In Ken Robinson’s book? The following story is told about painting: a teacher was giving a drawing class and at the back of the room there was a girl who paid no attention, except in drawing classes, the girl drew for twenty minutes, focused on her. thoughts and the teacher decided to ask him what he was drawing.
The student replied, “I draw God. ” The teacher said, “But no one knows what God is like,” and the girl replied, “They will soon know. “This story shows us the importance of drawing and painting and how both can be used as therapy to connect with the world.
- Art psychology is an area of psychology dedicated to the study of creative phenomena and artistic appreciation from a psychological point of view.
- Many aspects link the psychology of art with general psychology.
- Such as perception.
- Emotion.
- Memory.
- Thought and language.
Numerous psychotherapists have demonstrated the beneficial effects of art to help their patients suffering from psychological disorders, because art in all its aspects (painting, dance, music, writing, theater, etc. ) releases the subjectivity of the individual. It is possible to use art to solve conflicts, communication problems, expression difficulties and many other psychological aspects.
Painting on a canvas, on paper, or on any surface that allows us to express ourselves can be a way to show feelings and thoughts to people who need to communicate but can’t do it any other way, it’s a type of alternative and natural therapy that can have many benefits, such as:
People who start in painting therapy are often shy and retracted, having difficulty communicating with their families and even their therapists, however, these people are able to unleash their creativity and express their feelings and emotions with painting.
When paint therapy is conducted in a friendly, relaxed and enjoyable environment, the patient can achieve great personal achievements encouraged by the psychotherapist, who will strengthen their self-esteem, this can be important for people with problems with codependency or trauma. and who need to develop self-esteem and learn to love and appreciate each other.
Just like when we play a musical instrument, with a brush or pencil, we learn to control hand movements and develop brain connections related to that activity. In adults, painting can help improve fine motor skills.
The two hemispheres of the brain are stimulated by drawing and painting, both left and right, the left implies the logical and rational side, while the right is linked to our creativity and emotions. It’s about letting our imaginations run wild and letting it fly. so that our deepest thoughts can also breathe.
Dedication to painting (or any other type of artistic creation) requires concentration, painting is a painstaking work that allows us to forget everything around us and pass, pass time without realizing it.
The state of advanced concentration is called Alpha and has been the subject of several studies, it is a state in which one part of the brain is conscious and the other draws the unconscious, this same state is reached with prayer, meditation or music.
Emotions are a very important part of our creativity, with painting we can let emotions flow and experience happiness, love, empathy and peace, the relaxation that we obtain through painting helps to achieve harmony between the heart and the mind.