In this mindful sponge watercolor exercise, we’ll be as playful as when we were young.
Remember when you were a child and you were just painting and drawing because it was fun? You didn’t care or think about the outcome or the reaction of other people. You were just playing and experimenting. Free.
Being playful and having fun is also a great way to relieve stress. It can release endorphins, which in turn will make you feel better and decreases your stress level.
So in this exercise, we’ll try to find our inner child again and be playful. Dip your sponge in paint and press it onto your paper. Just experiment and enjoy playing.
Try to focus on the way the sponge feels in your hand and how it feels when you press it. Does it make a sound? What kind of texture does it create on your paper?
Focusing on your senses can help you be in the present moment and forget about the rest. A creative moment just for you.
Have fun with this mindful sponge watercolor exercise! 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
Supplies used:
Watercolor paper 300gr (Fabriano), watercolor (Kuretake Gansai Tambi), paintbrush (Prima Marketing), cheap makeup sponges (Max & More Cosmetics), palette, washi tape, and a paper towel.
Alternative supply suggestions:
Use whatever sponge you have. I just bought a bag with 20 makeup sponges/blenders for less than 2 euros. You can also grab an old sponge you use for cleaning and cut it into a few pieces. If there are no sponges available at all, use an old rag or dish towel.
It is also possible to use other kinds of paint, such as gouache or acrylic. Or just borrow some of your kids’ paints.
If you only have regular paper, try to tape it down. Regular paper can’t handle that much water and will warp. Taping it down will help a bit.
Instructions:
Step 1
Before you start, slowly breathe in and out a few times to clear your head and get more relaxed. Put washi tape around the edges of your paper. This will create a nice border around your painting.
We’ll start by picking some colors. Choose ones you like or make you feel calm. If you use watercolor, as I did, start with the lightest color. Put some paint on a palette and dip your sponge in the paint. You could also use a paintbrush.
Step 2
Next, press your sponge down on your paper as often as you like. This will create nice textures on your paper.
Step 3
Now, we’ll repeat the steps above for our second color. You don’t have to wait until the first layer is dry. This way the paint of the two layers will blend.
Step 4
If you have another sponge in a different shape, use that for this step. Otherwise use the edges of the sponge you already used. Dip it in another color and make some smaller prints on your paper. You can experiment with the amount of water you use to make them more or less opaque. Continue until you feel your painting is done.
Step 5
Slowly remove your washi tape when you’re done. Keep the tape parallel to your paper when you remove it, this will prevent your paper from tearing.
Now you’re done with this mindful sponge watercolor exercise! I hope you had fun.
If you liked this exercise, you might like my mindful blending patterns exercise as well.