It think we have a deficiency of focus and concentration in the world today.
This is just my opinion, but it is based on what I have seen among my kids and their classmates, as well as my own current mindset sometimes. Things like social media and easy, quick fixes of entertainment can make it hard to concentrate on any one task at a time.
If I’m noticing this with my small family, imagine what it is like to be a teacher trying to get kids to focus on one thing. One way some educators are doing this is through art, including projects designed to encourage the mind to stick to one path. I’ve adapted some of the ideas I have seen on educator and art sites for my own.
With Spring Break coming up, now is a good time to try some of these ideas, using plain old coloring pages, for all ages. The are not hard, but take some time, patience, and focus.
Contrast Outlining
What you need is to paint some big swashed of watercolors, over the paper. Use about three our four colors for a good result. Let it dry completely. Now, the concentration comes in here. Using a fine line black marker or ballpoint pen, trace around everywhere there is a contrast. Look closely. Not just the obvious where the colors overlap, but spaces where the color seems subtly darker. The more you look, the more you will find. Just trace around and along it, and next thing you know, you’ve created a detailed abstract design.
This looks good both with a design underneath, like a coloring page, or on a plain sheet of manila or watercolor paper. I was surprised how cool the one I just dropped on a half a sheet of paper turned out.
Coloring with Patterns
This one is great for a seemingly boring image. Instead of just filling it in with color, use a black pen or marker and doodle a different pattern on section. Use zigzags, checkered patterns, polka dots, wavy lines, zentangles, or whatever else you can think of.
None of these patterns are hard to draw, but if you want to fill a space, it will take some time and patience. The black and white patterns can really make a difference, too.
No-Glue Sticker Collage
This also works best on simple images. Remember making little mosaic patterns in school with cut up construction paper and Elmer’s Glue? This is similar, takes a good amount of concentration and focus, but doesn’t have that school glue-on-your-fingers mess.
Dig out some old stickers that you might have amassed. If you have kids, they get these at school, as prizes, in party packs. You know the drill. We have a folder full of old stickers like these at home.
Find some stickers with a similar color patterns and cut them up. The time-consuming part is pulling the back of each piece, then pasting it in place. Overlap for collage effect. If you are an older crafter, you can use a utility knife to cut any corners off that go “over the lines.” Otherwise, make the pieces small enough so there aren’t too many jagged ends.
The best part is how easy these pieces are to just stick in place with no glue. As far as focus, this little plain bunny image took me at least as long as the other to methods, but it turned out looking like a cool quilted piece. No glue or big gooey mess, but it definitely needed my full attention to cut, fit, and place the pieces.
The distractions are everywhere, I know. It can seem like you are “missing out” on what’s next if we stop and rest a big. Yet, if we take the time to focus on one creation, one goal, one pretty little achievement, it is more than worth it.
