Series four of the adrawingaday project

This small project I have set for myself – one drawing per day – is continuing as expected. It can be something I look forwards to now as a way to unwind at the end of a day. Many of the same themes continue – women, strangeness, fine lines, nature. Have picked up a more geometric style recently, while working out how to draw gems.

Have done quite a few mandalas, too. I find them extremely soothing to work on at the moment. Mandala is Sanskrit for circle or disc, and the history as a meditative practice is an absorbing read. Carl Jung’s research and popularisation of the mandala in art therapy in the early part of the twentieth century also gave the Western world a place for the mandalas. Thanks Jung!

Continuing into this century, mandalas have gained contemporary interest from psychologists for use in cognitive behavioural therapy. A study in colouring and anxiety found results that suggest the structured colouring of reasonably complex geometric patterns (mandalas and a plaid pattern were used in the study) have a greater effect on relieving anxiety than the group that completely unstructured colouring¹.

I have not done that much colouring, but nevertheless have found the simple act of drawing the outlines still very soothing.

Also, hairy women.

Related:

#adrawingaday 1

#adrawingaday 2

#adrawingaday 3

¹Curry and Kasser, 2005. Can Coloring Mandalas Reduce Anxiety? Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 22(2) pp. 81-85 © AATA, Inc. 2005. Link here to downloadable PDF via ERIC.