Explore the healing power of art with this tree patterns exercise. Perfect for busy moms seeking creative stress relief.
Hey there, beautiful mamas!
Motherhood is rewarding but oh-so-demanding, isn’t it? If you’ve been feeling like you’re always on the clock and missing out on ‘me-time,’ then today’s activity is tailored just for you.
If you’re yearning for a slice of serenity, a moment to breathe and be ‘you,’ then you’ve come to the right place. Today, we’re diving into a simple yet transformative art exercise that is both soothing and joyfully creative: painting tree patterns.
Please let me know if you’ve tried this one; I would love to see it.
You can find a small video of this exercise on my Instagram @thecreativecooldown
The Amazing Benefits of Drawing Patterns
Drawing patterns isn’t just fun; it’s therapeutic. When your hands are busy with the repetitive motion of creating shapes, your mind gets a chance to unwind. Here’s why:
- Mindfulness Boost:
By concentrating on simple patterns, you’re actually practicing a form of mindfulness. This focus can lead to a calming effect, lowering your heart rate and reducing stress. - Breaks the Perfectionism Loop:
There’s no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ pattern. This exercise allows you to let go of perfectionism, embracing the joy of the creative process instead. - Enhances Cognitive Skills:
Believe it or not, creating patterns requires a certain level of problem-solving and spatial reasoning. So you’re giving your brain a mini-workout too! - A Sense of Accomplishment:
Completing a piece of art, no matter how simple, gives you a sense of achievement, which is a natural mood booster. - Easy-to-Start, Hard-to-Stop:
Drawing patterns is an accessible form of creativity. It doesn’t require advanced skills, and once you start, you’ll find it hard to stop. - Expression and Individuality:
Your choice of patterns, colors, and shapes are a reflection of you, allowing for a beautiful and individualized form of self-expression.
Supplies used:
Watercolor paper 300 grams (Arches), watercolor paint (Winsor & Newton), fineliner 0.3 (Ohuhu), paint brush (Da Vinci), paper towel, and washi tape.
Alternative supply suggestions:
You can use your kids’ watercolor paints or other paint.
Don’t have any of those? You can also draw trees with colored pencils, crayons, or markers.
Step 1: Paint the tree trunks
Before you start, take a deep breath. Let go of any thoughts that have been troubling you.
Dip your medium-sized brush in water and lightly tap it on a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Now dip it into your chosen color for the tree trunks—be it traditional brown or a whimsical purple.
Paint your tree trunks as vertical lines with varying heights and thicknesses. Each trunk doesn’t have to be perfect; natural trees aren’t!
Give them some space in between—just like in nature, every tree needs room to grow.
Step 2: Add the tree crowns
Now let’s give these trees some personality! Add the crowns using basic shapes—ovals, wobbly shapes, rectangles, whatever feels right to you.
Select the color you feel represents the foliage or the mood you’re going for.
Paint the crowns with a light touch, using circular, oval, or even square motions. Think of how each shape feels in your hand as you create it.
Step 3: Add your tree patterns
Take a moment to let the paint dry.
Now for the fun part! Fill in each crown with a different pattern.
If you’re not sure where to start, try setting some boundaries. Maybe today, you only work with lines or perhaps just circles. It helps channel your focus.
Step 4: Add some extra flair
You can also add patterns to the tree trunks for extra flair. No pressure, though; this is your art.
Feel like adding some birds in the sky or tiny critters around the trees? Go ahead; the sky is the limit!
Drawing patterns can be an excellent exercise for those of us who struggle with perfectionism. Here, it doesn’t matter if your circle isn’t ‘perfect’ or if your lines aren’t straight. What matters is the process, the engagement, the ‘doing,’ and most importantly, the ‘being.’
So the next time you find yourself overwhelmed by the complexities of motherhood, know that your escape to tranquility is just a few tree patterns away.
Embrace the simplicity of this exercise and allow it to nourish your mind and soul. In a life full of demands and noise, this could be your peaceful sanctuary, a place where you reconnect with yourself.
Looking forward to hearing how this exercise goes for you. Keep embracing your creativity, mama.
Until next time, take care and keep creating.
If you liked this exercise, you might also like my Mindful Mandala exercise.
