10 Simple Art Therapy Techniques

10 simple art therapy methods to relieve stress, increase self-esteem, develop creativity

We propose to consider 10 simple ways to help you explore your inner self. Not all of them may be suitable for you, but at least one of these methods in its usefulness will be the artistic equivalent of a long warm, fragrant bath.

1. A DIY postcard that you won’t send to anyone

If you have feelings for someone that you are not ready to admit, if you are angry, but know that it is better to restrain yourself from angry statements, try to paint it in detail. The writing of the text itself has a therapeutic effect, and designing a postcard enhances it and activates various parts of the brain. When you’re done, seal the letter, sign it, and send it to the wastebasket (or push it to the back of your desk drawer), if you find it, the message will lose some of its power.

2. Draw a picture and create a collage

Draw a picture on paper or cardboard, when finished, cut it into pieces or tear it apart. Then use the pieces as building blocks for a new work of art – a collage. See how your original creation turns into something new, interesting, unpredictable. This exercise points out the immediate close connection between creation and destruction, encourages us to take risks, and encourages creativity in other aspects of life.

3. Build an altar for a loved one

Get inspired by folk art and create an altar to celebrate the relationship between you and another person, whether alive or dead. Decorate the shrine with photographs, letters, and relics of times spent together, as well as new art objects you create to celebrate this relationship. Use anything that can be used as art material, from gifts to candy wrappers, if you know it’s HIS favorite candy. The construction of such an altar to another person evokes memories and serves as a physical manifestation of the relationship, which can provide peace of mind during difficult times.

4. Draw in complete darkness

Much of the stress we suffer from when creating comes from the criticism and judgment that seems unavoidable at every turn. Try to create a work of art in complete darkness to free yourself from that inner art critic that lives in your head. (Think of it as a blind outline drawing.) You are suddenly free to create lines, shapes, and patterns. Turning on the light, most likely, the image will surprise you.

5. Color your physical condition

Lie down and close your eyes. Visualize your body as you breathe. Try to imagine the color of the air you inhale and the one you exhale. What do you see? Draw the outline of your body on a large piece of paper and paint over it with watercolor based on your physical condition. Think about what these colors mean to you, where they are more concentrated and where they are less. This is your most relaxing self-portrait.

6. Zentangle: drawing-meditation

Zentangle (zen-tangle, zen-tangle, zen-tangling, zen-tangling) is a drawing method invented by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. It was designed to make drawing meditative and accessible to everyone. You can learn the technique from a knowledgeable specialist or master it yourself. To do this, you need a sheet of paper, in the original a square with a side of 9 cm, along the edges of which you draw a border with a pencil by hand, it can be uneven. Lines are drawn inside the resulting area, the so-called “lines”.

Now switch to the pen and start drawing a series of patterns or repeating patterns around the “string”. So you drew a zentangle. The process is designed to stimulate the ritual of creation and leave room for human error – nothing can be erased, these are the rules. Traditionally, zentangles are black and white, but many people approve of experimenting with color. The whole process should take no more than 15 minutes and can be repeated whenever you feel like it. Keep 3-inch squares handy so you can fill them in with abstract designs when inspired.

7. Allow yourself

Think of the social and self-imposed pressures you experience day in and day out, the personal traits you see as flaws, the slips you see as your faults. Choose one of these things and in decorative details, allow yourself to have it. By turning failure into achievement, you can minimize your feelings of self-loathing, which can help you achieve more important goals. Remember this is an art project so make it pretty.

8. “Write” a collage poem

Do you consider yourself a poet? Then let someone else do the hard part, write the words, and you pick up your material from old books, magazines, newspapers, or even letters. Cut out the words that pop up in front of you or inspire you. Arrange them into compositions as if you were making a visual collage. You may have a theme or plot in mind from the very beginning. Or just start working and see where such a verbal collage will lead you.

9. Create your own unique drawing tool

Instead of spending a lot of time painting pictures, why not focus on developing an alternative DIY brush? You can make a marking tool out of just about anything, whether it’s a row of toothpicks glued to a cardboard base or a homemade brush out of pompoms and yarn. When you finally make yourself a new drawing tool, you will partially relinquish control over the art, which of course is also a work of art in itself.

10. Make a box of forgiveness

If there is such a person – including yourself – for whom you no longer want to harbor negative emotions, try making a forgiveness box for him. Decorate it with soothing images and words that can characterize a person or correspond to a desired inner state. You can write on a piece of paper what his name is and put it in this box, if necessary, the name can be removed or replaced. The act of creating the box will promote fond memories of who it is for.

Based on huffingtonpost.com