The Common Pencil

Have you ever wondered what it is like to start a YouTube Channel? The journey is bound to be different for everyone. Nevertheless, I would like to share my experience with you. That is because I think of you as a reader. As a reader, you might find comfort in silence and calm. When I say that YouTube can be (and often is) a very loud place, I think you might understand what I mean.

What do you see when you think of an average female youtuber? Squeaky voice, trendy clothes, lots of make-up? Yeah, that is not me. Filming myself has kicked off a little existential crisis. I have asked myself many times why on Earth I would want to become a YouTube video creator, and the answer is still a little unclear to me. I honestly don’t know why. This is what I do know:

Those of you who have been around here for a while, know that I like to write about following your creative ideas, even if they seem a little out of the box. I am doing precisely that. I might not be able to explain why, but I have experienced that many people are not looking for a perfect picture. Many people just want to be able to relate, feel connected. My channel is about showing the process of learning how to make art, and creatives of all skill levels are coming in, because they can relate. That makes me feel intensely happy.

The Common Pencil is a slowly growing, cozy creative corner on the internet. I will be able to upload a new video once every 3 or 4 weeks. Uploading more often is simply not possible right now, as video making is not my job, but a hobby! Things just take the time they take. I expect to be able to upload faster once I get better (and thus faster) at video editing.

Future-wise I am thinking about starting a Discord channel for The Common Pencil. On Discord we could share our writings, doodles, ask each other for advice, or just chat about whatever with like-minded people. Wouldn’t that be something?

Thank you very much for reading! If you have any questions or thoughts you would like to share, feel free to leave a comment, or send an e-mail to heleen@commonpencil.com.

With love,
Heleen Charlotte / The Common Pencil