind sharp.

Re: Why I take sketch breaks instead of surfing the Internet

#34

Post by njharman » Fri, Oct 28, 2011, 7:10 PM UTC

rev087 wrote: post #23

It would be interesting to know what other people in the technology industry do during their breaks. I usually go for a smoke and a cup of coffee, and maybe getting to know what other people do could inspire me to avoid this bad habit.

I go talk to people face to face.

Re: Why I take sketch breaks instead of surfing the Internet

#35

Post by Harkins » Fri, Oct 28, 2011, 7:20 PM UTC

I do origami. I especially find modular polyhedra, folding simple one piece over and over to assemble something beautiful.

Re: Why I take sketch breaks instead of surfing the Internet

#36

Post by georgieporgie » Fri, Oct 28, 2011, 7:23 PM UTC

joeyespo wrote: post #25

beagledude wrote: post #13

There is a Ted talk that goes over why Doodling should actually be encouraged: http://www.ted.com/talks/sunni_brown.html

Awesome talk. I'm guity of being caught doodling in class. As early as first grade. I still remember one particular day long ago where a teacher noticed me doodling during class. The lecture halted. My notes were confiscated. Then torn up and tossed into the trash. I was horrified. And yet, to this day, I've never stopped doodling. It's quite soothing. Some of my best works of art started as "just a doodle."

That just made me remember that I used to draw during class often. Over time, teachers forced me to stop. Looking back on school, I started out as a well-behaved, good student, and finished as disinterested, depressed, and moderately disruptive. I wonder if there was a connection.

Re: Why I take sketch breaks instead of surfing the Internet

#37

Post by radius » Fri, Oct 28, 2011, 7:27 PM UTC

If you're not into pen and paper, there are a bunch of cool sites that let you doodle in the browser. I've been using this one for a few weeks and it's actually pretty cool: http://doodle.ly/

Re: Why I take sketch breaks instead of surfing the Internet

#38

Post by praptak » Fri, Oct 28, 2011, 7:37 PM UTC

There is some interesting reading about relations between drawing, perception and various modes of brain operation in "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards (excerpt here: http://drawright.com/drsbread.htm )

Re: Why I take sketch breaks instead of surfing the Internet

#39

Post by jhuni » Fri, Oct 28, 2011, 7:38 PM UTC

Unfortunately, I live in a small apartment and the only desk I have has a computer on it, which makes it hard for me to concentrate on sketching or anything else. I guess I should go to the library more.

Re: Why I take sketch breaks instead of surfing the Internet

#40

Post by Fliko » Fri, Oct 28, 2011, 7:38 PM UTC

brudgers wrote: post #29

biot wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To save someone else as musically ignorant as I some googling: G&L is a guitar brand. "Tele" is short for "Telecaster", a model made by Fender (who also makes the Stratocaster) which is presumably used loosely for similar models from other guitar brands as well.

G&L was founded by Leo Fender...of Fender fame.

I would go as far as to say that G&L has more of the passion of Leo then Fender does, they are very amazing guitars 'specially for the price you can get them.