How Drawing Affects Your Brain (2024)

FAQs

How Drawing Affects Your Brain? ›

Drawing increases many of the cognitive functions that researches typically label as the 'creative' and 'right brained' activities. Intuition increases. Produces positive brain chemistry like Serotonin, Endorphins, Dopamine, and Norepinephrine.

Not only is drawing a form of literacy, it also helps your memory! A study from Journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology found that participants that doodled were 29% more likely to remember mundane information. IT MAKES YOU HAPPY: When you draw, you release Serotonin, Endorphins, Dopamine, and Norepinephrine.

Drawing strengthens neural connections on both the right (creative) and left (analytical, detailed) hemispheres. Art creation also improves memory, problem-solving, observation, and critical-thinking skills.

It boosts our brain activity

Many studies have shown that the human being, depending on the skills he or she develops along the way, puts one hemisphere of the brain to work more than another. By starting to draw, we stimulate our brain to use both hemispheres and improve our concentration.

According to the study, drawing strengthens memory by perfectly integrating visual, semantic, and motor aspects of the memory trace. This in itself is a great psychological benefit of drawing. Drawing is a perfect way to express inner emotions and feelings without words.

So when we draw, we encode the memory in a very rich way, layering together the visual memory of the image, the kinesthetic memory of our hand drawing the image, and the semantic memory that is invoked when we engage in meaning-making.

Although drawing is not commonly thought of as a manifestation of intelligence, it is in fact an intellectual exercise that allows an individual to use visualization as a way to understand and project concepts— apprehension.

Enlightening, challenging, and informative, visual art can also be therapeutic, reducing anxiety and stress levels, and offering perspective on the challenges that we all face in our lives. How Art Can Change Your Life introduces readers to new ways of looking at a wide range of art.

Art's influence on the brain extends beyond mere pleasure; it impacts our emotions, cognitive abilities, and even our mental health. Whether we're creating or appreciating it, art allows us to explore our thoughts, express our feelings, and connect with the world in meaningful ways.

Is drawing good for mental health? ›

Drawing is an act of mediation and promotes mindfulness

Taking the time to focus on a sketch allows you to be more mindful of the world around you. Centering yourself and setting aside time with a pencil or paintbrush in hand can help you find a sense of balance in your day to day.

Drawing helps your little one communicate, it sharpens their visual senses, and it sparks their creativity. Plus, when you let your child's drawings take place on the fridge, it's a real self-esteem-booster for your little one.

There are several ways that art can influence our emotions. First, art can be used as a form of self-expression, which can help us to process and understand our emotions. Additionally, art can be used as a form of distraction from negative emotions, or as a way to boost positive emotions.

It can actually add synapses to your neurotransmitters. This means that memories and experiences stored in your brain can become stronger, more vivid, and easier to access. Drawing increases many of the cognitive functions that researches typically label as the 'creative' and 'right brained' activities.

Increase Your Brain's Activity

Though there are many different ways to stimulate your brain, drawing is a very effective method for activating multiple parts of your brain at once. Studies have shown an overall increase in gray matter in the brains of people who regularly engage in artistic hobbies or careers.

Why is drawing such a powerful memory tool? The researchers explain that it “requires elaboration on the meaning of the term and translating the definition to a new form (a picture).” Unlike listening to a lecture or viewing an image—activities in which students passively absorb information—drawing is active.

It lets you focus deeply

And what's happening in your brain when you're in flow state? "It activates several networks including relaxed reflective state, focused attention to task and sense of pleasure," she says.

Drawing — and other forms of art — can help you release stress and anxiety. You can draw at home to boost your imagination and creativity, be more mindful and grounded, and relieve anxious thoughts. You can also work with an art therapist to help you manage mental health conditions or trauma.

“Artists have structurally different brains compared with non-artists. “Brain scans revealed that artists had increased neural matter in areas relating to fine motor movements and visual imagery. “The research, published in NeuroImage, suggests that an artist's talent could be innate.