"Art therapy (not to be confused with arts therapy, which includes other creative therapies such as drama therapy and music therapy) is a distinct discipline..."
A comprehensive overview of the different materials and media used in art therapy and how they can be used to evoke emotions and promote healing.
Basic Materials: Basic art materials such as pencil, paint, clay, and paper, and their uses in art therapy.
Color Theory: Understanding the different properties of color, including hue, saturation, and brightness, and how they affect mood and emotions.
Composition: Understanding the principles of composition, including balance, contrast, and proportion, and how they can be used in art therapy.
Texture: Understanding the different textures and how they can be created through the use of various materials.
Symbolism: Understanding symbolic meaning and how it can be used in art therapy as a means of communication.
Narrative: Understanding the power of storytelling and how it can be used in art therapy.
Gestalt principles: Understaing the Gestalt principles of perception and how they can be used in art therapy.
Collage: Understanding the use of collage in art therapy.
Printmaking: Understanding the different printmaking techniques and how they can be used in art therapy.
Sculpture: Understanding the use of sculpture in art therapy.
Photography: Understanding the use of photography in art therapy.
Digital Media: Understanding the use of digital media in art therapy.
Paints: These include watercolors, tempera, acrylics, and oil paints, and are often used to create color and texture in artworks.
Drawing tools: These include pencils, pens, markers, pastels, and charcoal, and are often used to create line drawings or shading.
Clay: Used for sculpting, molding, and other three-dimensional work, clay is often used in art therapy to encourage tactile exploration and expression.
Collage materials: These include magazines, newspapers, fabrics, and other found materials, which can be used to explore themes and express emotions in a nonverbal way.
Photography: This includes the use of cameras and other photographic equipment to document the art-making process, as well as to explore issues related to identity and self-image.
Textile arts: This might include crochet, knitting, quilting, or other forms of fiber art, which can be used to explore themes of connection, community, and comfort.
Printmaking: This might include screen printing, relief printing, or other forms of printmaking, which can be used to explore themes of repetition, variation, and texture.
Digital media: This might include using computer software or other digital tools to create art, which can be useful in exploring themes related to identity, communication, or technology.
Performance art: This might include working with movement, sound, or other performance-based media to explore themes of embodiment, communication, and expression.
Writing and poetry: Although typically considered a separate discipline from visual art, writing and poetry can be integrated into art therapy sessions to explore themes of narrative, voice, and self-expression.
"Art therapy, as a creative arts therapy profession, originated in the fields of art and psychotherapy..."
"Analytic art therapy is based on the theories that come from analytical psychology, and in more cases, psychoanalysis. Analytic art therapy focuses on the client, the therapist, and the ideas that are transferred between both of them through art."
"Art psychotherapy focuses more on the psychotherapists and their analyses of their clients' artwork verbally."
"Some art therapists practicing art as therapy believe that analyzing the client's artwork verbally is not essential, therefore they stress the creation process of the art instead."
"...the art therapist's client goes on the journey to delve into their inner thoughts and emotions by the use of paint, paper and pen, clay, sand, fabric, or other media."
"Art therapy can be used to help people improve cognitive and sensory motor function, self-esteem, self-awareness, and emotional resilience. It may also aide in resolving conflicts and reduce distress."
"Current art therapy includes a vast number of other approaches such as person-centered, cognitive, behavior, Gestalt, narrative, Adlerian, and family."
"The tenets of art therapy involve humanism, creativity, reconciling emotional conflicts, fostering self-awareness, and personal growth."
"Often times many people conclude that art therapy is just for children while that is in fact not true."
"Art therapy incorporates creative methods of expression through visual art media."
"There are three main ways that art therapy is employed."
"Art therapy is based on the theories that come from analytical psychology, and in more cases, psychoanalysis."
"Art psychotherapy focuses more on the psychotherapists and their analyses of their clients' artwork verbally."
"Some art therapists practicing art as therapy believe that analyzing the client's artwork verbally is not essential, therefore they stress the creation process of the art instead."
"The tenets of art therapy involve humanism, creativity, reconciling emotional conflicts, fostering self-awareness, and personal growth."
"Art therapy can be used to help people improve cognitive and sensory motor function, self-esteem, self-awareness, and emotional resilience."
"Current art therapy includes a vast number of other approaches such as person-centered, cognitive, behavior, Gestalt, narrative, Adlerian, and family."
"Often times many people conclude that art therapy is just for children while that is in fact not true."
"...the art therapist's client goes on the journey to delve into their inner thoughts and emotions by the use of paint, paper and pen, clay, sand, fabric, or other media."