Alright, so today I’m gonna walk you through my little art-meets-psychology experiment – I’m calling it “psychology paintings.” Sounds fancy, right? But trust me, it was mostly me messing around with paint and trying to figure out what was going on in my head.
It all started because I was feeling…blah. Just generally blah. Couldn’t really pinpoint what was wrong, but I knew I needed to get it out somehow. I’m not much of a journal-er, so I figured, why not try painting? I grabbed some cheap canvases, acrylics (the messy kind, because why not?), and just started.
First, I tried to paint how the blah felt. Sounds weird, I know. I just closed my eyes, thought about the feeling, and then put the first color that came to mind onto the canvas. It ended up being a really muddy grey-brown. Not exactly inspiring, but hey, it was honest. Then, I added other colors that felt right – some sickly greens, a touch of angry red, and a whole lot of black. Just splattered it on, no real technique, just pure emotion on canvas.
Next, I wanted to see if I could paint some specific emotions. I started with anxiety. For that, I used a lot of sharp, jagged lines and chaotic patterns. Lots of blues and purples, colors I associate with feeling uneasy. I kept adding layers, making it more and more intense until it felt like a visual representation of my racing thoughts.
Then, I moved onto joy. This one was fun! Bright yellows, oranges, and pinks. Flowing lines, lots of circles and swirls. It felt really freeing just to slap those happy colors onto the canvas. I even threw in some glitter, because why not add a little sparkle to the happiness?
After a few days of just painting whatever came to mind, I decided to try something a little different. I tried painting memories. Not specific events, but the overall feeling of certain periods in my life. My childhood got a lot of soft pastels and dreamy, hazy shapes. My college years were all about bold colors and messy energy. It was actually pretty cool to see how different those periods felt when translated into paint.
Here’s where the “psychology” part really kicked in: After I had a bunch of these paintings, I started looking at them objectively. I asked myself questions like, “What colors keep showing up?” “What kind of patterns am I drawn to?” “What feelings do these paintings evoke in me?”
- I noticed that I used a lot of blues and greens, even in the “happy” paintings. Turns out, those are colors I find calming and grounding, so even when I’m feeling good, I’m still drawn to that sense of stability.
- I also realized that I tend to use a lot of circular shapes, which, after a little Googling (don’t judge!), can represent a need for wholeness and connection. Makes sense, considering I was feeling disconnected when I started this whole thing.
Honestly, I don’t know if any of this is scientifically accurate. But it was a really interesting way to explore my own emotions and thought patterns. It was like therapy, but with more paint and less talking. I’m definitely gonna keep doing it, and maybe even try some different techniques next time.
So, if you’re feeling stuck, or just want to try something different, I highly recommend giving “psychology paintings” a shot. You might be surprised at what you discover about yourself. Just grab some paint, let loose, and see what happens!
