Last week I had a return visit to the dentist – and I knew it was going to be PAINFUL. Long story short but planning my coping strategies, the image of a tiger kept popping up for me as I drove to the appointment.
Strong, courageous, fearless. Tigers are extraordinary creatures and hold so much grace and power. I remember being captivated by their stripy coat whilst drawing them in high school.
I’ll keep this story brief…but in essence embodying the qualities of the tiger through that visit made me feel braver. So, when I returned home (face half numb from the anesthetic) I did something healing for myself. I created some art.
This helped me release all the anxiety I was feeling before the visit and capture some of the pain that was now behind me. Which is how art therapy works – helping us release what no longer serves us through a creative process.
For this art workshop, let’s keep it simple though and think of an animal that inspires you. And then use their markings to create an animal print artwork.
Extra – tap into any feelings that come up for you as you gain inspiration from your animal.
Material: Paper – I used a3 (Thicker paper weight needed to withstand the watercolour)
Medium: Oil pastels + Watercolour
Technique: Using animal print for pattern inspiration.
Set-up:
- Pics of your animal print/ animal fabric to copy from.
- Choose whether your colours will reflect the animal or be unique!
Step 1: Using an oil pastel, choose a small part of the animal print you like. Copy on to the paper.
Step 2: Choose a second colour and add more marks to your paper. Try to build around the first marks to give you some direction.
OR
Follow your feelings as you go to determine where the next marks should sit.
Step 3: Add a third colour. Then a fourth. Repeat the steps above.
Step 4: Choose a watercolour and paint over the oil pastel in the white sections.
Mine ended up being a bit scary, but I don’t mind that. You can use this process to experiment with different feelings, and different animals and see what happens!
