Finger Paint Exploration
Materials Needed
Feeling
Numb
How to Do It
Use finger paints or any other safe, tactile medium to explore sensation through art. Don’t worry about creating a specific image; instead, focus on the feeling of the paint on your fingers, the texture of the paper, and the movement of your hands. Allow yourself to get messy and fully engage with the sensory experience.
Why It Works
Finger painting allows for full engagement with touch, encouraging you to reconnect with your senses through a playful and expressive medium, which can help break through emotional numbness.
Guided Practice
Sit comfortably with a set of finger paints in front of you. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, feeling the coolness of the paint on your fingers. Imagine moving your fingers through the paint, creating shapes or patterns. Notice any sensations of touch or color. Allow yourself to be with these feelings, without needing to paint just yet.
Continue sitting comfortably, as you now deepen your focus with a few more breaths. Close your eyes for a moment and notice any emotions or feelings that are present for you today—whether they are clear and strong or subtle and hard to define.
Open your eyes and dip your fingers into the paint, allowing yourself to choose colors that resonate with your current feelings begin to paint on the paper in front of you, using your fingers to create shapes, patterns, or simply free-flowing movements. Notice the sensation of the paint on your skin—perhaps it feels cool, slippery, or thick. Allow yourself to engage fully with this tactile experience, letting the paint express whatever needs to come out.
As you continue painting, notice any images, memories, or beliefs that arise. Perhaps certain colors or shapes remind you of familiar feelings, or maybe new insights emerge as you create. Allow yourself to explore these fully, staying present with the process. You might notice a pattern in how you express yourself, or perhaps a realization about how your emotions influence your creative choices.
When you feel ready, take a step back and look at your painting. Notice how your body feels now—whether there is a sense of release, joy, or perhaps a new understanding of your emotions. Allow yourself to stay with this feeling for a few more moments, enjoying the freedom and expression of finger painting. When you are ready, gently set the paints aside, opening your eyes and carrying this sense of creativity and emotional awareness with you into your day.