Digital Media and Art Therapy

Paralized artist paints with her mind

It has been an interesting perspective to try to understand different periods of art seen through the lens of "what was the artist's intention or possible dialogue with the viewer". Even more interesting the large number of materials and techniques used for art therapy.

The computer is mentioned as one of these media, it is positioned as a low control (high degree of difficulty) kind of media. Just to give an example of other media of this kind are: charcoal, ink, dry pastels, chalk, watercolor, oil, spatulas, acrylic, molding, wood carving, video, photography and etching. An example of a media that has a high level of control and a low difficulty ratio is for example, a drawing with a pencil even a crayon over paper.

Are computers a low control media? I guess an average person older than my age would say yes but I would differ that would be the same answer in a later generation. Etching in regards to a SketchUp drawing would be more demanding and with a high degree of difficulty in each and every process of it. Old media, to call them some way seem so laborious. 

In the end it's all about expression. Engaging towards a technique or technology to express what you can't in words or in any other way. It's about activating parts of your brain that disengage with the conscious processes and becomes pure instinct and with some luck unadulterated unconscious material. 

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