The History & Development of Computer Art Therapy

[Sairalyn Ansano Thong, MA, ATR-BC]

In my literature review of the use of computers in art therapy, I found more gaps than material. Some of the art therapists and professionals I found were C. Malchiodi, B. Parker-Bell, D.Canter, P. Hartwich & P. Brandecker (psychotherapists), and K. Freedman (art teacher). Who else have you found to be helpful in the development of the use of computer art in Art Therapy?

[Kaia Niambi]

I haven't found anyone.
I was searching the web, and stumbled across "computer art therapy."
What do you think, Sairalyn?
Do you think it's effective?

[Sairalyn Ansano Thong, MA, ATR-BC]

It's definitely effective. I don't think that's the issue at all. I wrote in depth about the efficacy of computer art in art therapy in my ATTA article "Redefining the Tools of Art Therapy."

What I am looking to uncover is the work of others that have effectively used digital art in practice. I know that may therapists have at least dabbled with working digitally with clients. The difficulty lies with the lack of written histories of this. I understand that professional writing is not for everyone and would like this discussion to be a space where therapists using the medium can talk about the kinds of advancements they have utilized or developed using digital art in their art therapy practice.

[Diana Tseng]

I have come across some articlbs by a group of computer scientists in South Korea who tried to develope software for assisting art therapists to judge/dignoise the art works by the patients. Will this developemnt be considered helpful for art therapists or be counted as part of the history of computer and art therapy?


Kim, S.-i. (2008). Computer judgment of main color in a drawing for art psychotherapy assessment. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 35, 140-150.
Kim, S.-i., Kang, H.-S., & Kim, K.-E. (2008). Computer determination of placement in a drawing for art therapy assessments. The Arts in Psychotherapy 35, 49-59.