Many people look at caricature art, with its silly expressionism and over-exaggerated subjects, as primarily a source of humor. However, as many people know and swear by, humor is often the best medicine for those suffering from a variety of mental and physical ailments. It’s not that big a leap to figure, then, that caricature art may actually provide some positive impacts to those diagnosed with almost any illness. Take a look at the below video, courtesy of InklingStudio, and try not to feel a rush of positivity.
To determine the effect of self-caricatures on personal health, author and retired nurse Celeste Cooper has decided to sponsor a nationwide contest for those who can submit a personally drawn caricature that depicts in some way the pain or discomfort that a patient experiences. The winning entrant will receive publication of their caricature in Cooper’s upcoming book, Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain, Winter Devotions, and will also receive a free copy of the book.
To enter, participants must create an entirely original self-caricature that features that person and some indication of the health issue going on inside the patient’s body. Eligible entries can only be in black and white. Once the caricature has been completed, an entrant can scan the image to their computer and send it as a JPG image file.
Artistic prowess is not the main concern here for those who wish to enter but aren’t sure that they can create a stunning original caricature. As the self-caricature by Cooper shows on this ProHealth webpage describing the contest, it’s more important to illuminate the ailment being suffered than it is to create a good likeness of the self.
The ability to express the pain that one is going through is an important part of the healing process. Self-caricature and expressive drawing prevents a person from denying the discomfort which they feel, and acknowledging that distress is a big step towards getting better. Mark Hall Caricature Art feels that this contest is a great opportunity for non-artists to try their hand at some creative work while also providing a healthy outlet for dealing with illness. Be sure to check the contest link above for more info.
