ArTherapy

I have always remembered my childhood to be full of art, whether my late mom sketched jewelry, when I attended art classes when I was 7 and 15 years old plus when my dad painted Princess Diana, when framed, was hung by the wall in the house. So much art and it did not stop there.A month ago, I received a big, wooden case from our Uncle in the US. It was an art kit, complete with all the mediums and other materials for drawing. My jaw dropped as we opened the case and felt so excited to use it. What I loved most about it was the small guide on drawing and painting techniques. I got to read it first then followed the instructions and created masterpieces.One of the thoughts that came to mind was to photocopy the activities I wanted to do so that in the future, if anyone wanted to learn, I can photocopy again to save the original.I gave time everyday in the afternoon for a week to do my art. Whenever my child was asleep, I did not waste a minute and enjoyed it.This photo was my own sketch, I followed the guide on how to draw the eyes and eyebrows.In this photo, I followed the instructions for blending colored pencils. The pencils have a lighter effect on the colors but the heaviness of the shades brightened it more.I used oil pastel to create a brightly colored butterfly as a practice activity. I learned the technique of blending it to get a smooth effect on the wings.This peacock I colored again with oil pastel, the numbering on the drawing greatly helped to know what color to use.Same guide was made for the following artwork where I used colored pens. Light, medium and dark shades were taught to bring it to life. I really found the sweets cute!Now for my favorite medium of all, watercolor. The best for me since I was young. The colors blended quickly and it looked good in the eyes. The ‘soft look’ gave a dramatic feel, almost like it’s real.The technique I had to keep in mind was to only use enough water combined with the watercolor that kept the paper from being torn.Another butterfly was well worth it. I used watercolor pencils for this activity. I colored and blended it evenly then brushed it with water to blend it more. A first for me but I enjoyed it a lot!Most of the artworks were numbered, for me, a great way to learn step by step. This photo looked like a rose abstract, painted with acrylic. This was what I was excited about since it was also the first time I painted using this medium. Like the watercolor, the colors blended well but the paint was thick which I used minimal water in. The effect was smooth and shiny, a bold expression of art meant to be framed.As I looked back during my art classes day, I never knew I would have this opportunity to make these art pieces. In this day and age, anyone would want to get a chance to relax and destress. For me, creating art I should say is a sweet escape. A form of therapy worth everyone’s time.A few days ago, I was able to draw based from a photo from Surigao. The place I fell in love in, the Green Falls. I used colored pencils as my medium.