Painting is my passion as well as my favourite mindfulness practice because of how it brings me fully into the present moment. The very act of painting encourages me to focus on all its different aspects from mixing the colours to how the paint is being applied with every brush stroke.
Still, I recognize that there’s a certain amount of setup and teardown involved in painting and, when your energy is already feeling low, this can seem like a barrier to engaging in any sort of creative practice.
This is why I find myself constantly recommending Amy Maricle’s book, “Draw Yourself Calm”.
Now, I’m someone who has a hard time sitting still and generally take a dive-right-in approach to everything. As soon as Maricle’s book arrived in the mail, I flipped through the patterns, picked one I liked and just started drawing. The patterns are simple enough that this approach does work and I immediately noticed how pleasantly hypnotic this kind of drawing could be. Still, there is something to be said about sitting and reading the intention behind the drawings as well.
Maricle worked previously as an art therapist with a particular interest in movement-based work and this shows in her approach to slow drawing. She encourages you to focus on all the minute aspects of drawing—the feel of the paper, the way the pen slides across it, the sounds and smells in the room, the way you’re breathing as you draw and even the taste of a beverage you might have close at hand. All of these elements can help bring you into your body and the present moment.
This is mindfulness at its essence.
Because she also encourages folks to paint their slow drawing creations, Maricle recommends working on good quality watercolour paper using a Micron Drawing Pen-01 or similar. She suggests cutting the paper into small squares of either 3.5”x2.5” or 3”x3” as this encourages the creation of small, curious experiments. I love this idea because it is yet another way of embracing process over creating a perfect final piece of artwork.
For myself, I’ve tended to favour my Uni-ball roller pens in my mixed media sketchbook. I’ve always enjoyed the slip-and-slide feel of these pens, however, they would absolutely bleed all over the place if they were painted over.
(Just a little reminder that it’s okay to adapt the art-making media to whatever feels like the best fit for you.)
If you think you’d like to give slow drawing a try, you can get a preview of what’s in the book through Amy Maricle’s YouTube channel. In the video below, she discusses how she uses nature as the inspiration behind her patterns and highlights some of the amazing ways she uses these patterns in her artistic practice.
Happy creating!
Athena Cooper splits her time between being a fine art painter and a creativity coach with Tilted Windmills. If you’d like to support developing your creative practice, consider booking a free 30-minute consultation.