Neuroart: A Form of Internal Reflection

NeuroGraphica is a very specific branch of neuro-therapeutic art that was introduced in 2014. Art therapy is used under many different circumstances and has recently gained popularity on social media. I had never heard of the art form until it came up on my TikTok feed (how I discover a lot of things lately)

Neurographic art is a type of art that integrates science and is heavily determined by your inner thoughts and emotions. Although it is closely tied to therapeutic uses, some people simply use the steps to create a beautiful piece of art.

Honestly, there is not much information on the method of NeuroGraphica, as it is a very new and innovative form. Pavel Mikhailovich Piskarev is a Russian doctor of psychology who invented this method, and he claims that the NeruoGraphica method is an algorithm that engages otherwise inactive neurons in the brain.  He describes it as follows;

“NeuroGraphica is a creative method for transforming the world. [….] [V]ery soon an ordinary marker will become an indispensable assistant in transforming your own life. […] By studying NeuroGraphics you will master a universal tool for managing circumstances and algorithms for solving various types of life tasks.”

Dr. Piskarev does not go into detail about the NeuroGraphica method on his website. He does, however, offer courses and has written books that are available for purchase through his company’s website. Follow this link to learn more about Pavel Piskarev and the benefits of his courses and books.

Despite the exclusivity of NeuroGraphica, there are many other online sources that guide you through various neuro artistic methods for free. Just look up neuro art on any search engine (Chrome, Safari, etc.), or social media platforms such as TikTok or YouTube.

Most forms of neuro art consist of a series specific of steps. The goal of neuro art seems to be transforming inner thoughts into tangible pieces of art. After viewing tutorials and reading articles on the subject, this is what I understand about how to create a NeuroGraph;

  1. First, you have to look inward. Ask yourself why you are creating this piece of art. What are you feeling? 
  2. Focus on that feeling. Immerse yourself in it. Once you are in a state of total self-awareness, pick up your marker and scribble on your page for 3 seconds. The goal is to release your feelings onto the page through your scribbles.
  3. Transformation stage. You’re going to have overlapping lines. To begin the transformation, you’re going to round the corners of the intersections. Once this is done, take a step back. Add any lines or designs you would like – this gives you a sense of control over the exercise.
  4. Time to add color (if you want to, that is)!  You can use any medium, from paint to colored pencils. This is totally up to you. Play with shading and color scheme as you wish.

This outline is based on a YouTube tutorial that can be found here. This is only one way to create neurographic art. Some people don’t use it with any therapeutic intentions and instead just want to make interesting shapes or practice different artistic skills (such as shading or perspective). The beauty of neuro art is that you get to decide its purpose in your life. It is a method that can be used for many different reasons.