Finding the right hobby to try out in retirement can be tough. With the abundance of time that you have, you surely want to be able to spend it doing something you enjoy. Doing something artsy, particularly drawing, is an excellent hobby to try out! It is simple to pick up and it comes in many forms, so you’ll never be bored. There are also many benefits to having drawing as a hobby. Research has shown that drawing can affect the right or left side of our brain causing improvements in mood and emotional expression. Drawing also gives chances for social connection in group settings. We have compiled a list of drawing activity ideas for older adults!
Continuous Line
It may sound boring to just draw lines, but what is drawing but a bunch of lines put together in a creative way? Start out on a piece of blank paper and put your pencil wherever you feel fit to. Then let your hand flow where it wants to. Having such a free-flowing action when drawing puts your mind in a relaxed state, almost as if you are meditating. Sure, the drawing will come out as just a bunch of squiggles, but you will come out of it feeling much better than you did before.
Caricature Drawing
Ever had your portrait done while you were overseas? Chances are that that portrait is filled with overexaggerated facial features and expressions that look goofy yet wholly represent you. That’s a caricature drawing. It is a style that depicts subjects in a dramatized or oversimplified manner. It’s an easy way to start drawing people without having to worry about making their facial features look correct. As an added bonus, your family is sure to laugh at the silly expressions you draw them in.
Figure Drawing
As known as still-life drawings, figure drawings are depictions of everyday objects that are brought to life on paper. You can choose anything as your subject, from people sitting around in the park to a beautiful flowering tree. People who choose to draw in this style are trying to capture what they see around them. This method is a great way to learn about the fundamentals of drawing such as proportions, perspective, and shading. However, this is an advanced form of drawing and may need some practice before you can properly do it.
Sketch Drawing
Do you like to fantasize and imagine a world that you would love to bring to life? Then sketch drawing is a simple yet easy way to make your dream come almost true. Sketch drawing tends to have less-refined lines and has a more unpolished look compared to other forms of drawing. This is because the objective of sketch drawing is to bring about a concept that you can maybe try out in your real life. One way in which sketch drawing can help is in fashion illustrations. You can draw out the type of garment you would like to create and sketch a blueprint which you can later put together in real life. Another way sketch drawing is brought to life is with interior designing. You can think about how to rearrange your home and pen it down so you can try out how things will work out before you do it.
