With people encouraged to stay indoors for the next few weeks, many are looking for different ways to keep themselves and their family entertained. Whether it’s helping you learn a new skill or simply suggesting creative ways in which to spend time with loved ones, Jumeirah wants to be a part of your home experience and to fill your life with colour during these unique times.
Drawing, painting and colouring is proven to have a positive effect on mental well-being. It reduces stress and helps manage anxiety, as well as fosters a positive and healthy mindset, which is more important than ever. #StayHomeWithJumeirah and paint away any blues by following five simple tips from Art Dubai Resident Artist – Nahla Al Tabbaa; from drawing portraits of your loved ones and practicing calligraphy to building your own sketchbook and creating paints by only using natural ingredients such as herbs and spices.
- Dedicate a space
Carve out a quiet, meditative and contemplative space to work. This could be a little corner in your room, facing a window with a tabletop, and storage space for all your materials.
- Draw portraits
Take the time to draw portraits of your loved ones during this time. Pay attention to their features and try to draw portraits as frequently as possible, or once every day, for a week. Reveal to yourself the series once the week is over, and try to see whether you have made progress, noticed or emphasised certain features, and use these studies to create a final portrait. If you are at home alone, bring your furniture and house plants to life by drawing portraits of them too!
- Practice hand-lettering
Pick a quote, a piece of news, or any snippet of information that inspires you. Draw this quote using big, bold lines, paying close attention to calligraphy, the size of text and your colour choices.
- Bind your own sketchbooks, and curate their content
There’s nothing more satisfying that using a needle and thread to bind your own sketchbook. This doesn’t have to be many pages, but just enough to create a small book. Think of a theme this book would have and fill it to the brim with your sketches.
- Develop your own pigments at home
If you are at home without any paints, turn to your pantry. Spices and herbs offer numerous and enchanting results. Turmeric, when combined with water, vinegar and egg tempera, will give you yellow, hibiscus will give you a fierce magenta, and purple cabbage when boiled with baking soda will give you an electric blue.
Nahla Al Tabbaa is an Art Dubai Resident Artist, urban place-maker and educator. She currently consults on pedagogical and socially engaged art projects and is an experienced curator and presenter with Frying Pan Adventures. She obtained an MA in Curatorial Practice (2012) and a BFA in Sculpture (2009).
For more inspiration, stay connected via our social media channels and don’t forget to tag us in your posts while we all #StayHome.
#StayHomeWithJumeirah
#ArtsWithJumeirah
Instagram:
@jumeirahgroup
@burjalarab
@madinatjumeirah
@jumeirahbh
@jumeirahalnaseem
@jumeirahminaasalam
@jumeirahalqasr
@jumeirahemiratestowers
@jumeirahcreeksidehotel
