Today, let’s engage creative spontaneity and perceptual discovery with an expressive arts practice. Recently, I have met resistance whenever I have attempted a writing session. Sometimes, I could not find the right ideas or flow and the work felt clumsy and laborious. Other times, there was just an unrelenting blank page. I noticed at some point that a misguided disciplinarian part of me was trying to solve this block by keeping me firmly planted in front of the computer, as if staying there long enough would eventually yield something useful. What it actually did was make my body tense and contracted, and my thinking narrow. A good antidote would re-engage the body, bypass the critical mind, and open up new avenues of perception and imagination.
Expressive arts can be defined as the use of artistic processes to explore and externalize inner experiences, with an emphasis on personal expression and discovery rather than the production of a finished artwork. Today’s exercise is a scribble drawing. This technique has affinities with Surrealist automatic drawing, developed in the 1920s by André Masson and influenced by André Breton’s concept of psychic automatism, which sought to bypass conscious control and allow unexpected imagery to emerge. Florence Cane, a pioneer of expressive arts education and an important influence on early art therapy, later introduced a method of spontaneous drawing that emphasized the interplay of movement, emotion, and imagination. Scribble drawing remains a widely used technique in art therapy and expressive arts practice.
To do this exercise you will need at minimum a half hour, a piece of paper that is 11” x 14” or bigger, a pen or pencil, and a colourful art medium of your choosing: pastels, watercolours, markers, coloured pencils, anything that works on paper and is easy for you to use. Before you begin, you may set an intention, to gain insight on a certain matter or to explore a feeling, for example. I prefer to keep it simple and remain open to whatever emerges.
You will begin with movement. The idea is to release tension in the shoulders, arms, and hands so that your gestures become freer and more fluid. I like to get the whole body involved, as it helps to mobilize energy and to shift attention from thought to sensation. Below, you will find a small selection of music that lends itself well to somatic movement. Choose one piece, or any instrumental of your liking, and let your body move however it likes. Don’t worry, no one is watching. You can start small, and gradually let more of your body join in. The duration of one song will do, but feel free to continue as long as you like.
2. Estas Tonne - The Song of the Golden Dragonfly
Next, take your pen or pencil and make a continuous scribble across the paper, allowing the movement to involve your whole arm or even body rather than just your hand. You may do this standing up, or with your eyes closed if you wish.
Once you have your scribble, turn the page to view it from different angles. Notice whether any shapes, figures, or images begin to emerge from the lines. There is no need to search for anything in particular. Allow your imagination to make its own associations, and see what catches your attention. When something interests you, begin to develop it using your chosen art materials. You might emphasize certain lines, introduce colour, or add new shapes and details. Let the image evolve freely, without worrying about whether it makes sense or looks good.
There is no need to complete your drawing in one go. When you feel finished for now, take a moment to look at what you’ve created. Notice, has anything shifted in your internal state? In your body? Take a moment to let the experience settle, and…enjoy rest of your day.
