Enso Art – Relaxing Watercolor Exercise

by Volta March 27, 2020

written by Volta March 27, 2020

Enjoy this soothing watercolor exercise.

enso art watercolor Sweet friends,

Without a doubt, this has been a difficult season for all of us. So much uncertainty all around and so much struggle. But despite all that, I still choose to believe that something better is coming. This season in the middle can be so long and strenuous, but I know the sunshine and rainbows are on their way. We will get through this. And we’ll be stronger because of it.

My values for Color Snack are 3-fold: to color, to uplift, to encourage. I hope with this blog post that you feel a little bit uplifted and encouraged to try to create. It is so important for us to find ways to get out of our heads and be in the present moment, especially at times like these when anxiety and fear are at an all time high.

I want to share the relaxing beauty of Enso art with you. My dear friend Maria mentioned it to me and I have been fascinated ever since. Not only is this a great exercise to practice with watercolors (you get to practice lots of circles by moving the hand and arm with intent) but it’s also highly meditative, and soothing.

In Zen, ensō (円相, , “circle”) is a circle that is painted in one or two uninhibited brushstrokes to express a moment when the mind is free to let the body create. The idea is that you take a deep breath, and as you exhale, you paint your circle. It’s typically painted with black ink, but I wanted to add my own watercolor look to it.

Enso circle is a perfect blend of color + relaxation all and it’s a soothing exercise that can be enjoyed by anyone.

Adding the word in the middle is optional and something I added myself. I wanted to find different words as mantras that would fit the colors of the Enso circle. What word would you put inside your Enso art?