ADHD CHRONICLES

I Spy, I Draw: How Art Makes You More Mindful

ADHD hack against racing thoughts: Draw anything you observe

Created by the author.

If you have read any of my posts about ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), you know how hard it can be for our brains to slow down. Constantly racing, looking for excitement…until you look out your window and see a sunset…and decide to draw it. Even if you have no artistic skill, you can observe the sunset, its shapes, and shadows, and think about why it looks the way it does. What colors and textures do I see? Can I reproduce them?

I spy, I draw

When I noticed the beautiful sunset through my window, I took my iPad and did an initial color exploration:

Created by the author.

The sunset was changing fast, so I added some additional notes on texture:

Created by the author.

Then I took a few photos with my phone so I have some references for later. I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to come back to this idea, knowing my ADHD self, but fortunately…