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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Lifestyle
Josh Nicholas

I used to think art required natural talent. Then I taught myself to draw

two drawings in pencil by author Josh Nicholas, the left an blockier image of a building in orange pencil, the right a more detailed pen image of a building in the rocks
An earlier attempt by the author at an environmental study (left) versus a more recent effort (right). Photograph: Josh Nicholas

After a lifetime of scribbling on scrap paper, a few years ago I finally started taking drawing seriously. I was backpacking and bought a tin of crayons. I loved it instantly. I spent the rest of the trip sitting in gutters and scribbling wonky buildings; in pubs drawing malformed fellow patrons.

An early self portrait by the author
An early self portrait Photograph: Josh Nicholas/The Guardian
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