Healing Through Art - Digital Painting
Today I encountered an interesting argument. One that I've been thinking about myself for the past year.
Is using digital mediums for art cheating?
The argument for this is that it's easy to import an image to trace or duplicate. People who don't have the best drawing skills, but want to practice, say, painting techniques, they can do so with ease digitally.
I have a different reason for using a digital medium.
In 2015, I started having chronic migraines, widespread pain, and tremors that affected every part of my body. I dealt with fatigue, memory loss, and muscle weakness, and 3 years later, I still am. It broke my heart that I was no longer able to paint.
Last year, I received a gift from my husband. A Samsung Galaxy Tab A with S Pen. It has wacom technology, so I can draw right on the screen and it responds to pressure. It feels a lot like drawing traditionally. The best part is that shaky lines can be smoothed out, and I can hit the "undo" button when I make a mistake, which is constantly. I constantly make mistakes. It takes me longer to finish something. Digital art keeps me creating so my skills don't rust, and most importantly; It provides me with a therapeutic escape. You see, I've been struggling with pretty severe depression for the past couple years. It's not uncommon amongst people who have chronic illnesses and disabilities. It's absolutely terrifying to watch yourself deteriorate every day and admit that you can't do the same things you used to love doing.
That is why today, I want to focus my blog on creating art with a disability. Many successful and famous artists through past and present have disabilities, but it's easy to forget sometimes that it takes awhile to adapt, and we can be hard on ourselves. I'm here to tell my story so others don't feel alone. I believe it's possible to heal ourselves with art. I'm not saying it will cure anything, but it can provide a way to personally express yourself creatively, and this in turn, can be healing. Healing for our souls, our minds, and spirits.
I hope to make this at least a weekly thing, and I would love to hear stories from other disabled artists. Even if you don't draw or paint. If you cook, write, do poetry, or anything else creative: You are an artist too. Never forget that :)
Happy healing,
Sincerely,
Marcina
