artistic wisdom

Drawing Tip #2: Slow Down

I’m in South Korea as I was invited to shoot a TV documentary, and yesterday I had the opportunity to visit a Buddhist Temple in which a Buddhist Artist was painting with his oriental brush and black ink.

He was holding the long brush from the back, on a vertical position. I noticed he was moving the brush slowly and often he would pause completely. Not only the brush would stop moving, but all of himself too.

When he finished his drawing I asked him the reason he was doing it in this way and what was going through his mind in the pauses, as I thought he was thinking something. (I was honestly interested).

He told me he wasn’t thinking of anything in particular. That he doesn’t think much while drawing. That it was hard to explain but that he was just flowing. He would feel energy, the energy of nature flowing in himself. That it was a moment of complete harmony.

He looked really relaxed and indeed in harmony.

I think I have a lot to learn from this experience, being from a Western civilisation and living in a large, chaotic metropolis, I feel I always do everything in a hurry and I think too much. I really have to slow down, specially when I’m drawing.

I had the opportunity to use his brush, ink and to paint on rice paper and I have to say I enjoyed it sooo much! I relaxed and flowed. I tried to move slow, although I could have done this better. I didn’t go as slow as I wanted to. But I did feel a light energy, a feeling of happiness and harmony. It was amazing.

I took the lesson to heart.

What do you think of this? I would love to know your opinion.

Yours,

Leonardo

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