Due dates for work. Coffee got spilled. That one sock you can’t find. There are stress hatches all over. It gets interesting when you add sealing alcohol ink artwork, though. It’s almost like magic—one splash and your bad mood looks crazy on paper.
Get some yupo paper. Really, regular printer paper isn’t going to work here. This man-made kind is what you need because the inks like to walk on it. Put some color on. Don’t think too much about where they land. Invite gravity to join you in your work.
Take a deep breath in. Please take a moment to think. The voice inside your head will start to scream. (“Why blue?” “That marks a strange shape!” Tell it to go get some coffee. It shows that you are a real person if your hands shake. This doesn’t have any grades. Sneezed on your work by accident? Feel the new feel, folks!
You can tilt the paper, blow softly, or grab a straw from the kitchen box and start smoking. Watch as the colors grow, clash, or just hang out like shy people at a party. Each picture is full of life. Suddenly, the stress you were feeling before jumps off the page and into the chaos of the mind.
Blending method is used by some. Some people get isopropyl alcohol from the cabinet in the bathroom. Each way makes magic of its own. It’s a good thing that no two tries are the same if you’ve been getting frustrated all week. Say it again: It’s meant to look like it could happen at any time.
Don’t be shocked if ten, twenty, or thirty minutes go by quickly. You’ll look up from the kitchen table with dirty hands and a clearer head. Do not go to art school. Everyone can join, even the cat and the kids. It’s a mess. It feels good. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about that sigh of relief that comes over you when you’re done with all the flowing ink.
Put your creation (or jumbled mess) in a frame if you’re proud of it. Enjoy the lesson that keeping things in order isn’t the only way to deal with stress. Sometimes, the chaos on a bit of yupo is just what you need to clear your mind. And when trouble comes up again later, you’ll know that a splash of ink can do great things.