Meditative Doodling: Art Therapy - You Don't Have to be an Artist to Benefit

Picasso once said, "It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child." Well, I am certainly no Picasso and I never will be! I almost feel embarassed to post this. Almost. The point is not to show off my art. Rather, my point is that we don't have to be artists to benefit from creativity.

Often, I think we get into a mindset that only writers can write, singers can sing, and artists can... art. However, it is a human need (for most of us) to express ourselves creatively. Doing this can help to improve our mood and, well, it can just make life more pleasant.

Unfortunately, too often, people allow a lack of talent to prevent them from enjoying life. That probably sounds funny. But think about it: if we are bad dancers or not musical, we are discouraged from dancing or making music. If we are not artistic, we are discouraged from drawing and painting. If we are bad writers, we are discouraged from writing. If we are not very mathematical, we are discouraged from doing logic puzzles and sudoku. If we are bad gardeners, we are discouraged from planting and killing more plants. However, these are all things that can bring us great joy, and we will improve at them if we persist.

Even if we never improve, part of life is about expressing ourselves, and singing our own song, even if it is crazy and off key.

Sometimes, I really enjoy doing what I call meditative art therapy. I basically sketch lines on a page with a pencil and then use my beloved and overpriced TomBow markers to fill in the patterns. The result is colorful, whimsical, and a reflection of my wild, raw thought patterns. It takes hours and is an intricate process that leads to something I don't know how to describe.

Once, when I had put my art on my wall, because I believe we should surround ourselves with our art, flawed though it may be... anyhow, a friend came over and asked whether my daughter (who was six at the time) had created the art. I was not offended. He was not wrong. I do draw and paint a lot like a six year old sometimes!

I think it is very important that, while we appreciate artists who truly have talent, we also take the time to nourish our souls by being creative regardless of our ability! It is important that we love ourselves. Taking the time to do something you enjoy, regardless of whether you feel you are talented at it, is a form of self-care.

Self-care. That's a topic for a whole other article. It literally took me years to even understand the meaning of the expression "self care."

Without further ado, here are the photos of some of my markers, my paper, the sketch, and the finished piece. I find when I do this type of meditative art, I am focused and calm. It is like colouring, which I also enjoy, but more creative and, for me, a little more fun!

(Image Credit: all images were created and photographed by the author)