La meditación y el arte de dibujar (Tiempo de Mirar nº 11)

Tiempo de Mirar

by Wendy Ann Greenhalgh, Eva Cruz (Translator)

Wendy Ann Greenhalgh reflexiona aquí sobre cómo el dibujo es capaz de crear una conexión profunda con nosotros mismos y con el mundo que nos rodea, y cómo puede ser algo tan natural como respirar. También nos revela cómo los artistas pueden redescubrir el placer lúdico del dibujo y cómo incluso aquellos que solo hacen garabatos pueden experimentar con ello un gran bienestar.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Self Help, Drawing, Philosophy

130 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 12, 2015

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ooo- I liked it! I thought it was very practical. There are lots of really good ideas for a mindfulness PRACTICE in here. I also appreciated the beginner mindset and self-compassion piece. For a mindfulness book, I think it stayed fairly free of religious (Buddhist) teachings. Seems accessible to all religions.

I’m going to use it to help shape my mindfulness curriculum for kids.

[Caitlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I kind of have mixed feelings about this book. While it was easy to read and I could see the usefulness of the exercises as mindfulness activities, it wasn't terribly well written and I think for readers who don't know much about mindfulness, the purpose of the exercises might be a bit vague. Having read Ruby Wax's A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled I felt gave me enough context to be able to understand how the exercises could be useful.

It seems strange to say that while the book doesn't really explain what mindfulness is terribly well, it's more about mindfulness than drawing. The drawing is way of attaining the focus and in-the-momentness of mindfulness - drawing instead of just sitting and focusing, which may be useful, I would imagine, for many people. I'm not at all sure that the exercises will particularly improve anyone's drawing, but then that isn't really the purpose of the book. So it all felt a bit neither-fish-nor-fowl to me. The exercises seem to be useful and I may try some of them, but as a book and an overall mindfulness strategy, it didn't seem terribly compelling to me - maybe more as ideas for alternatives if an existing mindfulness practice is proving challenging to maintain and a more concrete approach is needed?

The book is nicely produced and a nice size in the hand, with clear type. I really liked the cover illustration but was disappointed that there weren't more illustrations throughout the book - it seems a bit half-baked for a book about drawing to not actually really have any drawings in it...

[Vanya Prodanova · Rating 3 out of 5]

Книгата много ми напомни "The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain". Всъщност, даже на места бих казала, че имаше доста сериозни прилики между двете книги, но цялостното усещане е за допълване , отколкото за взаимозаменяемост.

Ако човек е заинтригуван от арттерапията като направление, тази книга може би била полезна, тъй като наистина се разглежда рисуването като един вид терапевтична и дзен практика, а не като умение, което се опитваш да развиеш.

Отделно, книгата е чудесна за всеки, който му е трудно да започне да рисува или някой, който се бори с вътрешния си критик, който не спира да му напомня колко е зле и как никога няма да стане по-добър. Хубаво е нещо да ни напомни, че красотата е в очите на виждащия и рисуването е нещо интимно и лично и няма такова нещо като лоша рисунка. :)

Приятна книга, с интересни упражнения и внимателно напомняне, че рисуването е вътре във всеки един от нас и е нещо, което правим, просто защото не може да си представим да не рисуваме.

[Isabel]

really loved this

[Angela Franco · Rating 4 out of 5]

I studied fine arts for several years, and even today, when my job it's not involved with this field, I feel very connected with the creative part of myself. I'm always rediscovering a simple way to express myself through arts. And this book was perfect because I could enjoy the simple act of drawing because I feel to and because it's a sort of necessity.
“Come to drawing as if you've never done it before. Come to drawing with a curiosity about the marks you could make and the world you could explore. Come to drawing as a beginner. Being a beginner is the best thing to be, because as be-ginners we can simply be.”
You don't need to be an artist to enjoy drawing, so, let's do it, and embrace your journey.

[Jenny Houle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book embraces drawing as a medium to connect with our mindfulness. It reminds us that everyone can draw, no matter the perceived “skill” level. While there are exercises, this is not a how to draw book. The exercises all combine mindfulness and drawing. There is a breakdown on the properties of mindfulness and the Zen Buddhism philosophy that mindfulness is based on, so that one has a better understanding of this term we hear so much lately as a way to connect with ourselves in a world of constant disconnect.

[Scribe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up in Hastings when it was cold and snowing, and I'd ducked into the Jerwood. Bought it for its subject and the feel of the book, and read it while ill. I'm not a great sketcher, but I enjoy doing it when I do, and so really enjoyed the "beginner's mind" approach this book takes. Learn not to worry, just draw and get in touch with your surrounding. Easy and calming to read in itself, touching lightly on different exercises and various aspects of Buddhism.

[Sindy Castellanos · Rating 4 out of 5]

'La meditación y el arte de dibujar' es un libro que puede ayudar a conectar con nuestro yo íntimo y expresarlo a través del dibujo. Los ejercicios propuestos son de gran ayuda.
____________

'Mindfulness & the Art of Drawing: A Creative Path to Awareness' is a book that can help connect with our intimate self and express it through drawing. The exercises that proposes are helpful.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is perfect for Buddhists who want to make drawing part of their daily meditation practice. I think this would also be a good intro to Buddhist concepts for any artist who senses the subtle potential of "more than self" while creating.

[Syren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me by another artist as a guide to getting over the constant neurosis some of us have while drawing or painting. I am under no illusion that this book will help me improve technically, but that isn't why I bought it. I bought it because I want to learn how to flow instead of getting lost in analyzing the endless lists of decisions I have to make when painting. I hope it helps me to learn to how get into a more intuitive head space instead of over thinking every little detail of my work.

So far, I have completed the first exercise and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was surprised to find how well proportioned my shapes and doodles were with eyes closed. My muscle memory is much more developed than I ever expected. I plan to play with each exercise a few times throughout the week before moving on to the next chapter.

[Alfi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm recently focussing on drawing again after procrastinating for quite some time. This book is short, and the goal is to motivate you to do what you like, drawing! The words will give you a boost. But still, reading this book isn't enough. This book is just a tool to help you with being creative and productive and also be mindful. Like, giving you an assurance that it is okay if the results are not what you are looking for. I think this book is for people who is really new in drawing and need to be motivated.

[Callista Goh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a complementary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This text, whilst basic, is well-written and easy to read. It provides step-by-step exercises in mindfulness and drawing for readers to focus on the subject; with sections focussing on targeting 'Your Inner Critic' and Still Life, it provides interesting perspectives on the place of mindfulness drawing.

Highly engaging but somewhat basic. Would recommend, 7.5/10

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book for people who want to include drawing as part of a personal meditation or relaxation programme. However, it's more about the mindfulness side rather than a 'how to'. I personally was looking forward to the opposite! That said, It's still practical, easy to follow and there are some good ideas there but for me, it doesn't quite hit the mark or go deep enough.

Many thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this ARC for which I have given my voluntary and unbiased review.

[Penelope Winkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that this was a really good way to help people get more creative while decompressing and looking outside of themselves. The drawing activities described seemed really fun I just never had my sketchbook with me when I was reading it, so maybe now I can just find the sections when I'm out of drawing ideas for myself.

[Jocelyn Hee · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is about mindfulness and using drawing as a tool to practice the art of mindfulness. There are lots of exercises to try and would be a great book to take along on a relaxing holiday where you may be more inclined to practice mindfulness and be in the right frame of mind to practice your drawing with mindful awareness.

[Rick Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really concise philosophical introduction for bringing mindfulness into a drawing practice, especially for an educator looking to do so with students. This is not really a how to draw book, as others have said, but it clearly lays out wonderful spiritual pathways for observation and empathy in ones' drawing practice. I found it to be accessible and thought provoking.

[KJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting book. While it contains many exercises that include drawing, it is not a book that teaches you how to draw. Instead it focuses on using drawing as part of our mindfulness practice. Good book. Lots of good drawing exercise ideas.

[Gemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it. Easy to read and digest. Some nice ideas. You don't always need to know where the drawing will take you. But starting a drawing and giving yourself time to prepare for that drawing is so important. Self care really.

[Petrov · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is not about drawing

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little book. It helped me to focus a bit more on the present and just be.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes sweet and vivid while repetitive and empty at other times.

[Witch-at-Heart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very creative way to find peace through artwork. I enjoyed the book it has some great principles to help you unburded yourself with creativity.

[Dasagamabu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Libro que hace reflexionar sobre el dibujo, pero no deja demasiado poso.