Introduction
Art and psychology have evolved the field of art healing, and it is a process that stimulates stress alleviation. According to Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, art is an instrument that helps illustrate the abysses of human psychology. In various art healing forms, drawing is not only an artistic form but also has storytelling ability features and the uniqueness of mass communication with commercial value. This essay focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of choosing illustration as a healing tool for art therapy while exploring ways of using it and analyzing how various materials applied to create an object affect emotional recovery. It also seeks to develop a new research direction in illustration art for future studies.
Literature Review
Art therapy embraces different therapeutic interventions, yet music, dance, and painting stand out in their profound consequences. According to Griffith and Semlow (2020), the contribution of painting to spiritual and emotional recovery is universally acknowledged, while the particular part that illustration can play in this respect has yet to be sufficiently explored. As a type of painting art, illustration has certain distinctive features that can make it an artistic tool for healing (Prendiville & Howard, 2016). Unlike conventional painting, illustration incorporates artistic portrayal and the capacity to narrate a story to cater to society as a social group rather than an individual one.
Illustration has several benefits attributed to it as an art-healing instrument. The nature of visual storytelling helps people externalize their unconscious feelings by giving concrete representation in the form of psychological experiences (D’Silva, 2023). The communicative nature allows for self-reflection and interpersonal communication, increasing understanding of one’s emotional condition. In addition, commercialization implies that the illustration is available and would be readily included in the current standard medical practices. Using illustration for art healing faces challenges (Gaminiesfahani et al., 2020). However, the subjectivity present in the visual story interpretation might result in different therapy outcomes (Liu et al., 2022). In addition, the commercialization of illustration poses dilemmas regarding its authenticity as a therapeutic mechanism. When art healing utilizes illustrations, the importance of finding a balance between artistic expression and therapeutic efficacy arises.
Illustration plays a crucial role in healing as it can perform various functions. It can show sophisticated emotions through visual stories, allowing people to know and communicate their internal thoughts (Liu et al., 2022). The narrative effect of illustration makes it possible to invent a personal story. In addition, illustration’s mass communication property is another reason for highlighting the breadth of its healing impact on society.
In exploring the profound impact of illustration art, it becomes evident that its characteristic as a form of media contributes significantly to its artistic healing value, extending beyond individual experiences to encompass the entire societal fabric (Vaartio-Rajalin et al., 2021). As the characteristic of such art lies in that it is media, its artistic healing value will not be confined to individuals; the market and audience for illustration are the whole society. According to McNiff (1992), its availability and the fact that viewers can relate to it make this show a good source of group therapy and healing wounds within the community.
In illustration creation, the influence of different materials plays a pivotal role in enhancing emotional healing. The choice of materials strongly influences emotional healing in illustration creation. In Edvard Munch’s works, emotional tact is noticeable in various materials (Edvard Munch: Symbolism in print, Masterworks from the Museum of Modern Art, New York, n.d.). The use of printmaking by Munch, characterized by lines and color blocks contrasting sharply against each other on the one hand, shows clearly how material choice can augment emotionally charged expressions (Liu et al., 2022). Setting up the therapeutic experience based on the choice of materials for illustration creation is a valuable approach that considers individual specificities, thus making art healing effective.
Discussion and Recommendation
It is also essential to balance the artistic element and therapeutic purpose of drawing as a tool in art therapy to utilize all its capabilities thoroughly (D’Silva, 2023). With some luck, collaboration between artists and mental health professionals will enable the introduction of illustrations into traditional therapeutic practices. In addition, there are forward-looking studies to determine how other materials influence emotional healing in drawing that could explain therapeutic principles and provide bespoke interventions for exceptional cases and groups.
This essay triggers a new line of research in illustration art, calling for comprehensive discussions on its therapeutic qualities. Subsequent studies might explore the processes resulting from illustration to achieve emotional recovery, thereby bridging knowledge gaps on its effects among distinct people (Liu et al., 2022). Moreover, the research could study novel forms of illustration, including its implementation in community healing programs and as a protective mental health method.
Conclusion
Illustration gradually appears as an exciting art therapy medium with its creative nature, robust narrative quality, and ability to reach a broad audience. Problems such as individual interpretation and commercialization must be overcome despite the strengths of determining unconscious emotions outside society and social implications. The selection of materials with which illustrations are created also plays a role in emotional healing, highlighting the importance of individualized therapeutic responses. Since we work through the maze of illustration in art healing, further academic and interdisciplinary studies between artists and mental health practitioners will uncover its complete potential, providing breakthroughs in emotional caregiving.
References
D’Silva, B. (2023, July 3). Why drawing is the perfect digital detox. BBCpage. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20230630-how-drawing-can-make-you-happier-and-calmer
Edvard Munch: Symbolism in print, Masterworks from the Museum of Modern Art, New York. (n.d.). Princeton University Art Museum. https://artmuseum.princeton.edu/story/edvard-munch-symbolism-print-masterworks-museum-modern-art-new-york
Gaminiesfahani, H., Lozanovska, M., & Tucker, R. (2020). A scoping review of the impact on children of the built environment design characteristics of healing spaces. HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal, 13(4), 98-114. https://doi.org/10.1177/1937586720903845
Griffith, D. M., & Semlow, A. R. (2020). Art, anti-racism, and health equity: “Don’t ask me why; ask me how!”. Ethnicity & Disease, 30(3), 373–380. https://doi.org/10.18865/ed.30.3.373
Liu, X., Zhou, H., & Liu, J. (2022). Deep learning-based analysis of the influence of illustration design on emotions in immersive art. Mobile Information Systems, 2022, pp. 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/3120955
McNiff, S. (1992). Art as medicine: Creating a therapy of the imagination. Shambhala Publications.
Prendiville, E., & Howard, J. (Eds.). (2016). Creative psychotherapy: Applying the principles of neurobiology to play and expressive arts-based practice. Taylor & Francis.
Vaartio-Rajalin, H., Santamäki-Fischer, R., Jokisalo, P., & Fagerström, L. (2021). Art making and expressive art therapy in adult health and nursing care: A scoping review. International Journal of Nursing Sciences, 8(1), 102-119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2020.09.011
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