Whether you’re Van Gogh or a stick-figure sketcher, a new Drexel University study found that making art can significantly reduce stress-related hormones in your body. Art at any level can rescue you from falling prey to stress-induced problems like high blood pressure, heart strokes, anxiety and irritability. Even one of the greatest artists of all times, Pablo Picasso, once admitted: “Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.” And art therapy does wonders even in the extreme cases of mental disorders, cures depression, and can eliminate the feeling of loneliness.
Different types of paints
Everyone is creative and can be expressive in the visual arts when working in a supportive setting. There are different types of paints that you can use to make a piece of art. The most famous ones are Acrylic paint and watercolors. A spoiler to you, Acrylic is the most satisfying of all! You must have seen those ASMR acrylic paint videos, right?
Well, there are more advantages to acrylic than oddly satisfying your senses. The most obvious advantage is that acrylic paint dries much faster than oil paint and is ready for further over-painting in a short time, being generally ready to sell or transport overnight.
Painting, the stress-buster
Some people compare the process of painting to the joy of taking a nice long swim in cool crystal clear water during a hot summer day. People who like to paint say that it helps them to overcome stressful days, alleviate pressure, and chill out while feeling anxious. Painting can soothe your mind by taking it to a different and more beautiful place. Since painting has much to do with observation and focus, putting what you observe on canvas helps you put some of the stress aside and forget about it for a little while. Of course, it depends on how deeply you are concentrating and how much the process of painting can engage your mind. Some artists can even lose track of time and enter into a semi trance-like state.
Some of you might ask: “But isn’t painting very similar to problem-solving?” Yes, but at the same time, it’s not a logical or analytical activity. When you work on the paintings, eventually you can get absorbed by the process entirely. Some even say that their “inner voice” shuts down. And, somehow, a mind becomes peaceful or at rest. And sometimes hours go by quickly in this meditative state.
What if my painting is not as good?
For beginners who are worried that their wall-painting or canvas painting might not get a standing ovation from their incoming guests (and trust me I am one of you), I recommend starting with paint-by-numbers kits. As adults, we do not get enough time to learn a new skill, or take classes to develop a hobby. But if you cannot paint a starry night that does not mean that when we see a beautiful painting, we do not secretly wish to be able to paint that way. Painting, coloring, and color matching – all are forms of expression. And for adults who could not learn to paint as a kid, paint-by-numbers comes handy.
