This is already the fourth one in my animal series. This time, I have a creative association exercise for you. Something completely different.
I will give you a word or words, in this case, ‘animal tails’, and you have to draw everything that comes to mind when you hear it.
There are no wrong answers. Maybe you’ll really think of tails from animals, or you’ll think about the pigtails of your daughter, the brush you use when you comb your pet, or something completely random. It’s all ok.
Then you try to draw these things. It doesn’t have to be perfect; it’s about having fun.
Did you know that an association exercise can help to stimulate your creativity? It encourages your creative thinking and can also help if you have a creative block and don’t know what to make. This kind of exercise will get your creativity flowing again.
Please let me know if this exercise inspired you, I’d love to know.
You can find a small video of this exercise on my Instagram @thecreativecooldown
Supplies used:
Bristol paper (Winsor & Newton), alcohol markers (Winsor & Newton), fineliner no. 1.0, 0.3, 0.1, 0.05 (Copic).
Alternative supply suggestions:
For this exercise, you can also use a regular pen or a pencil to draw your associations. If you want to add color, use whatever you have, such as crayons, markers, and watercolor. You can even use a pencil to color your drawings and just add various shades of grey.
Instructions
1. Start to think of all the things that come to mind when you hear the words ‘animal tails’. There is no right or wrong answer. They are your thoughts, and every thought is ok. Don’t judge them, even if they are completely random.
2. Now, it’s time to draw them. Start with the basic forms and slowly add more details. If you want to add some texture, you can use hatching. This is a technique where you use parallel lines to create texture, depth, or shadow. It depends on how close the lines are together. Just try to experiment with it. I’ve used this technique when drawing the tail of the squirrel (see images below). You can also add details with smaller pens. Keep in mind that this exercise is about having fun and getting inspired, it is not about perfection. Try not to be too hard on yourself.
3. Continue until you’ve filled the entire page with drawings of your associations.
4. If you’d like, you can add color. Use whatever material you have available. Now you’ve completed your creative association exercise. I hope you feel inspired.
If you liked this exercise, you might like my Mindful sea turtle pattern exercise as well.
