This somehow snuck up on me, but today is day 100 of 2026, the Year of Art. I’ve drawn an entry for my visual diary on every single one of those days. Not a single day missed.

It’s one of the best projects I’ve ever taken on. It continues to challenge me while giving me small wins every day. It strikes the perfect balance between a relaxing hobby and something that actually demands effort.

I’m not sure if I can keep this up forever. Every day I think this will be the day I run out of ideas, but it hasn’t happened yet. So I’ll keep going and hope for the best.

My 2026 is the Year of Art and to make sure that I stick to this theme I started drawing a daily visual journal on the first of January. Up until now I only posted these on social media but I figured it would be nice to give these little artworks a place of their own. Introducing: Dailies!

In the last few weeks, I spent quite a bit of money on art supplies. My hobbies are cyclical. The interest fades, but it always returns. This time feels different. Sketching and painting have a cathartic effect on me. It feels necessary, not just fun.

Normally, perfectionism makes me quit quickly. Frustration comes fast when your artwork looks nothing like what you expected. I have been working on that, but lately, I find myself loving the imperfection itself.

Maybe that shift is connected to AI.

Sure, it is neat to generate a Studio Ghibli version of an image. But as someone who knows he could create something unique by hand, it feels hollow.

Every line of ink on paper carries more tactile character, more direct connection to the body and emotions, than anything made on a screen. That was always true. AI just made it more obvious.

I want to harvest that truth for my otherwise very digital life. I feel like it will be essential for my wellbeing going forward.

Something about a sketchbook as a daily companion for life has always fascinated me. Sitting somewhere and sketching what’s around you feels like the purest form of mindfulness.

Pages and pages full of visualized memories. What could be cooler than that?

Here’s a small sketch I did yesterday while sitting on a bench at the Alster, talking to an older woman about her allergies.