For this week’s first creative practice, I created a themed color wheel. I limited myself to 5 materials: paper, pencil, colored pencils, sharpie and a ruler. I wanted to create something that incorporated color but also acted a representation of myself; therefore I chose a theme. I kept my theme nautical because of my love of the ocean and sea. I used symbolism to draw out different pictures of related objects, such as an anchor or seahorse. I then sectioned my drawing off until 12 sections, each correlating to a different section of the color wheel. I shaded in each section using value.

First off, this project incorporates different elements of art while at the same time, aids in the creation of something personal, seeing as the patient would be relating it to one’s own likes.

This is a visual arts project that can be adapted to different age levels, varying in difficulty from young childhood to adult. This can also be modified based on ability. For those who may be struggling with neurological disorders that affect fine and gross motor skills, there are a number of changes I would make.

One element I would change is the medium. Instead of using colored pencil, I would use a medium that was a little more versatile or free. Patients struggling with fine motor issues, such as Parkinson’s disease, might suffer from hand tremors, which would make using a colored pencil with such precise and small detail, quite challenging. Instead I would use watercolor paint. Watercolor is easier to work with and can require less focus on precision. I would also use big paper, 24x24 or larger, as well as large brushes, so that the focus is more on filling the page with color rather than trying to tackle small and seemingly impossible details. Working large would encourage movement rather than add a limitation. This is the same concept of the Arts in Medicine program, Dance for Life that we learned about in this week’s module, which encourages movement and range of motion.

Another element that I would want to keep as open-ended as possible is their choice of what exactly they want to portray in their piece of artwork. I want to give patients a sense of choice (theme, colors, etc.) and I want them to feel as those they have control over that choice seeing as a Neurological disease can take that sense of control away from someone. This is a way to promote well being and give patients a sense of purpose.