Art Therapy - Crayon Resist

A new Topic - Art Therapy

Art can be a wonderful tool in the use of stress reduction. One idea that I enjoy is keeping a daily Journal of my Art. When you are choosing your materials, I suggest a larger pad of watercolor paper, such as 9 x 12 inches because it offers more opportunity to express yourself either in larger form or small form.

Project number 1 Crayon Resist

A technique that I am going to share with you that I find very useful in stress management is called crayon resist. To do the crayon resist you will need wax crayons or oil pastels, a watercolor wash or acrylics mixed with water in a dish and large brushes. Often you can get a big house painting brush at the Dollar Store. You don't need expensive brushes for this technique. None of the stress management techniques that we look at today will require expensive materials. Next step; put on some music.

Fill the space on the paper with some ideas of shapes, color or still life. Use colors that are relaxing. Really bear down using oil pastels and crayons and build up the wax layer you want to get a good heavy coat of wax on the paper.

Using a wash mixture (a tablespoon of acrylic paint or watercolor and some water) paint over the wax colors and imagine the wash mixture as creating an underwater scene.
As you work without talking you will get involved in the paint and you're stress leaves . Work very intuitively, don't stop and judge yourself, let it emerged don't try to be perfect .

Let me know how this goes and I'll be back to show you more examples of Art Therapy.