Did You Know?
Adrian Hill, the British artist credited with coining the term “art therapy” in 1942, later hosted Sketch Club, a children’s TV show on the BBC.
How to Get Started
You don’t need a studio, a degree, or any drawing talent to start thinking like an art therapist. A piece of paper, a few markers, and some attention to how you feel while you make something are enough. What matters is the experience of making the picture, more than the picture itself.
Explore the Basics
Pick a color for each of a few feelings, like happy, worried, calm, and excited, and make a small color key on a piece of paper. Ask a family member to make their own key, then compare to see where your choices match and where they differ. Notice that two people can feel the same feeling and still choose very different colors for it.
Try It Out
Draw a picture of your day as if it were weather, with sunshine, clouds, rain, or storms, using colors that match how it felt. You can mix weather too, like a sunny morning that turned into a cloudy afternoon. When you finish, give it a title like a weather report, such as “Mostly Sunny with a Few Clouds.”
Join the Community
Make a few drawings or cards to donate to a local senior center or nursing home. Ask a parent or caregiver to help you find out whether the group accepts them and how to drop them off. Pick colors and pictures you think will make someone smile when they open it.