Remember in the last prompt I mentioned that all that pattern ideation would come in handy? Well, here it is! It's time for Zentangles!!! And all that practice is going to make this experience SO much easier...
Because here's the thing... drawing Zentangles is a form of meditation. It's a thing that every highschooler who's ever been in an art class has come in contact with, and there's a reason for that. Think about how it used to feel when you'd be sitting in class (any class) and mindlessly doodling. Scribbles. Swirls. Lines. Words. Nonsense. That sort of zoned-out hand movement that didn't care what it looked like. Zentangles is that.
So grab your sketchbook and something to draw with... and just go. I like sharpies, but this could literally work with ANYTHING. The only rule in this prompt is that you're not allowed to erase. You're not allowed to look back. Just make some lines, draw some scribbles, and go with it.
Remember that mistakes are only mistakes if you regret them. Remember that you are likely the only person who will EVER see this. Remember that your sketchbook is your safe space and you can make and remake and renew and reinvent these things as many times as you want. The WHOLE point... is to turn off your self-critical brain and just... do. Just fill the page, one line at a time. Let yourself go and just do.
And if you need a little more time to get comfortable in your own hands and to figure out how to trust your instincts on this one, go back to week 4's assignment. The more you practice pattern, the more you'll figure out what kinds of lines and shapes you like to draw. And the more happy-making patterns you have in your head and in your hands, the easier Zentangles will be.
What's happening: I say that Zentangles are like meditation, because I am terrible at meditation. I can't ever seem to turn my brain off, and I know I'm not the only one who struggles with that. But this prompt is all about channeling nervous energy SO that you can ACTUALLY clear your mind. The more you get into the experience, the more you'll realize that you're not thinking about dinner, you're not thinking about deadlines or schedules or failures. You're just thinking about the next line. And THAT is beautiful. Who cares what the end-product looks like. The beauty is in letting go.