Sketchual Healing: My Line Art Journey Between Tangled Pen Strokes

Exploring Zentangles, Mandalas, and Mindful Drawing for Self-Care and Creativity

Good afternoon, my wellness warrior friends!

I promise you that this won’t be one of my book-like posts filled with jump links and summaries. I don’t have anything new to discuss, actually. I just felt lonely and wanted to talk.

So, what better is there to talk about than Sketchual Healing?

If you are new, then let me explain more thoroughly.

What Is Sketchual Healing, Anyway?

I use Sketchual Healing to describe my line art journey. You see, I just love making repetitive patterns. I love the entirety of continuous line art, mandalas, zentangles, and floral designs.

I used to color them, actually. You know, buy the coloring books and mindfully color pages.

One day, I just thought it would be fun to draw them instead.

I practiced zentangle line art years ago. I was such a perfectionist, though, that I would get mad and give up. If I couldn’t practice the art perfectly, then I just wouldn’t practice.

Somewhere along the line, I forgot that practice is how you become skilled.

I recently picked it back up, unskilled, and started practicing for real. My hands shake more now. I have grip issues, too. I’m certainly not at the health point I was the last time I tried.

I don’t care, though.

The act of combining lines into a pattern is simply relaxing. When health symptoms become triggered by stress, the simple act of sketchual healing, to me, is just the right mix of craft and imperfection. I’m allowed to exist in the moment. I’m allowed to try.

In summary:

Sketchual Healing is imperfect line art. It is the art of mindful practice without the nagging need for perfection.

An Inspired Return.

As you know, I decided to go back on Instagram and Threads to promote this blog, connect with people, etc. Not only do I want to show people they are not alone, but I want to feel less alone, too.

Invisible disabilities like the ones I live with are very lonely. No one can see it, and true connection comes through people who know what it is like. My office isn’t a public space. Instagram and Threads are public.

Right after I joined Instagram, I found a woman who creates various types of line art. Not only does she make beautiful, mindful art, but she also creates and sells her tutorials through her Etsy page.

♡ This is an affiliate link, a no-cost-to-you feature that helps pay my bills ♡
🔦 Etsy Seller Spotlight. Her shop is FreeHandArtMaheswari on Etsy. Currently she has 8 tutorials listed of varying styles to explore!

While I do have Etsy as an affiliation, I assure you that she did not ask for a feature. I simply wish to share quality products by a small business artist who is just trying to help others find a little mindfulness in their life, too.

Without being prompted, I bought four of her practice sets and fell in love with how simple she made the learning process! I loved them so much that I bought three more. I own seven of the eight practice sets she has listed. It was worth every dime.

I learned so many different designs, basic patterning I can use in my creations, and techniques that I can implement to create my own cluster of lines!

As you likely noticed from my featured image on this post, I was practicing a bit yesterday. I was really sick, my head wouldn’t stop pounding, and just emptying my mind to focus on each pen stroke really helped center me when nothing else felt right.

My favorite thing about Sketchual Healing is that I don’t need to be perfect or feel okay. I can pull out a pen and some paper anytime and practice this form of art.

My list of line artists that I follow has grown since I first rejoined social media. I’m following handwriting artists (a practice I’ve spent years on myself), as well as fellow line artists of varying styles.

Seeing the beautiful creations of others is nearly as satisfying as practicing for myself.

Let’s Burrito My Thoughts…

I’m simply grateful for this practice. I’m grateful to have rediscovered it, even if by accident. I finally have enough internal peace to accept imperfection while being mindful in practice.

This is a big deal to me. It means I no longer care if my work isn’t perfect. It is called a practiced art for a reason. I’ll always be learning and growing, much like I do in crochet.

Thank you, my wellness warrior friends. I appreciate you coming by to read my words and indulge in a little love for Sketchual Healing.

If you could take a moment to like and share my post, it will help me reach a broader audience of people who also suffer from invisible disabilities and just need a friend.

What is your favorite mindful craft for self-care?

An Invisible Illness Self-Care Blog

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