Venting through art?


PeregrineJazmin's avatar
do you vent your emotions through art?



my life has recently taken a turn for the worse, and left me in a depression. I know a lot of artist will use drawing as an outlet when they feel down. But for me, even though art is my life, I can't seem to find the energy to even pick up a pencil when I feel sad.

I know for others having a creative outlet is relieving, I wish I could do that too, I can't stand being unproductive AND not being able to vent. How do other people do it?
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Chickenoobdle's avatar
Well, I do draw when upset. But for the times I get so depressed I can't, I use music. Usually singing but playing a few notes on the piano helps too!
Bitsy-chan's avatar
Well, I hope your life gets better soon, sweetie. :/ (Please don't take that name the wrong way; I call many people names like "sweetie" a lot of the time in a totally not-weird way). When I'm feeling upset I like to take my feelings and put them into a story. But the stories are about other people in other situations, situations with a better shoulder to cry on, more hope, etc.. Now, admittedly, I've never had depression, and I know I can't understand how hard that must be to deal with. Also, if you don't really like writing, then I would suggest painting, specifically watercolours (I find the way they flow very helpful and relaxing). But I really hope you start feelin' better. I'll pray for ya, hon. Now, keep your head up, 'k? :)
Rememberbeforeforget's avatar
The pencil just seems too rough whenever I get depressed or emotional so I don't vent through my drawings. Instead I write it down, it's somehow much easier to convey it through words, or a combination of many gifs. Other times I listen to podfics and take a walk, or just generally rot away my time blogging around the net. ^^'''
IdNiDveifencetum's avatar
Listen to some music. Let all your problems fly away for now. Forget about everything. Think as if everything's perfect. Live as if it's your last day. Yes, art is a very GREAT way to vent out. Keep it going.
Scyoni's avatar
I draw really odd things when I'm feeling emotional. They aren't overt - it's not like gore or murder or giant hearts or anything - they're just strange. Big floral abstract designs and the human figure surrounded by meaningless patterns and such.

I guess this is an expression seeing as I never draw abstracts normally, but I don't even understand what it is... It isn't much of a conscious thing, either. I start drawing and the picture I meant to make segways into this strange thing I have when I'm finished.

Personally the biggest way I vent emotion is by listening to music that reflects my mood. I can listen to whatever music normally without getting emotional, but having emotional music sort of magnifies the feeling - makes it easier to let it out.

When you're down, try being impulsive. Do what you feel like doing on a dime if it won't hurt you or anyone else, and see how it makes you feel - eventually you'll find something that will help you vent.

Also, don't think about venting as being unproductive. I've done that. You need to remember that taking care of yourself - emotionally and physically - is your job above all else. If you can't do that, you can't be productive later, so make yourself a priority.
RinaRyuu's avatar
Depression, huh...
I know all about that feeling. Let me ask you this.

Are you really okay with letting things go the way they are? Are you fine with letting whatever happened to you control the entirety of your emotions and actions?

People "vent" in all different ways. It's not something that you do with effort. It happens. Don't try. Just do. It will happen.

A true artist, though they may stray afar, will always return to what they love.
Don't worry about getting back to it.

Surely, as an artist, you will return to your work when the time is right.

Best of Luck. :icondreamplz:
IMDSound's avatar
Well what is art if not an outlet for emotion? So yeah, I guess I vent through art. But when I'm feeling down it doesn't mean I make sad or depressing art. My emotions just get me in the mood to draw in general!
RavynneNevyrmore's avatar
If I'm in a general gloomy mood, sure. If something had truly devastated me and put me into a real hard depression, no. In that case I play video games.
dancinpencil's avatar
at times I do. But you know, I believe it's healthy to express feelings through art. Because even if it's a negative feeling, I feel a sense of relief after I express it through the art of my choice :P
WandererAtHeart's avatar
sometimes I don't feel like it either but if I come up with a picture in my head that I feel captures what I'm feeling, I just want to draw it. Even if you don't feel this doesn't mean your not an artist, everyone is just different. I think sometimes you just need to wait for it to pass.
PeregrineJazmin's avatar
yeah, today I actually thought of an image in my head that captures everything I'm feeling, it's so complex though I don't know if ever finish it, but I started working on it a little at a time, it's helping a little.
WandererAtHeart's avatar
That's better than nothing :) It always bugs me when I have an awesome image in my head but don't have the skills to finish it :(
SweetJustABit's avatar
Surprisingly, I get more ideas when I'm feeling sad or unsure. I don't know why, maybe because my head makes different scenarios which can work out well in art pieces. For example, not too long ago (last month) I was bullied and I was kind of sad, you know. . . to know that I am myself and no one likes, I don't want to change but I still want people to like me, I want them to like me for who I am, not for who they want me to be.

However, to answer your question, yes; I do vent and express my emotions through art (even thought I don't have many drawings posted here, I have many ideas to draw), and it really helps me to get less stressed. But I'm aware of your situation and I totally agree with Omega, you should just take some fresh air and change your life a bit, do new things, you might get better then :D

I wish you the best~
PeregrineJazmin's avatar
that's awful that you got bullied, it makes me very upset to hear that happened to you :( But I'm glad you found a way though it with drawing
and thank you
SweetJustABit's avatar
I don't really feel that sorry for me. . .Actually, I don't even know very well what I feel. Half of me feels bad about that, it feels sad and kind of depressed, but the other half keeps saying "let it go; let it go" and I end up not really knowing how I should feel, even thought that I mostly go for the second half and "let it go". And also, when I don't have anything to do, all these problems come up my head and I feel the urge to cry, asking myself why the heck they don't like me. I feel like a victim when I cry, but when I stop. . .I feel weak for crying over such an insignificant thing (that it actually affects me) and I always think that there are people in a worse situation than mine. That just makes me feel so bad for crying, it's like all the reasons that I had to cry disappeared, like I was someone else. A mood swing.
And no, I don't have any mental diasease, well, not diagnosed at least, but this quick changes confuse me sometimes :shrug:

When I find new people online to talk to, I always end up confessing all these things, I feel safer if they know, I guess it's a way that I get to let all the "frustration" go. I guess I tell them because I know they don't know who I am so they can't blame of anything.

That, and people in the internet seem wiser, they seem to carry about others mare than they do in real life

I'm sorry for bothering you about this, I don't really even know why I do this, but I want you to know, whatever you're going through, I and many other persons in similar situations can help you. Well, I'd like to help, if I can.
ClipItsWings's avatar
Certain emotions, i think, are easier to vent than others. Personally, if I'm angry or in love with life its really easy for me to get it out, but I'm totally the same when it comes to it being hard to work with depression.
I hope things get better for you; I really love your work.
PeregrineJazmin's avatar
I agree that some emotions are more difficult to translate to art
thank you ^^
Chronos94's avatar
usually do what Omega said, go out get some fresh air but I also listen to some music something more up beat or just a song that I love listening to kind of like musical therapy to get me over the hump.

Also hanging out with friends helps sometimes if you feel up to it, just get out of the house and do something fun
Melanie-sama's avatar
I know I do. Did it today. Shame the art turned out so crappy I don't even want to ink it. =(
PeregrineJazmin's avatar
I'm sorry :hug: I think that's a reason I can't draw when I'm sad, I don't want to be ashamed of it later :(
Melanie-sama's avatar
Eh, I'm not really ashamed of it... Trashcan won't judge. xD
Solum-Ipsum's avatar
I used to write it out in a prose or compose it as a song.
ikur's avatar
even random scribbles can help~
Art is a form of expression, so draw your heart out <3

baking helps me too~
ArtFreakA's avatar
well I do use art as a way to vent but my pictures usually come out awful. So I suggest u pick up that pencil and scribble away. It does not need to be a pretty picture, in fact, you should actually burn it when you are done and with it your negative emotions. I know that it can be difficult when you are uninspired and feeling down but it is best not to keep your emotions locked-in. That will effect your good art work, and you wouldn't want that.
I hope this helps, and I hope you get better soon :)