Abstract: Psychology and art seem to have two areas that do not have much in common but the two have been combined in such a way that the psychology of art has appeared. A product of this psychology is even art therapy, and painting is one of the most effective methods used in this therapy. Also psychology topics are played in many paintings over time, and this may be one of the reasons why we are attracted to certain paintings.

Psychology is a science of behavior and mind. It studies both phenomena related to the conscious and the unconscious side. Among the psychic poems he explores are perception, cognition, attention, emotion, intelligence, motivation, brain functions but also personality.

Art represents a variety of human activities needed to create works of art using the author's imagination, ideas or skills in order to be appreciated for the beauty and power of the emotions they convey. The three main branches of art are painting, sculpture and architecture. The arts refer to the theory and the physical expression of the creativity found in human culture and society. The major components of art are given by literature which includes fiction, drama, poetry and prose, then are the performing arts such as dance, music and theater, the last part is composed of the visual arts including drawing, painting, film making, architecture, sculpture and photography.

Painting is a practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other substance to a solid surface called a matrix or substrate. The substance is applied to the tip of the brush or other tools such as a knife, sponge or even the palm surface. The final product is called a painting. Paintings are an important form of the visual arts that can be naturalistic and representational (as in static nature), photographic, abstract, narrative, symbolic (as in symbolist art), emotional (as in expressionism). Psychology and directed attention to art thus appeared as a subcategory of the psychology of art. This is an interdisciplinary field that studies the perception, cognition and characteristics of art and its products.

Art is perceived as a subjective domain in which one composes and visualizes the work of art in a unique way that reflects his or her experience, knowledge, preferences and emotions. The aesthetic experience implies the relation between the spectator and the work of art. The artist must be in harmony with the object he creates in order to enrich his creation. As the work progresses, so does the artistry that develops to give a new meaning to both him and his work. Within the psychology of art, the form of therapy called art therapy has developed. This means artistic expression being used in the therapeutic technique. Among the most useful art forms used in art therapy is painting. Regardless of the surface on which we paint, we express our feelings and thoughts.

The main benefit of painting therapy is the development of creativity. But not only painting but any other form of artistic expression lead to the development of creativity.

One of the benefits of painting therapy was to improve communication because some people tend to be shy and have difficulty expressing themselves, but thanks to painting they can unleash their creativity and thus better share their emotions and thoughts.

Brain stimulation is another benefit of painting therapy. In this way, both hemispheres are stimulated, the left hemisphere belongs to the rational and logical side and the right hemisphere designated to creativity and emotions.

With the help of this therapy we can increase the level of concentration because painting is a meticulous work that allows us to forget all the worries and things that surround us.

We can develop emotional intelligence because emotions are part of the creative process, which is why when we paint we experience more feelings such as love, happiness, peace and quiet. Painting therapy helps reduce stress levels. The people who are struggling get so concentrated that they enter a world of their own which leads to the detachment of life problems that cause stress. In addition to these benefits, art therapy is used to relieve trauma-induced emotions in children. Traumatic memories are visually encoded expressing artistically is the most effective way to access them. Due to art therapy children can make sense of their traumatic experiences and expose the range of events. An effective way to overcome trauma is given by art group therapy. This results in improved contact with other people who have had similar traumas. This group therapy is beneficial for gaining confidence and self-respect. Although painting is a tool used in art therapy, its connection with psychology is not just summarized here. Many famous works of art, especially the paintings, feature themes from psychology such as the self, mental disorders, dreams, different emotions, perception, sensation and even sexuality. What expresses some works has most often to do with the artist's life, meaning that the events experienced by him may or may not influence the final product. There are works that do not depict a major event in the artist's life, but certain motives or aspects of a painting are related to the artist's past. Paintings can be useful tools when we want to better understand the artist's life from a psychic point of view.

This painting depicts an eye with clouds floating inside the iris. The eyes are a reflection of the soul, which leads us to the thought of trying to understand ourselves or others, trying to penetrate into one's personality. This picture can mean that either we are inside the eye and we look outside or we are outside the eye and we are trying to approach the soul of another person.

Mental Illnes and Institutionalization Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890), Corridor in the Asylum. (1889)

Many of Van Gogh's works focus on “madness” and creativity, especially those of recent years, thus clearly making a link between psychology and art. These paintings depict a corridor from an institute for the treatment of mental illnesses of the 19th century in which the feeling of loneliness and sadness is nuanced.

This painting depicts a man with a horse flying his way near a small house, which resembles a house from the author's youth. Like other works of his, the dream state is inspired by the way of painting as well as by the chosen subjects. Marc Chagall expresses through his paintings images from his past and even his dreams since then.

Salvador Dali's painting shows a desert in which different instruments that measure time melt, become fluid. This may refer to the fragility of unam memory that cannot withstand time.

This well-known work portrays a man holding his face while shouting in agony is the faithful representation of neurosis. The emotion this painting conveys is rewarding and is much better rendered than by words. Many of the works in the current Expressionism portray such strong emotions, even the anxiety that can be interpreted from Edvard Munch's painting.

Aging Rembrandt Van Rijn. (1606-1669). Self-Portrait (1629) through Self-Portrait 1669.

Rembrandt painted many self-portraits that show the passage of time and the changes that occurred on it. The two self-portraits are from the beginning of life to the end. It is noticeable the change in technique of applying colors that with the age of the painter seeks to convey deeper feelings than the representation itself of the subject.

The intimacy of this couple is the focus of this painting, with its golden hues. The painting shows how the two appear emotional, as well as physically wrapped with each other. In a circle, they represent the vision of intimacy as a form of emotional connection. The painting also shows their physical intimacy, although the emotional almost surpasses the physical connection.

Psychology and art are two areas that combine effectively to create art therapy, to be able to better appreciate the art around us and to see beyond the first impression that a work of art brings us. Therapies through art is an extraordinary fear of developing and treating some of our psychic problems. And painting is a way to express our deepest feelings and to reach our turn to identify these types of feelings in the great paintings of our culture.

Alain, de Botton & John Armstrong (2018). Art as Therapy. Vellant Publishing House.

Janine, Chasseguet Smitgel (2002). Psychoanalysis of art and creativity. Trei Publishing House.

Sullivan, Paul & McCarthy, John (2009). Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, Vol 3.

1Student, Faculty of Communication and International Relations, Specialization: Psychology, Danubius University of Galati, Romania, Address: 3 Galati Blvd., Galati 800654, Romania, Tel:+40372361102; Fax:+40372361290, Coresponding author: manea.cosminamarilena@yahoo.com.

New Trends in Psychology, Vol. 1, no 2/2019, pp. 28-32