Wk2 – Art Experience – Finger Painting

What was the experience like?

For this week’s art experience I got the chance to do a finger painting activity. I did not want to do it alone so I asked a friend of mine to join me. My friend did not want to finger paint, but he said he would keep me company. I laid out my paint and I felt like I was missing something because I did not have paint brushes. It was hard for me to start painting because I wanted to paint something non representational and I like having order and directions in everything I do. I began by pouring different colors of paint onto my paper. I looked at my paper and then my friend started laughing because I felt like I was in kindergarten with no care or goal with what I was painting. I found myself moving my finger in a circular motion all over the paper. My friend looked and me and saw that I was actually enjoying myself so he decided to join me.

Was it easier, harder, or different than you expected?

Believe it or not, this experience was actually hard for me. I tend to overthink things and am a fan of having instructions. I like to have things very organized and this finger painting activity had no order or instructions. However, it did feel liberating to not have a care in my mind about making something perfect. It was worried about getting dirty, but I found myself enjoying the mess and the feeling of the cool paint between my fingers.

How was the experience of making a painting with no subject?

This was my first time creating abstract art since I was a kid. Making a painting with no subject initially gave me a bit of anxiety because there was no sense of direction or representation. However, once I got into the painting I really enjoyed myself and found it relaxing to take my mind off all the stress that’s coming from everything else in my life. My friend and I both decided that we would do this activity more often because we had a great time catching up with each other, and felt liberated.

How does this compare to other paintings you have seen?

The two types of paintings I have seen are representational paintings and abstract paintings. Representational paintings are painting of the represent or mimic something or someone. The painting I did was abstract as there was no true meaning or representation to the painting. I just did what I was feeling at the moment with the painting. There was no true end goal with what I wanted to create. This painting is different from every painting I have seen because no two peoples minds are the same thus creating different brain processes.

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