Exercises in Art Therapy

 

Art is an amazing tool for therapeutic practices, and it can be used to help people feel better. Art is a form of expression, and art does not exist without emotion; this being said it is natural that art is used as therapy. We all have emotions that we need to get out sometimes, and I recommend using art as the tool to do so. This article will discuss an art therapy exercise that I often enjoy.

Watercolor paint is a great way to express your emotions because it is so vivid and alive itself. Watercolors blend and blur in ways that are very representative of emotions. For this project you will need watercolor paints, paint brushes, a cup of water, paper towels, and a calm place where you can relax. I also suggest that you have a cd player or a way of listening to music to help you get in the mood.

Put on some music and get comfortable. It is important to have music that helps you touch the emotions you are feeling. Do not try to hide or push away your emotions; embrace your emotions. Sometimes you need to feel emotions that you do not necessarily want to feel, and putting these emotions into art is a productive and positive way to use your negative emotions.

Now start by wetting your paper; wet the entire piece of paper because this will help the colors blend. Add water to the paints to get them ready to use, and pick a color that feels right. Now start by making a brushstroke on the paper, and watch how the colors move. Make some more brush strokes and shapes, and use other colors as well. Keep adding colors and different lines and patterns until the entire paper is colored. While you are adding these colors think about your emotions, and think about why you are upset. Put these feelings onto the paper through the use of the colors.

Now while the paper is still wet you are going to take away these vivid and intense colors. While doing this I want you to imagine letting go of these feelings. I want you to visualize washing these feelings away. Now use the paper towel to blot different areas of your picture. This will remove most of the colors. You can even add more water to the area of the paper that you want to remove more color from. Keep removing the colors until you feel relaxed and pleased with this piece.

The visualization techniques in this exercise are important to help you release your pent up emotions. This article will help you use art to feel better.

Spring Handprint Crafts for Kids Using Paint

 

Kids love celebrating spring with crafts, and handprint crafts using paint are easy and fun. Paint provides kids with amusement and allows them to develop their creativity. Handprint crafts are an easy way to incorporate paint into your child's projects. This article will discuss how to create spring handprint crafts while using paint with your kids.

Sunflower

Creating a sunflower using handprints and paint is easy and fun for kids. For this craft you will need yellow paint, black paint, two paper plates, a large piece of paper, and scissors. You can also add ribbon to the final product so you can hang your spring craft.

Start by pouring some yellow paint on a plate; also pour black paint on another plate. Then help kids dip the tips of their fingers into the black paint. Using their fingers, kids then can create the center of the sunflower. Start by making a circle with one fingertip in the middle of the paper. Then add more circles around the first. Continue with this process until you have a very large circle.

Let kids wash off the black paint. Then help kids dip their hands into the yellow paint. Assist kids as they add their handprints to the flower to make petals. Make sure the palm is closest to the black center as possible. Help kids add petals by going around the center of the flower to finish this spring themed craft.

Spring Wreath

Another fun spring craft for kids is a wreath. Kids can use paint and handprints for this fun project. For this craft you will need green paint, a pencil, paper plates, a paintbrush, and some other colors of paint such as yellow, pink, and red. Heavy paper, scissors, and ribbon allow this craft to be hung.

Start by placing the paper plate on top of the paper and use the pencil to outline the circle lightly. Then pour the green paint onto a paper plate. Also help kids pour a little of the other colors of paint on another paper plate.

Then help kids dip their entire hand into the green paint. Let kids use the paintbrush to add different colors of paint to their fingertips. They can also choose to dip their fingers in the other colors if they like. Then assist as children press their hands to the paper. Make sure the handprints follow the circle you have traced onto the paper previously. Continue until the entire circle is covered. When the craft has dried, you can add ribbon to hang it for spring.

This spring craft is a great way for kids to have fun with paint and their hands. It is fun and easy, and it does not require a lot of skill. Try these spring ideas with your kids for a creative activity.

Felt Fun Crafts: Hair Accessories

 

Felt is a great medium for many projects. It comes in a wide variety of colors, and you can even find felt that has patterns or glitter on it. Felt is a great medium because it is durable and does not need to be sewn on the edges to keep from fraying. Another reason felt is so awesome is that it is so cheap. A regular sized sheet of felt only costs about 30 cents and if you buy it in bulk it is even cheaper. Felt is a perfect fabric for creating hair accessories, and this article will give you detailed instructions on how to make several hair accessories with felt.

Felt flower headbands are a lot of fun to make and they are super easy. You will need a somewhat wide headband, various colored sheets of felt, a hot glue gun, scissors, and some beads. The beads are optional but they add a nice touch. To start cut various size circles out of the felt. Next fold then in half twice. Now cut small slivers out of each circle while it is still folded. Open up the circles and you have a wonderful daisy flower. Using the hot glue gun arrange these flowers on the head band in a design you like. Remember to overlap, and use two or three different sized circles on top of one another to add a twist. After all the flowers are glued add beads or gemstones to the centers for an even more stylish look.

Felt butterfly clips are easy to make. You will need for this project is various sheets of felt; the sturdier felt works well for this. A hot glue gun, a barrette or banana clip, and scissors are required as well. Now start by picking a color for the base of the butterfly. Cut a square out of this color and fold it in half. Using the scissors cut a v shape into all of the sides of the square except for the folded one. When you open it you will have butterfly wings. Now cut various size circles out of felt and add them to the wings as details. Cut a small circle and cylinder out of a darker felt and add this as the body. After the entire piece is glued together attach it to the clip.

Rainbow felt hair bands are really pretty, and this project is easy for smaller children to create. Start by cutting many long thin strips of different color felt. Now fold a long strip of felt in half. Hold the hair band in one hand and put the loop of the folded felt inside of it. Push the ends of the felt around the hair band and through the loop. Pull it tightly and continue with the rest of the felt strips until the hair band is full. This is a fun project, and you can use whatever colors you like.

Felt is a fun material to use for many craft projects. I hope these crafts have inspired you to use felt for your next project.