As we all already know, we ain’t living in a world that runs slowly. On this planet, everything is either hurried, fidgeted, or panicked to put things into place on time. People are always and forever on the go go go!
In this never-ending rush to find something that we hardly know exists, why not try slowing down to solve the same puzzle with ease?
They say the girl-boss era has vanished and we are now in the snail-girl era! And guess what? I am totally in love with it. I mean, for me, slow living is such a bliss.
Ever since I understood the same activity or task in hand can be performed or done at a much slower pace(slow living), devoid of stress or anxiety, then what is stopping us from doing it?! Now one may ask why not finish it fast and put it aside? Then here comes the hot and burning question –
Why is Slow Living Important?
Slowing down, or rather finding the rhythm of one’s own body, mind and soul will help your entire system to function at ease. Not only that, it allows you to cherish the moments, refrain from stress or anxiety, and lets you enjoy the moments inside out.
Look at it this way, when every cell in your body is functioning perfectly well without any friction from any angle, combined with an aligned clutter-free mind, you are left with nothing but ease to perform even better and effortlessly.
So, why not slow down and work towards better results rather than torturing your entire system just for the sake of it?
And to make that work, I believe in ARTing!!!
If you wonder how art can help in slow living and put you at ease, I have some interesting points and tips coming up to help you in your slowing down and relaxing process. More on that below.
I started drawing line art on a random day and found it therapeutic! I call them my meditative moments through art. For example, this one here that I drew some time ago:
I sat in a comfortable and relaxing place. I started to pick the colours that I found attractive to me at that very moment. Here it is black in this case. I simply started to draw lines and play around. Now, this is called abstract line art, where we don’t have any physical reference or entity as such to refer to and draw. It is a kind of expression that comes directly from your heart or soul.
Check this…
You keep moving in your hand’s direction until you have the urge to stop. As you can see, these are just simple, repetitive lines. Beginning somewhere and ending elsewhere. This, in a way, depicts the flow of life for me. You never know the outcome or the result, so all you need to do is focus on every step and be in the present.
Here’s another video…
Here comes the interesting part. While I drew these, and whenever I sat to draw them, I was totally in the moment, slowed down, and completely at ease. I was able to feel the effortless and mindful moments that came with this artwork.
Also read – How to Find Your True Self Through Simple Line Art?
Of course, to begin with, I did have my mind picking random thoughts about anything and everything all around me, but trust me, it only gets better with time. The more I sat with it, the more relaxed it felt.
All thoughts vanished, and I was eventually totally focused on how my hands were moving and what shapes I was arriving at. This is it! Slowing down through meditative art practices!
Slow Living and Recharging Through Simple Line Art
So how do you go about slow living amidst your regular chores? If you are overwhelmed with where and how to begin, you needn’t worry. I have got you covered. In this post, I will help you start your meditative art practices and go about them step by step.
Slow Living : Mindful Art Exercise
Objective
To create simple, random abstract lines and patterns to explore the depth of one’s creativity and thereby slow down in the process.
Art supplies required
- White paper or canvas
- Fine-tipped black pens or markers
Instructions to Draw Simple Line Art
- Set the Mood: Find a quiet and comfortable space where you can focus on your creative process. Play some calming music or set the atmosphere in a way that helps you relax and slow down.
- Preparation:
- Take a moment to clear your mind and let go of any distractions.
- Prepare your materials and choose a size for your canvas or paper. Keep it manageable for your first attempt.
- Start with a Line: Begin with a single, simple line on your paper. This line can be straight, wavy, or curved. It’s the starting point for your creation.Let go of the rush and busyness of everyday life. Instead, focus on the here and now. As you carefully extend your lines, breathe deeply and feel the relaxation that comes with the rhythmic movement of your hand.Consider this artistic process as a form of meditation.
- Extend and Connect: From your initial line, start extending and connecting more lines. Just repeat them slowly and mindfully. Follow your hand and be free and relaxed to move wherever it directs. You can use straight lines to create geometric shapes or more organic, flowing lines to create patterns. Let your creativity flow and see where your lines take you.
- Variation in Line Thickness: Experiment with line thickness. You can use different pens or markers to create varying line weights. Thicker lines can add depth and emphasis to your artwork.
- Embrace Negative Space: Pay attention to the spaces between your lines. How does the negative space affect the overall composition? You can choose to leave some areas empty or fill them with more lines.
- Step Back and Reflect: Take a step back from your artwork and observe it. What feelings or emotions does it evoke? How does it represent your current state of mind or emotions? As you observe your artwork taking shape, notice how your emotions and thoughts evolve with each line and are eventually slowing down. Play around with pause and resume. And when you feel the urge to stop, you need to end it right there!
- Title it : Give your artwork a title that reflects your thoughts and feelings during the creative process.
Shapes You Can Take Inspiration From
- Lines
- Leaf lines
- Waves / flow of water
- Ocean
- River bed
- Shapes like circles or triangles
- Rocky Mountains
- Clouds
Or any shape or shapeless pattern that comes from within you.
Tips:
- Don’t worry about making mistakes; there are no right or wrong lines in abstract art.
- Allow your intuition and creativity to guide you.
- Use this exercise as a way to slow down, be mindful, and let your art flow from your inner self.
Now that you have the basics covered, I would love to see what you create out of this. Once you’re satisfied with your work, share it here with me along with the main concept that came to your mind once you completed it or how you felt about the process of slowing down.I would love to have a look at it.
Until next time,
Keep ARTing,
Neethu.
