About Profusion Art

WHAT IS PROFUSION ART?

Profusion Art is a profusion, (or an abundance, richness, or lavishness), of expressive art that captures your zest for doing art. It may be done on a theme or not, and it may include words and pictures of real things, or not. It is simply done in black ink on white paper, though it may be done in the reverse, or even in color.

WHAT SUPPLIES DO YOU NEED?

1) White 4” x 6” blank note cards (cut in 4” squares)

2) (No Bleed) permanent black ink pens.

3) A storage clipboard

These inexpensive items can be purchased in any store with office supplies. Of course you can buy more expensive pens and archival paper. (My favorite archival paper is artist’s Bristol board.) The storage clipboard allows you to protect and store your supplies inside so you’re ready to grab your art and go anywhere.

HOW IS IT DONE?

1) Copy, (draw by hand), the Profusion Art Squares or circles found on this website each month onto 4” cards and store in a binder for future use

2) Pick a theme, or not

3) Choose the square or circle patterns that fit your theme or whims

4) Lightly pencil a ribbon, or plan, on your paper

5) Use your plan as a guide to fill in areas with your chosen art (Draw a mix of patterns into a piece of your own artwork)

6) Be creative in using the patterns or invent your own

WHAT ARE THE RULES?

I have only one rule: BE NEAT

If you do neat work, you can do anything else you want, and it doesn't have to be perfect or look like anything in particular to be wonderful!

Background

Right and Left Brain Function

Several years ago I did some research for a college term paper on the combined use of art and writing as therapy for illness and depression. I learned that writing, or journaling, uses the left side of the brain and helps us map out and make sense of life’s experiences. It also allows us to unburden ourselves as if to a friend. I learned that doing art, in this case expressive art, uses the right side of the brain to create pictures that further help us express our emotions—especially emotions we find hard to put into words. I was surprised to learn that art and writing, combined, proved to be even more effective in treating depression and stress than medication. As I looked at the expressive artwork of the test patients, I could see that some of them found artwork to be natural and others found it to be awkward. It got me thinking how nice it would be to offer all people a little jump-start in the form of picture choices they might put together into a collage of self-expression. With a few art tips, anyone, artist or not, can fly with expressive art and replace a moment of sadness or boredom with pure fun. So, my “Profusion Art” was born.

If you are interested in reading a condensed version of my term paper, including sited references in smaller print, click on the picture of the brain above.
by Marie Scott