Neurographic art is a therapeutic art form, which has gained vast popularity ever since Dr. Pavel Piscarev first coined the term in 2014. Neurographica has been scientifically validated and proven, and it is one of the most widely used psychological techniques in art therapy today.
Also known as doodling, neurographic art is a technique, which comprises drawing freeform lines or ‘neuro lines.’ These are meant to enable the connection between the conscious and unconscious, gaining access to the inner self by using a specific algorithm or method. It’s an art form that also engages both our aesthetic and emotional intelligence, eliciting positive changes in our reality as it has been observed to create these changes in people experiencing chronic pain and anxiety, as well as helped people gain clarity and peacefulness.
Neurographic art creates a mindful, meditative, yet aware state through the creation of new neural connections when engaging in this art form. The word neurographic encompasses two concepts within it: neuro, referring to brain cells and connections between them and the body, and graphic, as in depictions of images, shapes and ideas in art. Neurographic art allows for vast creative freedom, free of inhibition and positive changes due to its simple but positively impactful technique that requires no previous art experience or age limit.
The algorithm utilized in neurographic art enables us to transform and process the emotions that might have guided our freeform line drawings and turn them into new mesmerizing art. This algorithm consists of these simple steps: using a felt tip pen, draw a long, scribble-looking line, which may go in different directions on the paper. It is recommended to change the line’s direction as soon as you become aware of it in order to take full advantage of this process. The lines should also go either to the end of the page or merge with other lines on the paper rather than stop in the middle of it.
Additionally, the line is meant to be drawn by letting the hand flow freely without any pre-existing shape or object in mind. However, it is sometimes helpful to focus on a specific feeling that one may be experiencing before engaging in this practice and let that guide you through the process. Next, wherever there are any crossing lines with sharp corners, fill them in with ink so they become more rounded. Add perpendicular lines that extend to the edges and round all new corners just as described in the previous step.
Shapes can now also be drawn on top of the lines. Next, you may add colour to your work by mixing and matching all kinds of combinations that may feel suitable at that moment. Now, smaller lines may be added, remembering to always round any new corners, which may have been created. You may now choose to turn some of the lines into a specific shape or keep all lines in an abstract form.
When you’ve finished your drawing, what turns out is a work of art that was guided by allowing your energy to flow in a completely free and unplanned manner, allowing your feelings
and unconscious thoughts to travel and express themselves freely from your brain, to your arm, to your hand, to the drawing in front of you. Capturing those feelings and emotions on paper and creating new neural connections, which allows you to see reality in a different way, impacts future thoughts and everyday decisions. And perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects of this art process is that the drawings created through the neurographic art method resemble neurons and neural connections, the same connections that are positively affected while engaging in the art form itself.
By: Alexandra Vergara