Art is the natural manifestation of human feelings and passion. It is the medium to vent out your expressions. Art is very diverse and varied in nature. Go down exploring it there is a fear that you might get lost in it. This article would be a layman guide to art materials and art. Art would be given various definitions according to a person’s perception. Sculptures, photographs, illustrations, installation art, applied arts, abstract art, digital art the variety in art goes beyond one’s figment of imagination. Art helps relieve stress and divert minds from useless thoughts. The medium to express your art is the art materials. The medium is never the restricting factor in art. The variety and range of art materials which are nowadays offered satisfy the quench of art designers and lovers. Art materials could be expensive or inexpensive depending upon your research work and knowledge of art. When searching online there are high chances of hitting up to the sites that provide the art materials at discounted prices. Knowledge of art implies the depth of information one has regarding art and their experience with creating art pieces. With that we can classify people into a beginner, transition artist, advanced artist. If you are a beginner, go for cheap art materials which come in bulk and are of low quality. If you are in an intermediate or transition stage from being a beginner to advanced level artist you might want to decide between cheap and fine quality depending on the ideas you get for your art. Advanced artists usually go for the premium quality and expensive art materials to the get the perfectionist stroke in their work. Sometimes when ordering online and in bulk, the shipping charges are wavered off which his beneficial for the buyer. Only the person who spends a lot of time and energy in creating his own piece of art will know the importance of art materials. Getting art materials for cheap is not an easy task but is not impossible either. One has to also protect their art and this is done with the help of framing materials and proper conservation. If you want to flaunt your art, then frame it and display it. If you just want to protect it from getting damaged, then use the proper framing materials like matt boards, mounting tools, frames, glazing materials and many more of the like. Safety should be of high priority when you are handling art materials. Always check the expiry date of the products that you are using. Read the label properly to check the toxic nature of the materials. If the products have the warning of being hazardous on them, then keep them away from the reach of the children. Always store these art materials in a proper and prescribed manner. Use gloves or a mask while using art materials. Even though art might be for our leisure time, these precautions are must. Art defines your surroundings. Pleasure, expression, communication, satisfaction- Its all art!
Posts Tagged ‘Art Materials’
Art Materials- What You Should Know?
December 21st, 2009Drawing From Meaning: Finding Self Through Art
December 21st, 2009Art therapy is a modality in the psychology field that’s focus is on the transformative power of nonverbal language. Because art therapy brings together the fields of art and psychology, it integrates visual arts, human development, behavior, mental health, creative process, imagination and personality. It is based on the belief that the act of art making can help us understand more of who we are, enhance lives, and lead us towards personal growth through self-expression. Although art therapy as a modern profession is quite new, creative expression through visual art is one of the oldest forms of healing in history. This is the way that mankind began expressing itself as a means of communication on cave walls, through hieroglyphics and within sand paintings. Art has always been a way to express the deepest of sorrow as well as the most joyous of moments. The expression of these many varied emotions has brought catharsis and self-awareness to many an accomplished artist and non-artist. How Can Art Be Healing? Art therapy enables people to express themselves in areas that are impossible to express in words. Since art expression does not occur, as a linear process as is found in spoken language, there is the ability to allow ambiguous, confusing and contradictory elements to show up in the art. This ability of art to contain paradoxical elements helps people more easily integrate and synthesize conflicting feelings and experiences. . . The sensory qualities of art making are a way to move more readily into our emotions and perceptions than spoken word alone. The tactile quality of the art materials allows us to integrate healing qualities such as the ability to relax, self-soothe, and enhance emotional catharsis. The art making process can literally be a means of “cleansing” to discharge strong emotions for relief. The alleviation of stress and anxiety through creative expression can then offer a physiological response of reduced blood pressure, decreased heart rate and respiration, while pleasure enhancing biochemicals such as serotonin and endorphins are increased. Expressive art also touches us at a soul level by enabling people to overcome feelings of existential emptiness and disconnection that is often felt in our modern culture. It allows us to become more connected to our inner selves in relationship to “other,” the world, and spirit. In doing so, art making becomes an enlivening and energizing experience. It helps us grow, self-actualize and problem-solve more readily. We find new ways of seeing. Who Can Benefit From Art Therapy? A common misperception of art therapy is that people need to be artistically inclined in order to participate. The beauty of art as therapy is that artistic ability is not required, because art expression in any form is embraced. The goal here is not that one make masterpieces, but rather to have an understanding and acceptance that everyone has an innate ability to be creative. Through the process of creating one can gain personal insight, new perspective, and have an opportunity to transform. What is an Art Therapy Session Like? In all forms of psychotherapy, the presence of a professional facilitator is a central aspect to the healing process. Having a safe, trusting relationship with an art therapist along with the making of art enhances the potential growth within the client. Within an art therapy session, the therapist can serve as a supportive guide to clients’ exploration of materials, help with the examination of content and meaning of images, and be a compassionate witness to the artists’ expressions. The therapist’s non-judgmental presence can be the impetus for a client to take risks, build self-esteem skills and find insight during sessions. These new found skills could then translate further into his or her daily life, thus allowing for transformation to occur. Did You Know. . . •That 97% of 2,000 hospitals surveyed had implemented expressive arts programs. •That CareerBuilder. com, recognizing it’s increased popularity and validity in the mental health field, rated art therapy as one of the top 10 careers of 2007. •That art therapy has been acknowledged as a “mind-body intervention” by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, in recognition of the power of self-expression and creative process in mental, physical, and spiritual health.
