Let’s Art About It LLC is excited to introduce you to art wellness principles through your live virtual workshop, and through the resources in this online portal! This page contains articles and studies explaining how art making may impact your brain and help manage stress and anxiety. Post-workshop follow up information is also posted, as well as self help resources for continued practice.
Science of Art for Wellness
HOW ART MAKING HELPS YOUR BRAIN
For a lot of people, making art can be nerve-wracking. What are you going to make? What if it ... sucks?
Studies show that despite those fears, "engaging in any sort of visual expression results in the reward pathway in the brain being activated," says Kaimal. "Which means that you feel good and it's perceived as a pleasurable experience."
BRAIN RESEARCH SHOWS ARTS PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH
Mental health issues affect nearly half of the global population, at some point, by age 40. Add to that the recent challenges for maintaining mental wellness, managing fears and uncertainty, and one thing is clear: it’s time to think differently when it comes to how we engage our minds.
EFFECTS OF ART MAKING ON STRESS AND ANXIETY
The findings of this study suggest that art making is a preventive measure for a person to understand stress situations and to manage their anxiety, react adequately, and cope with stress, thus improving the quality of life by creative means.
Post-Workshop
WORKSHOP GALLERY
Add a photo of your creation from the live workshop (or a later time when you’ve tried the exercise again on your own) and see other participants’ work too!
PLAYLIST
Listen to our 45 minute soundtrack when immersed in artmaking again. Studies have shown that 45 minutes of artmaking can reduce cortisol (your stress hormone) by 25%
FEEDBACK
Thank you for being a part of our workshop! We would love to hear what the experience was like for you.
Art Based Techniques You Can Implement Now To Improve Your Emotional Wellness
Anyone can benefit from the therapeutic benefits of artmaking. You don’t need to be an artist or creative, it doesn’t have to look good, and you only need minimal supplies to access this powerful tool to help ease your everyday stressors! For individuals who would like an intro to using art making for emotional wellness, we recommend the following:
Create a daily visual gratitude journal
Purchase a sketchbook of your choice, or simply use an old novel you might have around at home. Before going to sleep at night, draw on the pages a sketch or symbol of one thing you were grateful for during your day. Images are more powerful than words, and so when you look at an image of something positive that you are grateful for, especially before bed, research shows that you’ll be more likely to manifest more of those things or the values they represent in your life.
Vent It Out!
Set aside 45 minutes a week to doodle, color, scribble, sketch, or engage in any kind of mark-making while listening to your favorite music. Research shows that 45 minutes of artmaking can reduce your stress hormone cortisol by up to 25%! The following example is a stress scribble that’s then filled in with colored markers to create pockets of color and calm. You can simply use a pen or pencil if colors are not available and any scrap paper. Anyone can benefit from the therapeutic benefits of artmaking. You don’t need to be an artist or creative, it doesn’t have to look good, and you only need minimal supplies to access this powerful tool to help ease your everyday stressors!
clear your mind
In this exercise, Board Certified Art Therapist Shazia Siddiqi will lead you through an exercise that will help you practice letting go of negativity or anything that is feeling overwhelming to hold. It is aimed to help you visually face, validate, and let go of things holding you back from progressing in work and life through art and a letting go ritual. You will need one paper and pen, as well as a recycling bin or paper shredder.
Turn markers into watercolorS!
Did you know that you can create stunning watercolor paintings with a set of basic markers? This video shows you how. You’ll need a kitchen plate, a small container of water, a paper towel, your paintbrush, a paper, and any set of water-based colored markers.
a visual connection exercise
In this exercise, you'll be visually identifying parts of yourself that you share with the world around you, but also what you keep to yourself. Is there any part of that inside self you could explore sharing with others? Try sharing it! We recommend using this activity as a way to build a deeper connection between team members. Try it with family and friends as well! You’ll need one paper and pen/pencil.