Mindful art journaling is like keeping a diary, but instead of just writing down words, you also use art to express how you’re feeling. It's a bit like art and meditation mixed together. Learn more…
15 Easy Mindful Art Journaling Ideas for Beginners | Self Art Therapy Exercises
Have you ever experienced feeling less stressed after mindful art activities or journaling?
Today, I’ll be sharing 15 Art Therapy Exercises and easy Mindful Art Journaling Ideas for beginners. These art journaling ideas are a combination of Art Therapy Activities and prompts from an Art Therapy group I attend, as well as some favorite Mindful Art Activities I teach. Some of the art journaling ideas shared include: Mindful Mandalas, Meditative Watercolor Doodling, Expressive Arts Exercises, Meditative Art, and Art Journaling, etc.
Many of these prompts are very simple (and open to interpretation), so it gives you permission to create and express yourself freely. I hope they inspire your own art journaling practice whether you’re in your mindful art studio, at home, or on the go.
15 easy Mindful Art journaling prompts (and self art therapy exercises):
Drawing the Breath Meditation exercise
Where do you feel stuck?
Where do you get your strength?
Growth
Treasure
Possibilities
What are your values?
8. Meditative Watercolor Doodling exercise
9. Gratitude
10. Choose a letter from the alphabet to make your intuitive marks
11. Choose a part of your body to feel into and inspire your art making
12. Reflect and Express your Year exercise
13. Transitions
14. Transformation
15. For more details, Watch the Full Video Below (including examples of each self art therapy exercise and prompts, art making tips, and art material recommendations).
FREE
MINDFUL ART WORKBOOK HERE
This 10-page workbook includes 8 common ways we get creatively blocked, 8 creative tips and solutions, and more mindful art journaling prompts to help you stress less and create more.
learn more and join our online mindful art classes here
MINDFUL ART ACTIVITIES VIDEOS:
- Draw the Breath Meditation Video
- Draw Simple Mindful Mandalas E-Course
- Mindful Art Activities Playlist
MINDFUL ART workshops online:
- Mindful Mandalas for Relaxation here
- More Classes & Teacher Trainings Online here
LIST OF RECOMMENDED MINDFUL ART SUPPLIES:
Arches Watercolor Paper Block, 9x12
Mungyo Professional Water Colors Set (24 Colors)
Watercolor Paint Brushes Squirrel Hair Professional 4Pcs:
Micron Ink Pen Set, Ass't 6CT Set
DISCLAIMER:
The Art Therapy Exercise prompts and Mindful Art Activities shared here may seem similar to a self art therapy session, but doing these mindful art actvities is not the same as Art Therapy. You may want to work with a professional Art Therapist for support. Some links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with these links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you! Thank you for supporting MindfulCreativeMuse.com, so I can continue to provide you with free content each week!
Drawing the Breath Meditation | A Simple Mindful Art Activity to Destress
“Drawing the Breath Meditation” is a simple Mindful Art Activity to help you destress.
It can be done in as little as a few minutes, you don’t need a lot of art supplies (a paper and pen works wonders!), and this Mindfulness Drawing Meditation is great for beginners.
Benefits of mindful drawing exercises:
This Mindfulness Meditation Art exercise helps you to quickly shift your awareness to your breath and the present moment. Many people find the slow mark making with attention on the breath and thoughts (without judgment) helps them to relax and destress. This Drawing Meditation can sometimes feel more accessible vs. trying to meditate and “sit on a cushion.” It can be fun to watch your breath and see what marks are created as a result!
watch drawing the breath meditation art tutorial on youtube here
FREE
MINDFUL ART WORKBOOK HERE
Download your free Mindful Art digital workbook, including mindful art journaling prompts, and more to help you destress and creatively express yourself.
Also, in the guided Mindfulness Meditation video above, I share a simple 5 minute Art Tutorial to walk you through this process. This is a great Mindful Art Activity to do at home when you’re bored or stressed. Below are a few written steps you can follow along with as well.
5 Minute Mindful Art Activity | Simple steps to Drawing the Breath:
You may want to set a timer or allow your Drawing Meditation to naturally come to a close. You may want to note how you feel both before and after your Drawing Meditation. You may want to date your drawing or make a few notes about your experience. It can interesting to do this Drawing Meditation, or other 5 minute Mindful Art Activities in your Art Journal daily, weekly, or as you need some creative self-care.
Begin by drawing awareness to your breath with your pen placed in the center of the left-side of your journal (please see video).
On your inhalation, draw a line moving upwards. As your breath naturally pauses at the top of your breath, allow your mark to gently curve before drawing a downward line along with your exhalation. Repeat this process.
Following your breath, allow your marks to rise with your inhalation and fall with your exhalation. As you Draw Your Breath, simply notice any thoughts that may arise without judgment. Return your awareness back to your breath, and as best you can, simply trace your breath with the lines you’re drawing.
Recommended Minimal Art Journal Supplies:
You don't need a lot of art supplies to do this simple Mindful Art Activity! I have some of my favorite Minimalist inspired Art Journal Supplies listed below.
Minimalist Art Supplies:
Mixed Media Art Journal: https://amzn.to/2KQ4nf7
Micron Pens: https://amzn.to/3e7c9Of
Sharpies: https://amzn.to/2VZMVK4
For more guided Mindful Art Activities to destress, please join our:
5 minute Mindful Art Activities and Nature E-Course: https://learn.mindfulcreativemuse.com/5-minute-mindful-art-activities-and-nature
5 minute Mindful Art Experiments E-Course: https://learn.mindfulcreativemuse.com/thirty-5-min-mindful-art-experiments
See more Online Mindful Art Offerings: https://mindfulcreativemuse.com/online-store
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DISCLAIMER: Some links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with these links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you! Thank you for supporting MindfulCreativeMuse.com, so I can continue to provide you with free content each week! Also, Mindful Art Activities are not Art Therapy Activities. You may want to explore Art Therapy with a professional for additional support.
Feeling overwhelmed? De-stress with a BodyScan Meditation and Mindful Drawing Activity
Have you ever felt overwhelmed with emotions, or anxiety, or stress? You’re not alone.
Today, while receiving challenging news, I noticed feeling flooded and overwhelmed. After taking a few breaths, I turned towards one of my favorite, simple Mindful Art activities.
BodyScan Meditation and Mindful Drawing:
For me, this bodyscan meditation and drawing exercise helps me feel, acknowledge, and express held tensions and emotions in my body. Similar to SoulCollage® (which I shared in my last Mindful Art Blog here), a bodyscan drawing practice offers a creative way to visually express things that may be challenging to express in words. It’s an active meditation that allows us to make creative marks to represent how we’re feeling in our body.
This simple Expressive Art and Mindfulness exercise can be as short as a 5 minutes or 1 hour. I enjoy lying down for the bodyscan (although it can be done sitting as well). Please ensure you're comfortable and have paper and art materials near you (such as colored pencils, markers, crayons, etc).
BodyScan Guided Meditation for Anxiety:
This Grounding BodyScan Meditation Exercise below can be done before starting the BodyScan Drawing:
I begin with eyes closed or a soft gaze. Drawing my awareness to all of the places where my body makes contact with the ground, I notice the quality of my breath. Aware of the weight of my feet or heels resting on the floor, I remind myself I am supported and held. At my own pace, I begin drawing my awareness up through my body - heels, calves, thighs, buttocks, belly, low back, chest, upper back, arms, wrists, hands, base of the head, forehead, the space between the eyebrows, jaw, etc. Noticing any sensations I feel along the way; such as tingling, warmth, coolness, tightness, pain, holding, etc. Allowing any colors, textures, words, or descriptions about these sensations to come into my awareness. I follow the sensations and notice how they change - allowing my experience to move and shift. Drawing my awareness back to my breath, I take three deep inhalations and exhalations and return my awareness back to the room, the ground, and my surroundings.
When I feel ready, I gently allow marks, colors, and words to fill my bodyscan drawing page. If you enjoy journaling, writing about your experience afterwards can also be a lovely self-care practice.
For more Mindful Art Activities and to hear about our upcoming free Online Mindful Art Retreats, feel free to sign-up for our monthly newsletters here. These Mindful Expressive Art and Mindfulness Activities are easy to do in your studio at home (or anywhere you have access to your journal and some drawing supplies).