From scribbling animal and human figures as a little child to moving on to doodling and more expressive art forms, 12-year-old Laya Nikhil’s creative journey is closely associated with the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival, for it was here two years ago that she first chanced upon a unique and innovative drawing book that has since kept her hooked to the art of mindful drawing.

The walls in her home bear testimony to her passion for drawing patterns and repetitive forms, says the young girl, as she browses through a book on Mandala Art in Hall 3 at Expo Centre Sharjah. “It is not just about creativity and fun; mindful drawing books also help me relax and unwind. What is unique about these books is that although the designs may seem complex, you start noticing the tiny details and become aware of every shape and form of the nature-inspired patterns as you fill in the colours.”

“Mindful drawing helps me concentrate and focus better, and allows me to express my individuality as I can experiment with the colour combinations of my choice, and explore varied techniques on a single page,” said the young artist, who is also fond of graffiti art. “We visit SCRF every year as we always discover something new, and there is so much choice in all genres of books here.”

Following in her sister’s footsteps is nine-year-old Jia, who is at the SCRF this year to add to her home library collection. “I want to do what my sister does; but I cannot colour the mandalas like her, so I want to buy animal-patterned books to get started.”

“I enjoy drawing, but I love reading more,” added the young girl.

An array of inspirational mindful drawing books, ideal for children and adults, are available at SCRF 2021 at Expo Centre Sharjah.