2 minute read
How Drawing Affects Your Brain
Why Draw?
Road Scholar Instructor Mark Richard Keane Looks at How Drawing Benefits Your Brain
In several of our recent Road Scholar At Home learning adventures, instructor Mark Richard Keane has led programs that focus on drawing architecture and structures from the world around us. But the benefits of this instruction — besides helping participants learn to draw famous buildings — has also helped their minds. Read more about the 10 ways that drawing can help your brain!
People Who Draw ...
...HAVE ACTIVE BRAIN CELLS. The right hemisphere of your brain is responsible for creativity and imagination, while the left hemisphere is involved in logical tasks. As you draw, 80% of your right hemisphere gets activated. When you are drawing, not only do both hemispheres work simultaneously, but they develop their capacities as well.
....HAVE SHARP MEMORY. Drawing and painting help grow new brain cells by adding synapses to the brain’s transmitters, leaving experiences
…ARE MORE OBSERVANT AND CAN CONCENTRATE BETTER. As Leonardo da Vinci once said, “Painting embraces all the 10 functions of
…ARE BETTER AT COMMUNICATING. Through drawing, you can express various emotions, trains of thought and collective feelings. You can express what you feel, what you want and even your perception. Shy people and people with verbal disabilities often find drawing an easier form of communication.
…RELEASE DEPRESSION THROUGH DRAWING. Drawing is an art with a healing power. It produces positive brain chemistry like serotonin, endorphins, dopamine and norepinephrine.
…HAVE STRONG MOTOR SKILLS. Many parents introduce children to drawing at a very tender age, even before they can hold pencils
…HAVE IMPROVED SELF-ESTEEM. If you draw something and you like it, you may want to hang the art on the wall. This provides satisfaction that stimulates you to move forward.
…REDUCE THEIR STRESS THROUGH DRAWING. It is relaxing and a fruitful distraction from everyday chores.
…OFTEN EXPRESS THEMSELVES DIFFERENTLY. People who draw express themselves in a unique manner and may have a different take on the world.
…HAVE FUN. All you need is a paper and a pencil. Draw something, unwrap yourself, stimulate your brain cells and boost your energy!
