Art Therapy Higher Certificate Programme
A true artist is not one who is inspired
but one who inspires others.
-- Salvador Dalí
AT3101
Theories And Principles of Art And Emotion
Art therapy often involves expressing one's own emotions, feelings and messages through art; or having a dialogue with art to gain inspiration and resonance. This course is an extension of [AT2102 Art Language and Expression] in the "Art Therapy Certificate Programme". It further explores the relationship and influence between art and emotion; delving into emotional reaction toward art, and how art induces emotions. This course systematically examines and analyses the elements in touching paintings and art creations, with the aim of exploring how artworks induce emotions and resonates with viewers. It allows students to experience and acquire the principles and mechanisms of emotional reception and contagion in art. This subject will help you improve your artistic expression and influence on the basis of your existing painting skills, such that students are equipped to design art therapy content more effectively, and enhance the effectiveness of art therapy.
Course Objective
Art-Emotion Relationship
Recognise the “Emotions in daily life” and “Emotions in art”. Explore the relationship and influence between art and emotion in depth.
Influences of Art
Understand the mechanism of recipient and contagion of “emotions in art”. Master how to induce emotion and convey message more effectively through art.
Art Psychology
On the theoretical basis of art and emotion, learn how to improve the emotion contagion of art expression, hence enhancing the effectiveness of art therapy.
Connecting Art and Emotion
On the theoretical basis of art and emotion, learn how to improve the emotion contagion of art expression, hence enhancing the effectiveness of art therapy.
Date & Time of Tutorial Lessons:
To be held from January to March 2026
Lessons 1, 4, 8, and 10 will be online tutorials
(Dates to be determined)
* The remaining lessons will be online self-study lectures. *
Tentative Date of Commencement of Next Class:
To be commenced in January 2027 tentatively
Prerequisite
Completion of:
[AT2101 Art Therapy for Emotions And Traumas]
and [AT2102 Art Languages And Expression]