The map

For some people it’s important to know what is it that picture depicts so that they can place this knowledge into the right compartment of their mind. Meditative drawing is based on the rhythm of breathing and drawing. This activity results to some sort of map of the drawing process. Or meditative drawing is a kind of a report of the stress management done by this rhythmic drawing with the pace of exhalation.

The sea

Meditative drawing is like a chain of numerous steps that leads the way towards peace and harmony. Beneath the monotonous surface of the drawing, a kind of living sea is revealed. And like the movements of the water meditative drawings are also soothing to watch. At least I hope that beholder can detect a little of that same peace I have experienced while executing these drawings

Instinct helps

Meditative drawing is also connected to subconscious thinking. When drawing is paced with breathing it's impossible to plan every line very accurately. That's why I have to rely on instinct. 

It's surprising how this aspect is intertwined to drawing process and can carry it forward.

So easy to get side-tracked

Combining breathing and drawing - focusing while inhaling and executing the line by exhaling - sounds pretty easy. But in practice it's very easy to get side-tracked and loose the nice rhythm of this.

During each drawing session I actually have to repeatedly return to that rhythm. So, searching the lost pace is one aspect of meditative drawing process (at least mine) and it reminds me what a novice I'm on this. How on earth this basic human function called breathing can be at the same time so easy and so hard to handle?

Exhaling the lines

I had a visitor at my atelier the other day. He asked "What it means to meditate by drawing?" The answer to that question is not a complicated one.

When I inhale, I focus and prepare myself to be ready to draw the next line or a mark on the paper. It means that I estimate the situation of my unfinished drawing and decide what's the next step. And then I just exhale and execute that line slowly and try to relax and put all my focus to the task of drawing that simple line.

It's so easy and simple way to draw. Lines emerge alongside each other and the drawing slowly expands to it's full. The concept of expandism manifest this way of drawing very nicely. The idea of expansion is in the very nature of this, even sometimes I feel that this is not artmaking at all but something else, like stress relieving and escapism. And the possible work of art is a kind of side product of this respiration.