The Materials We Use in an Art Therapy Session

Why I Work in So Many Different Mediums

When I was working as an artist, people would often ask me, “What medium do you use?”

I would pause for a moment and think about it before responding, “I have ADHD, and I work in everything.”

When I was in art school, I took classes in silkscreen, etching, photography, watercolor, oil painting, graphic design, ceramics, and figure drawing. I thrived on having four studio classes in a single semester. Some people thought I was nuts, but for me, it was heaven.

The Freedom to Explore and Combine Materials

I loved having access to so many different materials and processes. I could integrate one medium with another and experiment with new combinations to create something exciting and completely new.

That experience shaped the way I approach my work today.

As an art therapist, we need to have an education and understanding of a variety of materials. We need to know how to use them and, just as importantly, understand how different materials may affect the people we work with.

If we don't know how to use a material ourselves, and we're offering it to a client, how can we fully understand the experience it may create or the effect it may have on the issues they're working through?

The Importance of Materials in an Art Therapy Session

This is why the materials we use in an art therapy session are so important.

I use a wide variety of materials. Sometimes a client is working through something and says, “I feel like I need to use such-and-such.”

Having the Right Material Available

I usually have a variety of materials available so that I can pull something out of a box or drawer and offer it for them to explore.

The creative process is not always about selecting a predetermined activity. Sometimes the material itself becomes part of the process of expression.

Paper, Drawing, and Painting Materials

Obviously, paper is one of the materials I use, but there isn't just one type of paper.

Different Types of Paper

I have:

• Decorative paper
• Collage paper
• Watercolor paper
• Pastel paper
• And many other types of paper

Each type of paper has a different texture, weight, appearance, and way of interacting with other materials.

Drawing and Writing Materials

I also have a wide variety of drawing and writing tools, including:

• Different kinds of glue
• Colored pencils
• Drawing pencils
• Regular pencils
• Markers
• Ink pens
• Watercolor pens
• Acrylic paint pens

I also have a plethora of brushes and other materials that can be used to make marks with paint.

Unexpected Tools Can Create Powerful Expression

Sometimes traditional art tools are not the only things we use.

Alternative Mark-Making Materials

Materials such as these can create very different marks, textures, and experiences:

• Feathers
• Sponges
• Forks
• Brushes
• Found materials
• Other objects that can be used to make marks with paint

There are all kinds of things that can become creative tools.

Working With Clay and Three-Dimensional Materials

I also have several different kinds of clay available.

Types of Clay

These include:

• Air-dry clay
• Sculpey clay, which needs to be baked in an oven
• Model Magic, which is a soft, foamy type of clay that air dries

Each material offers a different sensory and creative experience.

Fabric, Fiber, and Sewing Materials

I also keep a variety of textiles and fiber materials available.

Materials for Texture and Connection

These include:

• Fabrics
• Yarns
• Macramé cord
• Ribbons
• Embroidery floss

These materials can be glued, sewn, stitched, wrapped, tied, or incorporated into an art piece in many different ways.

Altered Books, Masks, and Assemblage

Some of the materials and processes I use allow us to work with objects in a more symbolic or transformative way.

Altering Books and Rewriting Stories

I have books that can be altered and transformed. Sometimes, altering a book can become a way to symbolically rewrite or reimagine our own stories.

Masks and Self-Expression

I also have plaster gauze that can be used to make a mask of your own face. For those who don't want the plaster directly on their face, I also have pre-made masks available.

Found Objects and Assemblage

I have lots of buttons, tons of beads, and all kinds of found objects that can be used to create assemblages.

Creating Meaning From Objects

An assemblage allows us to bring different objects together to express whatever it is we need to express.

Sometimes the meaning comes from the object itself. Sometimes it comes from the way the objects are combined.

How Different Materials Support Different Experiences

The materials we choose can affect the way we approach the creative process.

When We Need More Control

If we want to have more control, we might choose materials such as:

• Colored pencils
• Markers
• Fine drawing tools

These materials can allow for precision, detail, and a greater sense of control.

When We Need to Be More Expressive

If we need to be more expressive, fluid, or free, we might choose paint.

Paint can move, drip, blend, spread, and create opportunities for expression that feel very different from a pencil or marker.

When We Need to Slow Down

If we need to slow down and be more mindful, sewing by hand or stitching materials together can be a wonderful practice.

Hand sewing requires us to slow down, focus, and work one stitch at a time. It can be both a mindful and expressive process.

There Is No One Specific Medium

There isn't one specific medium that I use in sessions.

Creativity Can Come From Almost Anything

I recently had a client finish creating a doll out of an old, rusty hand shovel. The piece included lots of beads, fabric, and wire.

That's one of the things I love about creative expression.

You don't have to limit yourself to traditional art materials. There are all kinds of things you can use to express yourself.

Finding What You Need to Create

I typically have a wide variety of materials available because you never know what someone may need to create in that moment.

Sometimes, the right material is a pencil.

Sometimes, it's paint.

Sometimes, it's clay, fabric, thread, beads, a book, a mask, or an old rusty shovel.

The Possibilities Are Endless

There are all kinds of things you can use to express yourself, and I typically have something available that can be used to create whatever you need to create and support your healing process.

The materials are simply tools. What matters is discovering what helps you express what may be difficult to put into words.



See What We Can Create in Session

Here is a video showing some of the many things we can make in session.

Here is what is happening in September 2026 at Art Therapy Studio of Reno.