When I was younger and I needed to de-stress I did one of a select few activities to calm myself down. I used color patterned pictures just to feel the structure of drawing in the lines. Sometimes I'd sort skittles to avoid thinking about whatever thing was bothering my mind. There were certain types of structured coloring that always worked to calm me down and others that, quite frankly, I never tried. You'd think, for example, that with my structured proclivities, I'd be totally into paint-by-number. However, as has been established on many an occasion, paint-by-numbers is not among the things I've done with my free time.
Also among the types of drawing and coloring I haven't done is a more obscure variation. Coloring on felt. Its classier cousin, the oft maligned velvet-painting, is another thing I have yet to do. I'm not sure I know how to manage such a feat as to create a classy work of art using only paint and velvet.
Like I said. Classy.
Coloring on felt is fantastic for the chronically stressed. I was really nervous about my summer orientation on Thursday and spending the evening with my feet up, watching SVU and coloring inside the lines was just the right way to get ready for it. It was also a lot easier than I expected. The lines are a lot thicker so staying inside of them was, well, not really a challenge.
I had found a large picture of a frog on cardboard that was just dying to be brightened up. I picked out markers at random and filled in various spots, purposely avoiding any kind of rhyme or reason. I love systematically removing rhyme and reason from my actions. Its like controlling your chaos. It took about two hours, but by the time I was finished, I was completely ready to call it a night.
Pictured: Controlled Chaos
Oh course, the only downside was that I got attacked by the picture. It was a brutal fight. We went for several rounds. Each time, the signs of vicious attack grew more obvious. The picture may have won the battle, but I won the war. I got it completely filled in, despite wave after wave of inky inky doom.
I lost the battle.
I liked drawing on felt. It wasn't a particular new experience, despite technically being a first time event for me. It was quite nice to see how familiar things still bring me comfort and that doing something new doesn't have to mean being out in completely unfamiliar territory. Well, that and I got a great night's sleep before work.
No comments :
Post a Comment