Cafe Review: Cafe Tone and Its

Café Tone and Its Healing Power

▲ Paintings on display at Drawing Cafe Tone.

Reviewed by Cami Ismanova

This prolonged pandemic has the potential to turn corona blues into corona reds as depression and anxiety increase and take the shape of anger. Normally, we would spend an evening at the bar with friends, go to see that new movie, or hit the road for the rest of the weekend, releasing tension and preventing us from the accumulation of negative emotions. Now, our new normal has impacted the ways we relieve our stress, yet it also helps us to (re)discover activities that we would not usually consider.

Among current stress-relieving activities are drawing cafes. Drawing is a proven way to enhance concentration and motor skills, release depression and stress, maintain a sharp memory, and even improve self-esteem. Now, why should you go to a drawing cafe when you could do that at home? Well, there are several reasons I considered before going. First of all, art is not the cheapest hobby. Unless all you need is a sheet of paper, a pen, and an eraser, art supplies are oft en costly and tend to run out quickly. If you do not draw or paint regularly, it is not fi nancially wise to buy supplies. Here is where drawing cafes come in: All art supplies are provided for an aff ordable price. Second, meeting like-minded people in drawing cafes might expand your social circle. It is always fun to spend time with someone who likes the same things as you. Th ird, going to cafes is getting a little boring these days because, well, the interior changes, but the taste does not. I mean, it is oft en a cup of bad coff ee for 2,000 won or a cup of bad coff ee for 4,000 won. Having something to do inside besides casual talking and complaining about work is refreshing. Art is healing, even if you draw or paint like a fi ve-year-old. It also feels like attending an art class with a free topic. No limitations. A variety of choices. A benefi cial outcome.

Now, I would like to present a drawing cafe called Tone. It is a little obvious, but hey, got to stick to the theme here. Café Tone is located at the back gate of Chonnam National University on the third fl oor of the building it is located in. It has a large space with around fi ft een or more seats with wooden easels, fi ne brushes, acrylics, oils, gouache paints and, of course, paper of various sizes. Th ere are stands for still-life compositions that you can arrange, and there is a regular coff ee menu for you to choose from as well. I would like to highlight that drawing or painting is the main focus of the visit. It might feel a little awkward to stop by there just for a cup of coff ee. Plus, it is not furnished in a “sit and talk” manner.

Let us have a look at the menu: Th e starting price for a hot cup of Americano is 4,000 won. Th ere is a variety of hot and cold coff ee options, as well as non-coff ee drinks such as ades and tea.

Th ere are also four options that combine drawing materials and coff ee. Th e price of the options varies based on the size of the paper canvas. Th e fi rst option off ers a canvas of A4-sized paper and oil pastels with either an Americano or peach tea for 12,000 won. Th e second option includes an A4-sized paper canvas and acrylic paints with the aforementioned drinks. Th is option will cost you 15,000 won. Th e third option is quite similar to the second one, but the canvas is bigger. It is an A3-sized paper canvas plus 12 acrylic paints for 18,000 won. Th e last option is a little diff erent, as it allows customers to paint a sculpture from head to chest. It is a free-coloring outline, so you can use whatever paints you would like. Th is certainly entertaining option is 20,000 won. If you would like to change your drinks, you can spend an extra 1,000 won and choose another.

Meditation relaxes our body and clears our mind from thoughts and worries. Exercise works our body and keeps it in tone. What about art? According to the Harvard Health, art can slow cognitive deterioration, improve communication, and lower stress levels, meaning that art is not just “good medicine” but also an eff ective preventive measure. Remember that art is always healing.

Photographs by Cami Ismanova.

DRAWING CAFÉ TONE (드로잉 카페 톤)

Address: 104-9 Uchi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 광주광역시 북구 우치로104-9 Operating Hours: 1–10 p.m. Daily Phone: 010-7759-1724 Website: https://m.blog.naver.com/vnvvnvo/221809570425

The Reviewer

Cami Ismanova is a student at Chonnam National University majoring in economics. Writing has always been her passion. She writes about the environment, cafes in Gwangju, and traveling around Korea and abroad. She has dozens of hobbies that keep her happy and busy all year long. Instagram: @camidisman