Mindful Drawing

Updated May 1, 2025

In my classes, I teach an approach I call Mindful Drawing. This approach combines the benefits of mindfulness and creativity.

Mindfulness at its most basic definition is the “kind, nonjudgmental awareness of what is happening in the present moment.” It sounds simple, but it is a very powerful skill that takes time to strengthen, just like working out any muscle. There are three parts to mindfulness and each is essential:

1. Awareness
2. That is kind and nonjudgmental
3. Of present moment experience

Mindful Drawing combines the benefits of mindfulness with the practice of drawing through the foundations of presence, awareness, and non-judgment. It at once strengthens our mindfulness muscle while also helping us overcome creative blocks.

What’s beautiful about it is that it’s something anyone can do and benefit from, whether they are a total beginner or a professional artist. As an artist and meditation practitioner myself, I really believe that mindfulness and creativity should go hand-in-hand.

What's the Difference Between Mindful Drawing and "Regular" Drawing?

Often when we draw, we get distracted by how we're drawing. We judge ourselves, get impatient, and feel frustrated that we’re not as good as we want to be. Drawing can actually be a really difficult experience for many people. These challenges often make people give up or never even start, even if they really wish they could draw.

With Mindful Drawing, on the other hand, you can savor the process of observing and interpreting what you see without judgment. In addition, you get to experience the benefits of mindfulness including focus, clarity, and calm.

Overall, it’s more about changing your perspective, rather than physically doing something different. It might all look the same from the outside, but the internal dialogue is totally different.

How to Practice Mindful Drawing

Here's how to practice mindful drawing in four simple steps:

1. Arrive in the moment. Take some deep breaths. Appreciate this chance to sit down, and notice any feelings of gratitude for this moment and all the conditions that allowed it to happen.
2. Observe without judgment. When we start drawing, try to draw without expectations for how something “should” look. Try to draw what you actually see, rather than what you think you see.
3. Be at ease. A key concept of mindfulness is to be open to your experience. Find ease in embracing the present moment instead of worrying about how things "should be." Try to relax and just focus on the creative process without expecting your drawing to look a certain way or comparing yourself to others.
4. Stay in the present moment. We all have thoughts that distract us sometimes. If that happens, simply 1) notice it, 2) gently acknowledge it, 3) let it go, and 4) refocus on your drawing.

Benefits of Mindful Drawing

There are so many benefits of mindfulness & mindful drawing, but here are my top four:

1. Slow Down and Relax. We get to sit, be present in the moment, and focus on one thing at a time. It’s a form of active meditation.
2. Stimulate your Creativity. You’ll notice shapes, textures, colors in your surroundings that will combine into new ideas. Also, by pausing your inner critic and leaning into self-compassion (rather than judging your drawing), you’ll be more able to take more creative risks.
3. Understand and Process Emotions. Drawing is a safe way to experience and process whatever it is you’re going through. In my own experience, sometimes it’s hard to express difficult emotions in words, so mindful drawing helps me understand and express my feelings.
4. Learn to Accept Yourself. Through the simple practice of mindful drawing, you can learn to quiet your inner critic and accept your current work with grace. Become open and curious as you observe yourself overcoming challenges. These same skills can be applied to the rest of your life.

A Simple Mindful Drawing Practice

One of my favorite ways to reconnect with the present moment is through a simple mindfulness practice I call the Five Senses Reset. It’s a gentle check-in that brings you out of your head and into your body, using your senses as a guide.

Here’s how to try it as a drawing journaling prompt:

1. Pause and notice.
   Wherever you are, take a moment to sit quietly and notice each of your senses, one by one. You can do it in the room you're sitting in, or find a nice place in nature. Grab a cup of tea or your favorite drink if you can.

2. On a page, first put a dot in the middle. "I am here."
   This gets you over the fear of a blank page, and is also a grounding exercise. Take a deep breath and arrive where you are.

3. Fill in the rest of the page with five drawings, going through each of the following senses:

   • See — What’s one thing you see around you? Notice its shape, colors, texture.

   • Hear — What do you hear right now? You can draw the source of the noise, or what it feels like to you.

   • Smell — Another opportunity to take in a slow, deep breath. Again, you can draw the source of the smell, or an abstraction of your experience of it.

   • Feel — What are you physically sensing? Your feet on the floor, fabric against your skin, the breeze. Even the feeling of drawing on paper is very tactile. This sense is very grounding for me.

   • Taste — Remember that drink from the beginning? This is the perfect time to really notice it. Even if you're not eating, what’s lingering? A mint, coffee, or just “nothing”—that counts too. 

4. Keep it loose and curious.
   This isn’t about drawing well—it’s about noticing. Use color, doodles, or just lines if that’s what comes. You can also add small notes of what you notice and observe. And remember, if your inner critic starts discouraging you, simply notice it, give it a pat on the head, and let it go.

This practice helps you slow down, reconnect, and begin your creative session from a grounded, present place. Try it at the start of your day, before a drawing session, or whenever you feel scattered.

---

You can find more guidance on mindful drawing in my Mindful Drawing class in Mimochai Studio and on Skillshare.

Take care and keep creating 💛 -M