Art and Emotional Literacy: Learning to Name What We Feel Through Painting

When Words Are Not Enough

Working as an HR consultant, I address issues and concerns objectively. I am expected to think rationally, remain calm during crises, and provide strategic recommendations that help organizations and people move forward. This is not easy.

We are human beings first before we are professionals. We absorb the energy of the people we work with. We feel pressure, tension, and emotional weight—even when we try our best to remain composed and positive.

There are moments when emotions feel confusing, heavy, or unnamed. When there is no safe space to talk, these emotions bottle up inside. What I cannot say in words, I often express through art.

This is why my canvas sometimes speaks for me.

When I paint to relieve stress, that emotional state often manifests in my work. Some pieces carry turbulence, angst, or intense energy expressed through color and movement. Others are softer, calmer, and reflective. Over time, I realized that my art had become a way of speaking—without words.

In this article, I would like to reflect on how emotions can be translated into art, and how understanding our emotions helps us express them in constructive rather than self-destructive ways.

Art as Emotional Language

Art is a powerful emotional language.

Colors, lines, shapes, and movement communicate feelings that words often fail to capture. Art allows emotions to surface without explanation. There are no “right” or “wrong” emotions on a canvas—only honest ones.

For many people, art feels safer than talking. It allows feelings to be externalized and made visible. What is internal and overwhelming becomes something we can see, sit with, and understand at our own pace.

I notice this clearly in my own work. Viewers often sense my emotional state immediately. When I use deep blues mixed with reds or muted oranges, it usually reflects a period of heaviness or inner struggle. When I paint with golden sunset hues, it often means I was content, grounded, and at peace during the moment of creation.

Art tells the truth—even when we don’t consciously intend it to.

Naming Emotions Through the Process of Painting

Painting has a way of slowing time.

When I sit in front of my easel and canvas, I forget my worries and even what awaits me at work. My breathing slows. My thoughts soften. There is a lightness that comes from being fully present.

The process is not always easy. There are moments when I struggle—when I don’t know what will come out next, or when I simply stare at the canvas waiting for clarity. Often, I begin by placing colors without a clear plan. Slowly, a form or concept emerges.

There are also moments of awe—when I simply let the brush move. Sometimes I have no idea where to start, but I let the colors glide. And suddenly, an image appears.

Inspiration turns painting into a flow. And after the piece is done, I often understand my emotions more clearly—not because I analyzed them, but because I allowed them to surface.

Art becomes a bridge between feeling and understanding.

Can you tell me how I feel about each painting I produced above?

Practical Tools for Emotional Expression Through Art

For those who want to explore emotional expression through drawing, I am sharing curated materials that are freely available online.

Below is an instructional video by Proko, a respected art education channel, demonstrating how to draw heads and explore proportion and value. This foundational exercise strengthens observation skills and helps connect form, shadow, and emotional tone.

Curated instructional video courtesy of Proko. Full credit goes to the creator for making high-quality educational content freely accessible.

To support your practice, I am also offering a free downloadable worksheet that you can use alongside the video:

How to Draw Heads & Explore Values — Practice Sheet
This includes:

• Basic head proportion guides
• Value scale exercises
• Gentle reflection prompts connecting drawing to emotional awareness

Free Download:

Drawing Heads & Exploring Value for Emotional Expression

[Download PDF]

These materials are meant to support practice, not perfection.

Why Children Benefit from Art Beyond Skills

When I teach children aged seven (7) to thirteen (13), I notice something consistent: they draw what they feel like drawing.

Even when references are provided, children often follow their inner direction instead. They create with less pressure, less self-judgment, and more honesty. This freedom helps them develop perception, interpretation, and emotional awareness.

Art is not just about developing motor skills. It helps children build emotional vocabulary over time.

In psychology, projective techniques such as the Draw-A-Person test or the House-Tree-Person exercise reveal how children perceive relationships, safety, and belonging. What children cannot articulate in words, they often express clearly through images.

Art becomes a safe space where emotions are allowed to exist.

Emotional Awareness Through Art Therapy (Personal Practice)

My reflections are inspired by art therapy principles, though they are not clinical practice.

Art therapy, in its essence, encourages creating without judgment, without analysis during the process, and with gentle reflection afterward. It respects emotions as they are.

We cannot judge an artwork as good or bad. Each piece reflects how the artist sees life at that moment. Art shows humanity—and that humanity deserves respect.

Through art, I have become more emotionally aware, not because I tried to label every feeling, but because I allowed myself to feel them safely.

Process Over Interpretation

Not every artwork needs an explanation.

Sometimes, emotions need space to exist without being named immediately. Trusting the process allows meaning to emerge naturally—if it needs to.

Over-interpretation can rob art of its healing quality. Presence matters more than explanation.

Learning to Listen

Art teaches us how to listen—quietly and patiently.

Emotional literacy is not learned overnight. It is a lifelong practice of noticing, accepting, and expressing what we feel.

With this article, I invite you to stop, look, and listen to every artwork you encounter. Suspend your interpretations for a moment. See the person behind the piece.

This is how we begin to truly appreciate not just art—but the artist.

 

Creating Art in Small Windows: Art Practice for Busy Professionals

Life is filled with meetings, deadlines, and service. Waiting for “free time” often keeps art postponed.

Finally, I found time to write this blog. To be honest, I didn’t feel like working anymore. I had just arrived from a training event, and lying down on my bed felt more appealing than having dinner. I grabbed a sandwich that was supposed to be my afternoon snack, but since I was still full, I decided to “Sharon” it—hehehe.

While resting, I opened my Google Drive and came across a video I took while practicing how to draw Keanu Reeves, my favorite actor. The original video was almost an hour long, but I sped it up. When I started sketching, I told myself I would only draw for thirty minutes or less—just practice. But once I began, I found myself wanting to improve every line. I may not have perfected it, but I spent time practicing—and that mattered.

That moment made me pause.

My life as an academy manager is constantly filled with meetings, deadlines, and service. Waiting for free time feels almost impossible. By the end of the day, I am exhausted—thankfully enough to sleep well—but I miss the precious time spent recharging through creativity.

The Myth of Free Time

This is where I realized something important.

Busy professionals often delay creativity. We rush to work, aiming to finish tasks efficiently, hoping that later we will finally have time for ourselves. Creativity is set aside because our regular jobs feed us.

Truthfully, if I focus solely on art, I don’t think I can earn what I currently receive from my regular work. And yet, art is what makes me happy.

From an art therapy perspective, creativity is not a reward—it is maintenance.
(This is not formal art therapy, but a personal practice inspired by its principles.)

When I create, I unwind and enter a state of flow. My horizon widens, and I feel emotionally and mentally balanced. While creating, I forget problems and life’s pressures. In art, there is no politics, no angst—only self-expression. It elevates my awareness of myself and the world around me.

I often describe creativity as vitamins for the soul. When I am stressed, my breathing becomes shallow and tight. But when I create, the tension in my chest and neck eases, and my mind clears.

That was when I stopped waiting for free time.

Small Windows That Matter

I forced myself—gently—to pick up my pencil and sketchbook for a 15–30 minute art session. That short session counted as practice. And when done regularly, even brief sessions lead to improvement.

Consistency matters—whether one is an amateur or an aspiring master. Just as athletes prepare daily for competition, artists must find time to practice their craft. There is no shortcut if we truly want to grow.

Below is a sped-up sketching video I made during one of these short practice sessions. It is not perfect—but it shows what can happen within a small window of time when we simply begin.

Managing Guilt When Choosing Art

I once heard my father—who is also an artist—say that art cannot pay for living expenses. That may have been true before. Today, art is a serious profession and not merely a hobby.

Still, productivity culture convinces us that work alone defines value—even when we are not fulfilled by it. But when we do what we truly love, work no longer feels heavy; it becomes meaningful.

Art and craft-making are emotionally regulating activities. If we want to be genuinely productive, we must make time for what brings joy and contentment. That is how sustainability in work begins.

This shift in mindset helped me release guilt. Choosing art was no longer indulgence—it became self-care.

Practical Ways to Create in Small Windows

Here is what worked for me.

I developed the habit of watching short reels about drawing, painting, crocheting, or even flower-making during lunch breaks. These small exposures motivate me to pick up my tools after a long day.

I also identified consistent windows in my day for a 15–30 minute uninterrupted art activity. For me, 5:00 a.m. and around 7:30 p.m. work best.

Early mornings are quiet—my laptop stays closed, distractions are minimized, and I can create before the workday begins. In the evening, if I still have energy, creating helps me release it before rest. You may discover a different time that works better for you. What matters is choosing a window with less pressure.

Finally...

I shared a sketching video to show that art doesn't have to be perfect. If we never try, how will we know where we need to improve?

If you are busy, tired, or overwhelmed, I invite you to consider this:

What would happen if you allowed yourself just fifteen minutes of creative space today?

I hope these reflections help you find—and protect—your own small windows for creativity.