Why I Love Hand Made Art

Hand Made Is Better.

All of my artwork is made using manual techniques and people often ask me why I don’t use digital software to create my pictures.

My current preferred medium is acrylic paint on paper, using the humble paintbrush, old skool style. My pictures are hand drawn and hand painted, then scanned and faithfully reproduced on high quality paper by expert UK-based printers. Each painting requires at least 3-4 thin coats of paint in order to achieve bright, saturated colours that pop and sing! Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Admittedly, it would be quicker to work with print-ready files rather than having to go through the process of hand drawing and/or painting the images before converting them for printing.

The fact is, I enjoy the processes that are involved with making hand made art. I like the physicality of using paints and other materials and above all, using my hands.

Art as Therapy.

I began 3-D figurines and box art in my late twenties during a period of depression/anxiety as I struggled to engage with the world and needed to distract both my mind and my hands.

There is something meditative, hypnotic and entrancing about doing things by hand. I find that I am able to lose track of time and my thoughts and just focus on doing.

Similar to the practice of mindfulness, it is good for my mental well being and stability to devote time to doing things with my hands that require focus. It keeps my wayward thoughts and mind wanderings at bay!

Art continues to play a therapeutic role in my life and has taught me, among other things, patience & perseverance.