Finding moments of mindfulness and relaxation can be a challenge at any time of year, but October always feel especially busy for me. One creative way to catch these little moments of quiet is by participating in chill art challenges like Mindfultober 2023. For the “Intertwine” prompt, I have a delightful and meditative drawing project for you: using repeating straight and looping lines to mindfully draw a tree. In this step-by-step guide, I will show you how to create a drawing of a tree, mindfully.

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

Keep your supplies minimal:

• A favourite highlighter or colouring pen: I’ve used a turquoise Faber-Castell highlighter here, feel free to chose a colour you like.
• A black pen.
• A dark colouring pen: I’ve used a dark blue Posca (an acrylic paint pen) but any will do. This is for shading.
• A light-coloured pen: I’ve used a pale pink Posca (an acrylic paint pen) but any opaque colour will do. This is for highlights.
• Paper: Use whatever paper you have to hand. I’ve used a miniature sketchbook a friend of mine made for me.

Step 2: Draw a Series of Vertical Lines

Begin by drawing a series of vertical(ish) lines. Make sure to vary the length and height of the lines. This step is a grounding activity that describes the tree’s canopy. Go as wild or mild as you like with your canopy!

Step 3: Draw Looping Squiggles Down Each Vertical Line

Next, add character and depth to the canopy by incorporating looping squiggles down each line. These squiggles will create the impression of intertwining branches and leaves, giving your tree a unique and organic look. Keep the loops in the same direction, or mix it up depending on your mood.

Step 4: Draw Looping Squiggles Connecting the Canopy to the Bottom of the Page

Continuing with this kind of mark-making, now draw looping squiggles that connect the canopy to the bottom of the page. This step creates the trunk and main branches, intertwining the canopy with the ground.

Step 5: Add Extra Loops Wherever You Like

Feel free to add extra loops to your tree wherever you see fit. These touches add extra ‘life’ to your drawing, while also letting you loosen up a bit yourself and relax more into your creative process.

Step 6: Add Shading

Shading gives your tree depth and dimension. Use your dark-coloured pen to add shading to one side of the trunk and branches. You can also add shading to areas of the canopy where you want to create depth.

Step 7: Add Highlights on the Opposite Side

To enhance the vibrancy and realism of your tree, add highlights using an opaque light-coloured pen. Apply these highlights on the opposite side of the trunk and branches from where you shaded, and on the opposite side of the canopy. This will create a sense of light and depth within your tree and really bring it to life.

Step 8: Add Any Finishing Touches

Feel free to add any finishing touches or additional details to make your tree even more delightful, or make the process even more enjoyable for you. The process is more important than the outcome in this activity so focus on what feels good in the moment.

Step 9: Sign Your Work

Your work deserves a signature! Don’t forget to sign your finished art piece to make it truly your own and signal that you are finished.

Step 10: Enjoy Your Finished Art

Once you’re happy that you’ve finished your work, step back and enjoy your finished piece. Then thank yourself for making the time to do something just for you. Hopefully you found this a relaxing and fulfilling experience, allowing you to embrace the spirit of Mindfultober 2023.

See a Real Time Example for Mindfultober Intertwine

You can watch my real-time example of this approach here – it’s about 20 minutes long:

Take it Further

If you enjoyed this approach for Mindfultober Intertwine, consider trying my Skillshare Class: A Mindful Approach to Practicing Watercolor: Values, Palettes & Brush Control If you don’t have a Skillshare membership, this link will give you 1 month’s free access to Skillshare, where you can take this class plus thousands of others. (If you choose to continue your access after a month with a paid subscription, I’ll be paid a small commission.)

Mindfultober Specific Blog Posts:

• Mindfultober
• Circle Part 1 of 2
• Circle Part 2 of 2
• Tiny
• Shadow

Final Thoughts

This approach to the “Intertwine” prompt for Mindfultober 2023 focuses on repetitive mark-making to bring us into a mindful state, before introducing free-form mark-marking to exercise our creativity more fully. The next blog post in this series will look at the 3rd prompt, “Tiny”. I look forward to seeing what you create. Happy drawing!