Day 14 of 30: Closed Eye Giraffe

A prompt on joyous surprise

We’re almost halfway through April, and today’s prompt is a delight. It’s from National Geographic travel writer and photographer Marie McGrory. She’s sharing with us an activity she came up with—I’ve done it myself and can attest it’s as weird and surprising as it is just plain fun.

—Suleika

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Closed Eye Giraffe by Marie McGrory

Back in 2012, I was catching up with my good friend Sofia at a coffee shop. I had my notebook with me, as all good journalists do, and at one point we started doodling together using a closed-eye drawing technique I’d learned in high school called blind contour. We warmed up with the easy objects—first she drew a boat, then I drew a water bottle—before we upped the ante. "Alright,” I said, “now draw a giraffe." And to my delight, she proceeded to draw the most incredible giraffe—with her eyes closed! 

I was so impressed that I started pulling out my notebook and showing Sofia’s giraffe to friends and colleagues. Everyone who saw it was also impressed and wanted to try their own. The closed-eye giraffe brought so many smiles that I never stopped. I asked strangers on the train and baristas at coffee shops. Dozens of notebooks later, I finally made an Instagram account to archive them—and so @ClosedEyeGiraffe was born. I’ve gotten submissions from all over the world, in every medium.

In my eight years of collecting closed-eyed giraffes, I’ve heard many amusing and thoughtful questions about these creatures, as people try to remember details to add to their drawings. What are those horns on their head called? What shape are their spots? Do they make noises? They have tails … right? It’s an activity that is so easy and accessible, but that brings so much joy. 

Now it’s your turn to try.

Your prompt for today:

Close your eyes and draw a giraffe. Your drawing can be of the giraffe’s bust or its full body. It can be in a setting or alone on the page. If you're feeling bold, you can attempt a tower of giraffes.

When you finish, open your eyes and write about your giraffe. What questions and ideas came up? How does your drawing compare to the image you had in your head? What did this exercise reveal—maybe something about your creative practice? Or something about control—and what it’s like to cede it? About trust?