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Drawing as sensory play

12:48 PM, Thursday December 5th 2024

I found myself suddenly confused by the nature of spices. I realized they don't taste 'good' in the way that sweet fruit or fatty nuts do, but I still enjoy it. If they really tasted 'good' wouldn't we sprinkle cinnamon on our tongue? We don't, because cinnamon doesn't really taste 'good'. My conclusion was that spiced food is interesting and fun. It is fun to utilize this extensive palate we have, and the intense sensory information we receive when spiced food hits our tongue is quite fun for out brains. It becomes a form of sensory play.

In coming to this conclusion I started to experience eating the same food in a completely different way. In realizing that the act of eating itself was a form of sensory play, it become easier to engage with as such. I asked ChatGPT for other areas in my life that also could be thought of as sensory play, and its answer was very interesting.

"Writing or Drawing by Hand

Why It’s Sensory Play:

    The texture of the paper, the movement of the pen or pencil, and the visual creation of shapes or words engage fine motor skills and visual-spatial senses."

Retrospectively I remember paying attention to the way my muscles moved when drawing. I remember sensing my muscles feeling tired. It felt interesting to try and differentiate the muscles from each other. There was also something supremely satisfying in bearing witness to a perfectly drawn line. I just looked at it for a while, the way it looked perfectly straight as if I had used a ruler was almost strange to look at. I also remember being annoyed about the way my pen wouldn't glide uniformly on the paper, but felt like it got 'stuck' in places.

Do you experience drawing as a form of sensory play? I look forward to reading your replies.

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1 users agree
5:41 AM, Friday December 13th 2024

Your reply reminded me that I read a book by Kimon Nicolaides called "natural way of drawing". Some part of it was about contours and shadings it helped me perceive my imagination as if it's tangible in a tactile way. It's fun, but I don't recommend the book as a fundemental for drawing because it sounds woo woo magic. It makes you rely in your intuition rather than a set of rules or steps to draw something consistent.

I actually haven't finished the book, I think I only reached at page 42 then skimmed it.

0 users agree
6:40 PM, Tuesday December 10th 2024

have you tried red pepper flakes toasted with salt? it`s a chinese snack, very yummy.

yes, every time I am at my draq-a-box desk I feel like a scribe goblin or cozy magician librarian who is working on some peculiar order and catch ASMR vibe for sure

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