Mindful Drawing
A Dot Walking Delight
Pause and Ponder; how do you respond when your mind goes BLANK?
Do you allow it to linger or embark on your own Quest for HINTS?
Stuck, stumbled, blocked, and utterly confused! How often do we feel like Not DOING anything? or feeling unmotivated …Common experience, we all face at some point in our lives. The first thing we need to tell ourselves is To find the very inspiration and break the mental block is Easy!
A friendly affirmation that you may read for yourself;
“I Allow myself to vanish in my mind & and I am ready to discover who I am all over again.”
Whenever I encounter such moments, I indulge myself in a few activities that I find most enjoyable and helpful. Especially, in regaining my focus and motivation. Let’s see if you also do the same ;
I Take a Break! Give some rest to my mind, body, and soul. Deep Breathe, Change the environment, Meditate, Write or Draw!
Sometimes, the best way to get out of our own Chaotic mindset and boredom is by adding some sort of Movement in our Lives. That may be in terms of any healthy physical activity, like cooking, making tea or coffee, relaxing stretches, playing an instrument or watering the plants, etc.
Or today you can choose to perform Mindful Art activities with me.
Mindful art refers to the practice of creating art with a focus on being fully present and aware of the present moment. Your process of creating is more important than the final outcome. Be fearless, spontaneous, expressive, and non-judgmental. Stay in tune with your emotions, thoughts, and the present moment.
By the end of these activities, you may be able to complete your own mindful artwork!
Are you Ready to take your Pencil on a Ride?
Get — Set — Go!
- Mark Making
Grab a pen, pencil, ball pen, stylus and paper, diary, or notepad. Let’s begin by holding the pencil or pen from a distance & making Random MARKS. Loosen your grip on the pencil.
Gradually add pressure over the same marks and create your own STROKES!
Messy, Nonsense, Funny, Joyful any sort of but DO IT!
Look at my Marks :) You must be feeling motivated now. Haha
KEEP GOING! KEEP IT MOVING FOR 5- 10 MINUTES
Great you have created your own STROKES! Feel any better?
While you are going in circles, spirals, or zig-zag, you might feel hesitant to go further.
Give yourself another chance. Fortunately, I have an effortless method to help you relax and ease your thought process.
2. Filling in Shapes
You must have learned about 2D shapes as a kid, have you? A circle, a rectangle, a square, and a triangle. Rite!
Let’s just take a fresh page and use a scale or any objects you have at hand to draw these shapes as outlines.
Once you have outlined the shapes, divide them into half.
Here comes the truly Satisfying part: begin filling in the shapes, but only on one side. Leave the other side unfilled, creating a visually interesting contrast. Keep a blank piece of paper over your drawing where your hand is resting. This will protect your shading from being spread all over.
How do you feel about your shapes now?
Do they convey any message to you?
Write them down there on the same page.
If not; LET — IT -BE!
There is still a difference between something and nothing, but it is purely geometrical and there is nothing behind the geometry. -Martin Gardner
Experience the Nothingness, sometimes it brings us closer to our deeper selves!
Did you know that by simply repeating these two activities on a piece of paper, which you just did, you can create a multitude of stunning Abstract works?
You will see when you will complete the third one.
Hope your hands are now fully warmed up!
Let’s get to our last activity of today.
3. Scribbling
Scribbling is a drawing technique characterized by quick, erratic, and often overlapping lines. By using rapid and uncontrolled movements we can create expressive and energetic lines on paper or any other surface.
It is often associated with childlike or playful drawings, but it can also be intentionally used by artists to convey a sense of movement, emotion, or chaos in their artwork. Also, a way of capturing the essence or energy of a subject rather than focusing on precise details or realism.
Time to get a blank paper again. Go random, make marks, write things, draw shapes, and just repeat!
Shade areas where your shapes intersect or join. Increase or decrease the intensity of your strokes as you like.
LET YOUR ATTENTION, ON YOUR FLOW OF DRAWING, GO ALONG, AND ENJOY THE PROCESS.
I changed my sitting place three times while working on this piece. Here is how it looks now!
I am still not sure if it needs any title. um, any suggestions?
However, one thing is certain: I hummed my favorite lines and felt completely in tune with my surroundings as I started to relax during this time.
This entire process of three exercises provided a much-needed respite for my restless mind, leaving me with a profound sense of peace. Effortlessly!
Do let me know how was your sketch and what title you gave it or if it’s untitled. Hope you decide to give yourself another chance today.
Remember! Whatever you sketched so far does not necessarily need to look similar to mine or any artistic drawing you have in your subconscious mind as a perfect version of Art.
Certainly, It is YOUR JOURNEY OF THE PROCESS!
&
it deserves a special place in your journal, on your wall, or as your wallpaper on the phone screen.
We often forget to celebrate our Efforts and those tiny actions where we reassure ourselves that WE CARE! & why not?
I have done such art-making -mind-relaxing processes hundreds of times and never shared them with anyone before.
That’s the point! because I kept them dear, enclosed in the sketchbook and journals, and did not want validation from anyone but only me. Yeah, just me.
The reason I decided to share this whole thing here is to connect with you all. I want to tell you that
I am you too!
Art has helped me to evolve continually and empowered me to become the best version of myself every day.
I am not saying that becoming the best version means there are no highs and lows. Yes, there are, but that’s how you know life. Isn’t it?
In terms of expression, mindfulness and art are purely connected. Your work starts speaking to you as soon as you start making it.
So, if you are a non-artist or an artist, it does not matter what you CREATE; but yes, how it made you FEEL truly matters!
Experiencing boredom and mental blocks is a usual thing these days.
The key lies in learning how to navigate these situations with ease unconsciously.
The activities I recommended are the ones that I have personally tested and experienced.
I’m curious to know how you personally address and overcome these challenges.
At the end of the day we are looking for the same thing and that is BEING happy in the Present Moment.
Stay fully Alive in your all senses, and stay connected with yourself; it is the ultimate Mantra for Ecstasy!
