Last Updated on October 9, 2022 by theworldofsleepstaff
Perhaps you are an artist in your waking life, or maybe you’ve hardly drawn in your life. But you’ve stumbled across our corner of the internet after waking up from a dream in which you were drawing, and then wondering what it all means.
Well, a dream about drawing is related to dreams of sketching, doodling and painting. These types of dreams, in general, tend to represent an expression of the self. As we’ll explain more on below.
For example, you may have some suppressed abilities you could use more creatively or a need to look at your waking life in a more creative way.
Think of it as your subconscious drawing upon the canvas that is your mind to tell you something.
Right here we’re going to do our best to help you interpret what that dream about drawing means for you.
But a dream of drawing is a masterpiece in its own way when it comes to analysing it. Putting together all the aspects of the dream to analyse it in itself creates an artwork of the psyche. That’s what we will help you with here.
CONTENTS:
- What Drawing in Our Dreams Could Mean
- How Drawing in Dreams is Related to Expression
- How Drawing in a Dream & Encouragement Go Together
- Colours of Drawings & Their Meanings
- Styles We Draw In & What They Tell Us
- Scenarios We May Find Ourselves In
- Drawing & the World of Art
- Drawing It All To A Close
What Drawing in Our Dreams Could Mean
Drawing in dreams could indicate that you are trying to express some part of yourself, most likely a hidden part. These tend to be dreams about the inner self and suppression of the self and abilities.
They could also directly relate to our creative side or even be a calling to encourage us to show more creativity within our waking lives.
Creativity does not necessarily refer to only the artistic side, but also to how we approach situations and our solutions to them. Art is just commonly seen as an expression of creativity, and the mind will often use it to speak to us about our approaches and the creativity of them.
Alternatively, depending on what you draw and how you draw in a dream could also be your mind’s way of expressing its fears and troubles.
In our waking lives, we can hide our own worries from ourselves as we attempt to cope with situations surrounding us. However, when it comes to dreams our minds will attempt to alert us to any problems it feels needs your attention, no matter how much you try to suppress them in your waking life.
How Drawing in Dreams is Related to Expression
The self is often represented in what we draw – and that’s often the same in dreams too.
We may choose to draw certain subjects or objects, have a specific style we lean-to or even a preference for certain colours. All of these are an opening into your psyche. And how you use them tells us what you are trying to express about yourself.
While some people in our waking lives frown upon those who express themselves, it is important to remember that when we suppress ourselves that need for expression can become prominent in our dreams.
Everyone needs to be able to express themselves at times. Dreams about drawing could be telling you that you need to let some of your expression out, and perhaps to find a more creative way to get around those who are blocking your inner self. Maybe you’re blocking yourself?
Some expressions we feel we need to let out are sometimes best to be let out in different ways, more creative ways. We may need to do this when those expressions pose a threat to ourselves or others. Be this threat of a physical, emotional or spiritual nature.
How Drawing in a Dream & Encouragement Go Together
Another way dreaming about drawing is related to the self is with encouragement. A dream in which we draw could be a symbolic way that our minds are encouraging us to find ourselves in a more creative way.
This encouragement could be related to our waking life in another way, such as it being a sign that we may need to adopt more creative approaches to situations in our waking lives. It may be that we have already started doing this and our minds are processing the steps we have taken as we deviate from our norm.
Even if the dream about drawing has a negative representation to it, it could be your mind’s way to encourage you to keep pushing forward and try different solutions. It becomes the kind, encouraging voice we all may need at times.
Colours of Drawings & Their Meanings
When we dream of colours it tends to be representative of our inner energies and emotions. The same is true of which colours we may be using to draw within our dreams.
Whilst every colour has its own meaning, there are a few things that come into play.
Bright colours tend to signify an awareness of something, while dark colours tend to lean towards the intensity of an emotion or ache.
Pastel colours speak in dreams in a more subtle way, whilst no colour, such as a greyscale drawing may be a representation of how we are detaching ourselves emotionally from a situation and approaching it from an outsider’s perspective.
Below we will discuss the meaning of the three primary colours in dreams. However, do keep in mind a colour may have a different meaning to you. So it’s important to think about how you feel about any colour you may have used to draw within your dream. The following are just the most common associations.
When we dream of using a red colour to draw it represents a spirited energy in what we are drawing. Often red is associated with anger, warnings or danger. But on a more positive note red is also associated with passion and a fiery nature.
If we use blue in our drawings in our dreams we could associate it with the same or similar associations we have with this colour in our waking life. Usually blue is seen as a calmer colour, one that connects to the mind and the peace thereof. However, as we can become lost in the blue skies, we need to remember to remain grounded as well when we have dreams in which we draw in blue.
Yellow is normally seen as a joyous colour, one of happiness and warmth. It often makes us think of sunshine and wealth, and that there is safety and abundance. When we dream of drawing in yellow we could look at this as an expression of how secure or confident we feel in ourselves. We could see it as a sign that you may feel empowered in your identity in your waking life.
Styles We Draw In & What They Tell Us
Alongside colour, we need to also look at how we draw and what we draw to give us a deeper insight. How we draw and what it means is an expression of the self and that of the self’s waking life situations.
Consider how you feel in your dream while sketching. Are you calmly doodling or scratching away at the canvas?
When we draw odd shapes or strange objects we could look at them in one of two ways. Do they intrigue you or frighten you? These shapes or objects could be a representation of how you may be feeling towards something within yourself. Perhaps you have found something new within yourself and you are still exploring it, but it intrigues you. Alternatively, what you have found could be frightening to you and you may prefer to avoid looking at it directly. These drawings tell us about hidden aspects of ourselves we’ve recently discovered.
If your drawings are harsh and have a sharp feel to them it is usually indicative of the mind attempting to tell the dreamer of an underlying anger at some situation or aspect of themselves. This could be an external factor that is influencing your anger, but it tends to be anger directed at the self rather than others when we dream of drawing.
Drawing arcs in your dreams, especially repeatedly, speak of a feeling that you may be experiencing some setbacks in your waking life. These setbacks are usually related to the inner self and its development in the case of a dream of drawing arcs. It could be a way for your mind to attempt to release some of the tension it carries from enduring setbacks.
Eyes usually represent understanding and knowledge, in some cases enlightenment, especially of one’s intellect. In our waking lives, we often hear that the eyes are the window to the soul. So when we draw them in our dreams, they may symbolise a window into our psyche. In a sense, the dream provides us with a message that we may have insight into a situation or may need it. That we perhaps need to peer deeper into something we have discovered.
Consider the emotions the eye or eyes you may be drawing was expressing. Use that as the starting point as to what the psyche is attempting to get you to take a closer look at.
For example, if you draw an eye or eyes with a fearful expression, it may be the way your psyche is telling you to look at your fears. Perhaps they are hindering your waking life and potential, or they may be valid fears that you need to pay closer attention to. The same is true for most other emotions expressed by eyes we might draw in dreams.
Scenarios We May Find Ourselves In
We can dream of drawing ourselves and in such a dream it may be a symbolic way to express to your conscious mind that you may need to take a different view or perspective on a situation. Especially in a situation regarding the self, you may need to take a look from an external perspective to grasp or identify some characteristics of yourself.
Whilst not exactly drawing, tattooing and dreams of tattooing relate to those of drawing. As the skin becomes the canvas drawn upon, instead of paper or another medium. Dreaming of tattooing ourselves could be a representation of our odder tastes in life. It could be that you enjoy something that is considered bizarre or distasteful to others and you wish you could express it.
If someone else is tattooing you it could mean that you feel the tastes or desires you may have are being noticed by others. But if the experience is unpleasant, you may feel that those aspects of yourself are being exposed permanently to those around you.
Alternatively, it could represent your sense of individuality and a desire to be seen by others around you.
In our dreams we can also dream of watching another person draw, in this case, it would usually have the same meanings as mentioned above, but instead of applying them to the self, they would apply to another.
This other person could be the one doing the drawing in your dream, or even someone who you consider to be a support system or trusted friend. In the event that it is the latter, it is the mind’s way of telling us your friend or trusted person could be warning us of something or someone else. Sometimes we see red flags, but choose to pretend they are white instead, despite others in our waking lives trying to alert us to these red flags.
In a way, it is the subconscious attempting to tell the conscious mind to take into consideration what others may be saying. The final decision however stays yours in your waking life. Advice is something we can listen to, but the choice to apply it remains up to the individual, as nobody but you, can live your life.
Drawing & the World of Art
In dreams of drawing, we also need to look at where or how these drawings may take place or have already taken place. Below are just a few scenarios and their meanings.
If you dream you are in an art gallery and there is artwork around you it could be that your dream is speaking to you about moments in your life and memories. Either you may have some past experiences you should treasure or some past experiences you need to heal from.
It could be that your mind is trying to tell you to preserve the present moments of your current life as well. We make memories constantly, a memory of the past is only a moment away. Sometimes we are so caught up in life that we forget to treasure those moments before they are gone.
Should you be in an art class during your dream it could be indicative of a desire to express your inner self in a more creative way. You may be feeling restricted and in need to let your inner self’s energy out into the world.
The more enjoyable you find the class in your dream the more it speaks of the ease in which you feel you can express that inner self. In a sense, it is the mind’s belief in our ability to show our true selves to those around us.
If you dream of art supplies, but in the dream, you cannot seem to create anything it may be that you feel your imagination and intuition are being blocked.
Should the art supplies be damaged, for example, ink spilt everywhere, look at the severity of the damage. This could help us assess how in our dream state we are viewing a problem in our waking life in regards to our expression of self.
If the damage is minor, perhaps you consider the blockage minor as well. Consider how you view the damage caused to the supplies and see if it applies to your waking life. Even if there is absolute chaos, it is the mind’s way of saying there could be a blockage, but this is an alert and you can still move past the obstacle.
Drawing It All To A Close
Dreaming of drawing, even if you are an artist or draw for a hobby, will often have the above-mentioned meanings for most of us. What is important is that we look at the dream as a whole.
How did we draw, what colours did we use or was it even us drawing? A dream of drawing is a masterpiece in its own way when it comes to analysing it. Putting together all the aspects of the dream to analyse it in itself creates an artwork of the psyche.
Even the smallest doodle in a dream or our waking life can give us insight into our subconscious.