Is it True that Painting is Good for Mental Health?

We all believed that having a better car would make us happy, or that having a smart TV with a larger screen would make us forget about our worries. And it did, for a little while. However, the same cycle continues. The consumerist concept of happiness seems to perpetuate the cycle of buying meaningless things to find meaning.

While the world can sometimes feel like a more and more miserable place to live, there is one simple hobby that could help you smile brighter and maintain your mental health - painting. Although there is a lot of controversy surrounding whether art and painting can really help uplift your mental health, this article will help you understand this topic better. Let’s begin.

Art is Therapeutic

We have all heard this phrase at one time or another, from a fellow artist or a painter, or even from someone trying to get you to join their painting class - and this phrase is quite true. Art, in any form, is therapeutic in nature because it promotes higher focus, clarity of thought, and enables your brain to wander around without going down the overthinking rabbit hole.

However, when speaking about painting specifically, this therapeutic state is enhanced. Here’s why. In any form of painting, no matter how many times one may change the materials used for painting, or the medium to approach said painting, the one thing in common is the use of color.

Color theory is a study every artist does and showcases through their art. Color theory provides clarity on how colors make humans feel. Colors, when used individually, have a very different impact on human emotions in comparison to the times when they are used in pairs or even clusters.

The usage of such colors when painting can provide a better medium of expression for people dealing with stress or overwhelming emotions. Apart from that, even if you’re not into painting yourself, simply seeing a few paintings and trying to interpret the art can help you feel calm and refresh your brain.

Better Cognitive Ability

Painting, despite coming more naturally to people with a higher inclination towards art and creativity, can be explored by everyone. Even if you’re a left-brainer who is highly analytical and logical, painting can help you stimulate your creative side. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be good at painting. You can simply throw some random colors together and call it a painting session.

Painting helps you to not only stimulate specific areas of your brain to work in coordination, it also aids in better memory retention. It sharpens the mind through visualization and execution, and it forces you to remember key things necessary to do your best work, bolstering your memory.

Explosion of Creative Capsules

Artists such as designers, writers, sculptors, and potters generally use their art form as a way to express themselves and their emotions. However, sometimes, these emotions can overpower the art form and result in a major dry spell for the artist.  Painting provides them with a simple yet majestic medium to express themselves and get their creative juices flowing again.

Apart from artists, painting in general allows people to safely vent their emotions without piling them up, elevating relaxation, stress relief, and better mental health. Painting has formed many artists that have shown the world how creative work can save lives and enable young minds to channel their emotions, creating masterpieces in the process.