I recently bought a book called Creative First Aid, by Caitlin Marshall & Lizzie Rose. It is full of creative prescriptions, one of which is bilateral drawing. You get a sheet of paper, a pen/pencil/marker in each hand, and doodle, making simultaneous marks until the paper is full. I tried it out, as per the line drawing in the image, and it is great fun.
I found myself noticing how each hand was moving, the control or pressure I was using, the marks I was making. I started by mirroring marks and, as I got used to it, found it interesting to play with making different marks with each hand. I was reminded of playing the piano, where the left and right hands are playing different parts of the whole composition, activating both sides of the brain.
The authors write that bilateral drawing is a form of mindfulness that can "connect us with our bodies and rhythms”. I think it also connects us with our ways of thinking. I say this because I was surprised by the final drawing, the intricate details and the positive and negative spaces that had been created . While lovely as a line drawing (as per the instructions), something about it made me want to add colour. As I look at it now, it could almost depict a dreamlike state and makes me think of the neuroplasticity of the brain, how it grows and organises neural pathways. The bilateral drawing process could be a way of helping us to think differently, rewiring the brain, allowing new thoughts to emerge. I’ve already got plans to use it with clients, to help them in thinking and perceiving differently. If you try it out, I would love to hear of your experience.