Brain & Health benefits of Painting

Art is naturally linked to creativity, an attribute that is increasingly being touted as one of the most important factors for the success of individuals, organizations, and cultures.

The truth is that art is vital, if somewhat intangible, and that if children engage in hands-on art activities, they learn much better in all disciplines.

Children are naturally creative on their own accord. But if their creativity isn’t fostered, they begin to lose it as they grow into adults. Pablo Picasso famously said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”

Keeping your mind and body sharp is important throughout our entire lives, but it becomes even more important as you age. While staying physically fit is important for your health, finding a creative outlet keeps your mind strong while also expanding your horizons. Painting provides a fun, new hobby that sharpens your mind and delivers numerous health benefits.

1. Painting stimulates the Imagination.

Painting is a process of learning to create ourselves and experience the world in new ways. It supports the bigger view of life: beauty, symbols, spirituality, storytelling, and allows us to be present in the moment. It keeps the magic alive.

2. Painting makes you more Observant.

Leonardo da Vinci said, “Painting embraces all the ten functions of the eye; that is to say, darkness, light, body and color, shape and location, distance and closeness, motion and rest.”

3. Painting enhances problem-solving skills.

Open-ended, process-oriented art is nothing but an endless opportunity for making choices, coming to conclusions, second-guessing decisions, and evaluating results. Children become more comfortable with uncertainty and remain flexible thinkers, which is key for creativity and confidence.

4. Painting promotes creativity which helps in making decisions.

Creativity is the ability to think outside the proverbial box, to string two unrelated ideas together in a new way.
According to the International Child Art Foundation, “Research indicates that a child who is exposed to the arts acquires a special ability to think creatively, be original, discover, innovate, and create intellectual property—key attributes for individual success and social prosperity in the twenty-first century.”

5. Painting helps kids understand themselves and their world.

Children absorb incredible amounts of new information, and they need to process what they have learned in a safe, reflective way.

Painting materials provide a safe outlet for emotions. Movement, image, color, line, and imagination all help children express themselves in a multidimensional way. Painting also allows a chance to express feelings and emotions without words.

When we encourage our children to explore art, we encourage them to master themselves, their bodies, and a variety of tools and techniques. We give them many ways to express themselves.

6. Painting Strengthens Memory.

Painting boosts memory recollection skills and works to sharpen the mind through conceptual visualization and implementation. People who frequently use creative outlets such as writing, painting, and drawing have less chance of developing memory loss illnesses as they age.

7. Painting boosts self-esteem and provides a sense of accomplishment.

We stick our kids’ artwork on the fridge to boost their self-esteem. Hanging your latest work of art on the wall can instill the same feelings within you.

8. Painting reduces stress and lead to an overall improvement in well-being.

Stress is a problem everyone deals with to some degree during all stages of life. High levels of stress and anxiety contribute to mental health issues. Painting and other artistic pursuits offer an emotional release or outlet for people that struggle with stress or are having a stressful moment in their lives. Focusing on painting allows a person’s mind to relax and let go of all the problems and demands that may have led to stress.
It’s no surprise that low-stress levels lead to a happier, healthier lifestyle and helps improve overall mental health.

9. Painting let kids focus deeply.

Making art is a process. As your child gets older, their creative visions will become more complicated, requiring more time, attention and technique to fulfill their artistic quest. They will no doubt get frustrated and want to quit at times. Art classes help develop your child’s craft and manage their expectations. They will learn that the creative process is something that’s developed over time, and that honing one's skills and techniques doesn’t happen overnight! Your child will learn to see their ideas through to the end, which is an important lesson they will carry with themselves for the rest of their life.

10.Painting helps children express their emotions in a positive way.

Perhaps more so than anything else, art helps children express emotion in a meaningful and honest way.

According to a 2015 report by the National Endowment for the Arts, art activities help kids regulate their emotions so they learn how to control themselves when they are overwhelmed by anger and frustration. Kids gain a sense of confidence as they take the emotions they are feeling, acknowledge and process them into something visual.

There are plenty more benefits that you and your child will receive from art classes.

Learning how to paint has all the benefits of good entertainment: we laugh, socialize, learn something new, feel motivated to finish what we start, appreciate nature and feel passion for something good..

So it's up to you, for your health, your amusement or personal goal, let's paint!