An essential aspect of our mental health is developing or preserving the ability to retain information in our memory. Memory shapes our lives and the perception of our identities.
From remembering small things like where we left the keys to our home to various moments from our personal history, memory helps us operate in the present, it helps us make sense of who we are personally and socially, and it gives us the ability to plan for our future.
The good news is that art can be an efficient tool for boosting and training our memory.
Don’t worry that this will not work for you if you don’t know how to make art. Working on your ability to retain and remember information does not depend on your art skills. Anyone can improve their memory with the help of art.
On the other hand, if your goal is to improve both your memory and your art skill level, don’t discourage yourself; it’s possible. We always remember people in our fine art classes that everyone can learn to make art even if they come to our studio with zero knowledge.
And if you are not necessarily keen on learning how to make art, this blog is still for you. Your memory can still be maintained and improved by viewing art, but we will get into that later.
Some recent studies show that drawing is more efficient in memorizing than writing or other memorizing strategies. So if your kids tend to doddle in classes while taking notes, you might have no reasons to scold them.
Drawing can boost our memory because it incorporates three different types of sensory experiences.
So the information processing includes semantic, kinesthetic, and visual aspects, which leads to more excellent absorption and retention of information in the memory.
If you would like to test your memory and how art can be more efficient for remembering, you can try a little experiment with your friends or family.
Take a list of random words and have at least two of your dear ones with you. One will have to write a word multiple times, and the other can draw it in the same amount of time allocated per one word.
Do so with all the elements on the list (you can keep the list short if you don’t want the experiment to last forever), then have a break and let the information settle.
Meanwhile, you can do something else, maybe take a walk or watch one episode of your favorite series. Then come back to the experiment and see how many words your friends can remember.
You might notice drawing makes it easier to remember because it implies translating the words into visual characteristics along with the meaning they carry. Then it also engages you to plan your hand movements as you draw and coordinate your hand movements with your eyes.
And, of course, you visually inspect the image, watching how your drawing appears on the paper while focusing on this activity. These all come together into a multi-sensorial experience that facilitates remembering and improving memory.
I know that it might be surprising to hear that just enjoying some art pieces in a gallery can positively impact how your memory works, but it’s true. Even though you might not engage all the three sensory parts discussed, viewing art can do so much for your brain.
Besides the fact that visually enjoying art can reduce stress and fatigue, your memory will get better because we tend to retain information that comes with feelings easily.
We often do not remember accurate details about specific experiences, but we clearly remember how we felt in that moment. And art viewing can make us feel lots of things, it can put our minds to work with interpreting the meaning of various art pieces, it can change our moods, and it can transmit us distinct vibes even if we view the same art piece countless times.
Taking art classes could be a good way of improving both your memory and your artistic skills.
And our core belief is that anyone can learn to draw and paint skillfully with the right tools and teaching.
That is why you will learn only from passionate, capable instructors who can patiently guide you and break down every step for you.
So why not give it a try and see for yourself how the process of learning is satisfying and rewarding.
At Martin Fine Art Classes, we strive to:
Note: For those interested in the study about drawing as a better-memorizing strategy than writing or other such strategies, here is where you can find it.
