You may not know that art (drawing, painting, sculpture) and the arts (like music, drama and dance) can be therapeutic. While I didn’t think of it as a treatment, in the past I have reached for my classical guitar, even after months of not playing, when hit with one of life’s blows, but was never sure why. I’ve always found familiar music, whether listening or playing myself, has a calming almost meditative effect... especially if I sing the words in a really loud voice!
My cousin, who is a retired occupational therapist, would tell me stories of how doing art on a large canvas could help those with shoulder injuries overcome their pain (or fear of pain) and be able to exercise their recovering joint. But, although many of us (professionals or not) have realized some of the health benefits of art, there is actually a specialty in this area.
Professional Art Therapists
Art therapists are professionals who are trained in both psychology and art. There are 3 main ways that art therapy is used:
Analytic art therapy—Rather than rely only on words to share ideas, the client and therapist express themselves through drawing or painting.
Psychotherapy—The therapist focuses on verbally analyzing art produced by the client, initiating a discussion and analysis.
Art as a process—The focus is on the process of creating art itself as therapy, as my cousin described using in her work. The final product itself is unimportant, and is not analyzed.
So, art can be used to help motor function, self-esteem, self-awareness, and emotional resilience. It can also be used to help a client delve into their past, reaching into the subconscious mind, and aid in resolving conflicts and reducing stress.
But it’s also a wonderful and rewarding pastime. Learning new skills can provide a sense of achievement and can be a social outlet when learning in a group. I’ve found that artists love to help others improve, sharing what they’ve learned and additional sources of helpful information.
Art as an outlet
Art certainly helped me get through the worst of the pandemic, with its lockdowns and isolation. I had already delved back into art when I retired (neglected since my high school days, while busy with work and children). My hubby suggested that the flowers I was drawing with watercolour pencils were rather boring—why didn’t I try something more interesting, like faces? At first, I said, I can’t do that!
But my sister-in-law, a retired art teacher, suggested a wonderful reference book: The Big Book of Realistic Drawing Secrets, by Carrie Stuart Parks. Amongst the many tips and techniques, they recommended measuring to get everything the right size and in the right place. I'm sure you've seen images of artists, with one eye closed (to flatten the subject), holding up a pencil with arm outstretched. They are taking measurements! I also ordered a few of the suggested tools online to make it easier and more fun. Author, Carrie Parks, calls these "toys"... not really necessary but lots of fun to use.
And, gradually it worked! I challenged myself to do one portrait a week in graphite (pencil) and, while the early ones barely looked like the subject, I steadily improved. Each portrait was like a little puzzle, trying to figure what was “off”, preventing the drawing from looking like the person.
After our “Escape” from Europe just as the skies were closing to international air traffic, I sewed masks and gave them away. It was something to do during the lockdowns that was fun for me and helpful to others. A few people even compensated me for my work and that kept me in materials to continue. Eventually the artist in me surfaced, and I started painting designs on them using markers or acrylics, making each a tiny but useful work of art. When some people complained that the masks covered their facial expressions, I even made some with big smiles and funny faces. I could see people’s eyes crinkle with their own smile when they saw me wearing one of those...
Now that masks are readily available commercially, even the high quality N95 ones, I’ve returned to more standard art and my portraits. I’ve challenged myself to learn to do Portraits in colour, which is much more difficult than the black-and-white graphite on white paper. In addition to determining the light and dark areas of the face, I also need to analyze the colour tones—is it a more yellowy or pinkish beige? A reddish-brown vs a golden brown? It will take me a while to learn to recognize the colours that make up the skin tones I’m seeing.
The self-portrait at the top of this article is a recent example of my attempts to learn to use colour pastels. I think it looks like me, but I still have lots to learn... (I won't point out my mistakes!! Haha!)
Many benefits to doing art
While this certainly not true “art therapy”, I find my art has its mental health benefits: it gives me goals to strive for, it continually challenges my brain to learn something new (or find and fix the problem on the page!), and it's a relaxing meditation. Art makes a special original personalized gift too! I give most of my art away, although my hubby hangs some of it in my sunroom/art room/art gallery.
Can anyone do art?
Yes! Art teachers will tell you that “natural talent” is not necessary. Most art techniques and talents are learned, not inherited. The author of the book I found so helpful (see References, below) teaches a 5-day course in forensic art (how to draw composites for police work) to police force members, FBI, Secret Service personnel, and others, This course is part of the basis for the book I found so useful when I first began drawing portraits and includes basic techniques to get started.
An easy way to begin doing art, though, is by trying out adult colouring books. Pictures suitable for colouring are available in art, stationery and some large department stores or online, along with simple colouring pencils or fine-tipped markers. You can also find pictures to colour that you can download and print for free. While they don’t qualify as therapy, they are a fun and relaxing form of meditation that can be a step toward more complex art as a lifelong hobby.
So, whether you want to seek a certified Art Therapist for serious therapy, use art to relax and/or challenge yourself, or simply enjoy the art of others, art certainly deserves a place in our society. Sadly, art is sometimes an early victim of cutbacks in education and treated as a frivolous “extra” in the education system. And some never continue art into adulthood, even though they enjoyed it as a child. Art is closely tied to the culture of a society. Producing and enjoying art lifts us up, makes us think, relaxes, and energizes us.
Did you enjoy art as a child? Can you remember the joy of opening a new box of crayons? All those delicious colours! Tell us about it in the comments.
Doing art as an adult can give you the same feeling... You should see the beautiful box of crayons (aka water colour pencils) I bought myself this week! 😊
References:
The big book of Realistic Drawing Secrets – Carrie Stuart Parks Available on Amazon or your local book store.
Art Therapy – Wikipedia
Psychological Benefits of Art Therapy – Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association
About Art Therapy – Art Therapy Association
Paint Basket Art Classes (online) Getting Started Learn to Draw - How to Draw - Pencil Drawing Basics (Note: I’ve watched quite a few of Paint Basket’s instructional videos. This free series helps beginners get started. He also offers many advanced lessons for a small fee.)
