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Cost: $ $ $ $ $

Difficulty: • • • • •

Time: 15 mins

Creative Revolution
DRAWING WITH YOUR NONDOMINANT HAND
Lately I’ve been experimenting a lot with “un-perfecting” as a way to loosen up, embrace the grit, and explore new kinds of energy in my paintings. While a highly refined painting can certainly be lovely, I find raw, messy, human expression and experience to be incredibly compelling—and refreshing. I love feeling a creation in this way and sensing the experience the artist went through to create it.
One way to achieve this kind of less controlled look is to explore using your nondominant hand.
It’s likely that the images, marks, and shapes you’ll make with this hand will be somewhat wabi-sabi, unpredictable—and wonderful, adding just the right amount of raw spunk you’re looking for. Whereas your ever-predictable dominant hand creations might fall a little flat.
If you’re new to painting and drawing, using your nondominant hand can open up some interesting new territory. If you’ve been drawing or painting for a long time, this exercise will likely breathe some fresh air into your creations.
You can explore this exercise by using markers, pens, or pastels directly on paper. (I suggest taping your paper down to help it stay in place.) You can also play with this exercise by using paint directly on your canvas.

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Jen S. added Drawing With Your Nondominant Hand to stuff for me 13 Jul 17:51
Minna O. favorited Drawing With Your Nondominant Hand 10 May 05:44
Crafterella featured Drawing With Your Nondominant Hand 30 Dec 23:00
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Creative Publishing international published her project Drawing With Your Nondominant Hand 19 Dec 09:00

Step 1
playful exercises

– Consider how you are holding your pen or brush. Try holding it in a variety of positions to change the angle and the control you have with it.
– Hold a pen or brush in each hand to experience the difference between your two hands.
– Allow a song to be your guide as your pen or brush moves across the surface.
– Draw something you see in the room using one continuous line.
– Draw a flower, a person, an animal, or something in your kitchen.
– Sketch your usual doodles using your nondominant hand.
– Write words.
– Draw circles, triangles, parallel lines, spirals, and any other shapes you want to explore.
– Want to let go even more? Try closing your eyes while your pen or brush moves across  the surface.