Keep an art journal! Go buy one from an art shop, newsagent or even KMART! Try to buy a really big one so you’re not constrained by the small size of the page.
Your journal’s purpose will be to document how life is. Just draw images from your life. No judging. Just capturing them.
Try to set aside a little time every day to work on your art journal so that it becomes a habit. Even just five minutes a day is better than spending hours just on a Saturday.
You might draw your emotions, things you see on your day or an actual experience that unfolded for you.
Don’t try to dissect or analyse your expressions. Just give them the outlet they require. Allow them to be. Pay attention to the glimpses they are giving you.
If you are struggling to draw anything or find yourself judging yourself too harshly try this exercise to help you get outside of that harsh and analytical judgment space.
Grab a pencil or a felt tipped pen. Grab some paper or turn to a page of your journal. Choose something in front of you that you want to draw. Do not look at your pen or paper but only on the thing you are drawing. See what is actually there without looking at what you are drawing. Draw the entire thing without looking at the page once. Trust your hand and fully notice the object you are drawing.
This is a special kind of disciplined seeing. You could even find yourself over many of these exercises being able to draw an inner feeling using the same technique. Don’t look at the page, just draw what you see or feel.
Tell me how you go!
