Morning Offering
Come, Creator Spirit. Breathe life into me as I fill my whole being with you. Give me the graces to rest in your beauty so that I might be filled with overwhelming gratitude for the unending love that you will pour forth today. I pray that my soul will be still and relish your love through the little details today. Help me resist the urge to rush. I give you the smallest parts of my day and pray in thanksgiving for each of them. Help me to see them as a greater part of your love story for me, and to rest in them. I love you and I live this day for you. I lay this day with all my work, joys, and sorrows in your hands to redeem, mould, and shape into the masterpiece you desire. Amen.
Spiritual + Creative Prompt
This week’s spiritual and creative prompts will help us rest in God’s beauty and be filled with gratitude for all He has given us.
This week at Mass, we desire to rest in the Lord after we have received Him in the beauty of the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist and we will praise Him with our whole hearts. We will be allowed and encouraged to be still and relish the little details through the pause of this still life prompt. We will be able to see the little details of what is in front of us as part of the greater love story. We will be challenged to resist the temptation to rush through the task. The stillness will call us into a place of calm. We will thank God for each detail as we put it onto the page.
Be Still and Know.
At Mass this week, take time in your pew to relish the moments after you receive Jesus into your body. Think of this as a moment of rest. Ponder the reality of what has just happened and allow yourself to be filled with gratitude for this immense gift. Imagine yourself as a living tabernacle, holding Jesus inside of you. Be still and know of God’s love for you in this moment.
Still Life
This week we’ll be trying our hand at drawing from life. This is a challenging task that requires patience and trust. This exercise also helps us train our eyes to see subtle details and notice how objects relate to one another.
Materials:
Sketchbook
Pencil
Something to focus on and draw
Optional: Art materials of your choice
Directions:
The first step is to choose your subject. This should be something—an inanimate object or set of objects—that brings you joy! It could be a vase of flowers, a cup of coffee, a stack of books, or a favorite spot in your home, such as the mantle above your fireplace. You could draw these objects where they are, or if you have time and space, you can use your creativity to set up a still life composition.
Things to consider: vary the height, keep shapes simple, play with texture (add fabric, water, greenery, etc.)
Once you’ve chosen your subject, sit in a spot where you can observe and draw for a time comfortably. Before you put pencil to paper, spend time observing the scene in front of you. Consider:
What would you like the focal point to be?
What are the darkest and lightest spots?
How does the light affect the mood of your composition?
What do you see in the background?
Now, start drawing!
There are so many ways to draw, and you’ll figure out (with practice) what works best for you. If you’re intimidated about getting started, consider the steps from this blog post. We’ve found them to be really helpful, and included pictures of our process for you below!
Step 2: Draw some thumbnails to help you plan and make some final composition decisions.
Step 4: Refine the shapes of your objects.
Step 3: Put your objects in boxes to help with proportions.
Step 5: Add form through basic shadows.
A few tips for drawing objects from life:
Step 6: Add the details! Build up shadows gradually to make sure you have consistent darks and lights throughout the piece.
Give yourself grace! Drawing from life is really difficult, even for more advanced artists! The main point of this exercise is to help us slow down, notice the little details, and pray through themes of gratitude. The goal is not to draw a perfect EXAMPLE.
Draw what you see, not what you think you see. When we set out to draw an object, it can be tempting to want to follow a formula: a table has two horizontal lines and four vertical lines for legs. But when we draw from life, our task is to observe, document, and trust the marks we make on the page.
Notice how objects relate to one another. Adjacent objects can give you clues and guidelines to how long, wide, or tall the object should be (e.g. The coffee cup is about half as tall as the vase, and the height of the flowers is about the same as the height of the vase.).
Be mindful of the light, and your perspective. Drawing from life takes time. If you can keep your still life set up, it’s great practice to come back to it over a few days. Just be mindful of your light source and your own perspective. Light, shadow, and perspective will affect your composition. Feel free to play around with it!
To maintain consistency, you could return to your work at the same time (or keep the light source the same) and draw from the same spot each day.
Or to mix it up, you could draw the same still life from different vantage points or with a different light source. How does direct light versus indirect light affect the mood of the composition?
As you draw, say some prayers of thanksgiving.
Make it your own:
Consider these suggestions, especially If you are working in your own creative (non-sketchbook) hobby/medium.
Notice the little details of the objects you’ve gathered and the materials you are working with. Thank God for them.
Resist the temptation to rush through your work. Listen to the Stirred to Wonder playlist or music that helps you slow down.
Thank God for the work He has allowed you to do and the talents He has given you to do it.
If you aren’t able to sit and work on these prompts due to the season of life you’re in (toddlers, work obligations, etc.), remember that we’re called to make our very lives a work of art! This week, reflect on the themes, reflection questions, and ideas in this week’s prompts during your daily activities.
(Psst…If you’re sharing updates of your creative process, be sure to tag @ScatterandSow on social media, and use #StirredToWonder.)
Evening Offering
REDEEMED: AN EVENING OFFERING OF THE DAY’S BEAUTY
Giver of good gifts, thank you for inviting me to participate in the mystery of your creation. Thank you for all I have received today. As I lay my body down tonight, I offer you the fruits of my labors, and with them, the shortcomings, failures, and fears that prevent me from resting in the beauty of your embrace. Creator of the universe, you are making all things new, even now. Help me to trust in your redemptive power so that when I rise I am ready once more to receive and serve you. Amen.
UP NEXT: Week 7: Music & Prayers