How Does Art Manifest Our Souls???

This journal is actually started by my own personal random question: How Painting Could Danger Our Mental?

Yesterday a good old friend came to my house and we had exciting chit-chat all day for we haven't met for months. However, actually we could monitor each other's information from our social media accounts XD But still, meeting the real people always gives special feeling right?  

First thing I asked her is about her mother's condition whom have just returned from hospital. I knew that info from her facebook (my friend's not the mother's XD). And she said that her mother just had regular check up after she got stroke attack moments ago. Then I asked her whether her mother is still painting or not.

The interesting point is, the first time I got along with her mother is when I commented one of her painting at the moment I visited her mother. That was the first time I met the mother and because of that she was interested in continuing long chit chat with me XD. I "bragged" that I actually love painting although rarely done it on canvas. I also said that my father likes to paint also. Of course I said honestly that I only know several trivial things about world of painting, especially because her style was abstract painting, while what I like is more to natural and realism style (also anime-manga for my own drawings! XD). There's no need to brag about what you don't know in front of the one seizing certain fields right? XD

What happened next is, she brought me around her house and showed me all of her paintings (which were pretty a lot). And minutes later we were involved on some serious discussions about the meaning of her every painting. She asked me to guess the meaning behind her painting first, then she told me her own interpretation (I wonder if that was kind of test? XD), while my friend kept yawning over and over. Apparently her own child was tired listening to her speeches related to paintings already haha... XD After that meeting, she always treats me gently and kindly whenever I visit her house, thanks to God XD (coz I'm usually very awkward in front of my friends' parents ahaha...)

Well back to my meeting with my old friend. I was kinda surprised to know that her mother did not paint anymore. What surprised me was the actual reason behind such action: "one psychologist told her mother that her paintings were a bit dangerous for her soul". 

And I went like, "...."

"Well you know how her drawings are..." continued my friend to me.

Well...her painting is abstract of course. Sometimes it's surrealism (as some objects still could be identified XD). And remembering of how she talks about the meaning of her paintings, they are kinda deep (though if I'm not mistaken she said some of them were just created that way, with no other serious intention behind them). I still don't understand why that psychological expert went to the extend that painting could danger one's soul.

"I don't understand either, but the psychologist said that painting could trigger her own past, or some deep elements of her soul." My friend's more explanations just added wrinkles on my forehead.

Well...I'm not too familiar with psychological sciences. At least not that deep. But I always think that the experts usually have their patients in therapy to do certain arts to make them feel better. That's why we hear about writing therapy all the times. Also how listening to or playing music will give some relieving effects towards our minds (isn't hypnotism used certain music also?). And though I never read any particular article about painting for therapy, I guess it's also good for our mental health XD

I once watched a talk show on TV about those who're surviving from schizophrenia and bipolar, most of them focusing their energies for doing arts, be it ballet dance, and painting. One girl in the show even has good career as a visual designer. And one tacit man (shy? elective mutism?), even didn't talk to much, he did painting on canvas. So well... back to the topic, why painting could be dangerous for certain people like in the story of my friend's mother???

One of my favorite artist once stated that your art can't lie. I interpret her sayings as...art could reveal our real face behind our mask. I'm not an expert, so I still don't know how. What I know is those who are studying psychology in colleges could do some "draw-reading". My friend who studied in psychology department said the character of the painter could be seen from the strokes (so it doesn't depend on how good the result is). But she said she could only do that from hand-drawn painting, not the digital one. (Actually I was tempted to ask her read my drawings, but unfortunately we never had the time even until both of us graduated from college haha XD)

I wonder if the strokes, the objects, or the color choice could reveal something like our hidden ugliness? (that in certain cases it could be dangerous???)

WHY?
HOW?

When I was a teenager and started being addicted to drawing, my dad once said that my doodle strokes are so soft and not too firm. Even until now, instead of drawing a straight firm and thick lines in one stroke at a time, I tend to draw it slowly, carefully, and forming small and short lines to form a line. My dad said that it represents my dubious characteristics. Though indeed in real life I kinda like to doubt about everything before making certain choice, I consider my doodle line style that way because when I draw some wrong lines, it would be easier to erase if the lines are not too thick and firm. 

One acquaintance of mine liked to draw chibis, and my Dad said it was because he was not too confident with himself. And his low self-esteem is reflected on how short he drew all of his characters' legs...

Ng...

Although, once again, (accidentally) my Dad was right, but that kinds of interpretation seems a bit well... too much assuming (rather than amusing XD). 

But the funny thing is, about last year, my friend posted an article in our local writing community's FB page about how artists tend to have certain mental disorders. Be it writer, actor/actress, or painter. And the article is based on some scientific analysis. It said that artists have higher possibilities to have depression during their lives. Seems like artists' brains are slightly different than other "normal human" XD Certain parts are different, I forget the detail. I was tempted to google more about the themes and finding many articles verified the analysis. Along with other scientific researches too...

I'm still wondering about the accuracy (as there are many artists that successfully lead a happily life). Maybe our brains are different, but we're still normal though in the eyes of those mortals, we are...well... deviants. (kekekekeh)

And all of my mates there were going lol and lol and beginning to suspecting the other one of being crazy. But our community counselor then came and said that it could be true, and we had to be very careful with our own imaginations. Saying that many writers did feel so hard to return to their real lives after finishing one fictional works, and that condition is not...too... good. As ones could even went far that they couldn't differ which one is real and which is not... And maybe that explains why some writers, painters or musicians died by committing suicide... (just mention some, Ernest Hemmingway, Van Gogh, Kurt Cobain, add more to the list). I once also read about a Gainax studio artists who spent 4 years in mental hospital and that's when he created some controversial doodlings that were the prototype of Evangelion (who's the name of the artist anyway? Damn my bad memorization! Please don't nag at me just because I can't remember the name of one most influential artist XD XD) 


Because our counselor is a NLP practitioner (Neuro Linguistic Programming), so all of us listened to him. The discussion becomes more serious and that's when some of us started to confess their own tendencies to get depressed (and as a good counselor of course he then offered us some time consultations and light therapies, for free XD), some had certain phobia, and some had certain burden that have hidden for long times. Hmm...in the end, all of us then agreed that we have to be very careful...

I did some self-psychoanalysis sometimes (in random way XD). I would start with my tendencies in using light and colorful compositions for my drawings.

 


Asides of my OCs usually have rainbow hairs XD, that's what my expectation of life. Peaceful, calm, but still colorful and cheerful like rainbow (though I'm not always cheerful and bright in real life especially if I was trapped on unfamiliar situations and environments with aliens LOL). And instead of doing selfie pin-up theme drawing (when the character is looking at the camera and making certain poses), usually I'm more into scenic drawings. Means the characters are doing something on the picture, and usually I add little stories inside (even if the stories are only in the background)

 





I also loved to draw about human's relationships


this should be "a father and his daughter", though some friends consider them as husband and wife...euhm...



This one is my most favorite one as I could insert several stories and emotions inside the drawings. Though I do feel that it's way too crowded there XD

Usually it's family, friendship, or sisterly and brotherly themes. Coz it's my ideal view of my own happy family in the future XD (involving many people who keep interacting each other in cheerful ways XD)

the pose might be intimate by they're still siblings XD (I was a bit upset when my friend on FB said that it's bro-con/sis-con!!! XD Madly! Madly!)

But somehow, I still doubt to draw characters in romantic atmosphere. 



Even in the picture above, I intentionally added two cats playing around (distracting their owners' moments XD), so it won't look like the girl and the boy are just by themselves at the moment XD The atmosphere also more in playful rather than lovey-dovey (I guess???)

There are times when I drew dark/emo themes like







or even suicidal theme like


it's not tomato ketchup there I swear! XD

Mostly if it's dark it's related to one of my OCs, Mikoto Harukaze (who is also my alter ego. But nah, the image above never happened to me! NEVER! >_< ). She's kinda has dark background stories. One that I've successfully squeezed from my brain is this harumikoto.deviantart.com/jour…

And her stories are still long, including her three "sisters" XD (I can't wait to visualize them. But guess I still need more training to balance my minds with my hands T-T huhu...)

Drawing usually influences my mood, even more deeper than when I'm only writing stories. I tend to change my facial expression based on the character's expressions XD There was a time when I drew Mikoto in dark mood theme as usual. Showing her reflection came out from the mirror and strangle her. Though I've spent such an extensive time to draw that piece, I tore and threw out the drawing since I thought it gave kinda bad and eerie effect for myself. (something that I regret then. I'm not supposed to throw the pieces that I've spent so much time on it TuT)

Well that's all I think. The question above, whether does painting could be really dangerous in certain specific cases haven't been answered yet though... Should I do some little research or maybe I should spent some times reading some serious psychology books? (ouch...my brain is gulping! XD)

But until somebody would kindly explain how does art will truly manifest our soul, I would simply analyze the artists from their arts as:

a) the one who did a lot of w.i.p but hardly finish them ==> busy artist, lazy artist, or procrastinator artist XD
b) the one did more traditional painting ==> classy, conventional, orthodox, or some maybe just simply extremely technological illiterate just like meh XD LOL
c) the one did more digital painting ==> efficient, likes to playing with brushes/textures, or probably a professional mangaka or visual designer that is always chased by deadlines XD

d) the one who did poor drawing ==> have just started in pursuing their passions in art
e) the one who did extremely good drawing ==> had underwent some Spartan practices XD (ones who won't eat meat or even being whipped if they couldn't produce any single decent piece of work LOL XD

f) the one who like to draw 18+ or even 23+ and above themes of art===> PERVIE! PERVIE! PERVIE! XD LOL