What is Open-Ended Art?

 One of the types of art that we encourage at Yucandu is open-ended art. While anyone can do open-ended art, it is an approach that is wonderful for both adults and children. Open-ended art is almost exactly as it sounds: open-ended! There are no samples, no step-by-step instructions and no right or wrong way to create something. The art is focused entirely on the experience and the exploration of techniques, tools and materials—not the end result. We encourage open- ended art at Yucandu because it allows everyone to freely use their imaginations, learn new skills, and gain confidence in expressing themselves.

3 Different Approaches

Open-ended art can be done three different ways, depending on what experience you want to have.

1. Anything goes.This type of open-ended art does not define the end product, materials or the process. By freely expressing your imagination, everything and anything can be art with this approach. Essentially, you have free reign to create whatever you want, however you want to create it!
2. Define one aspect of the project. With this approach, you determine only one part of the project, whether it’s the end goal itself, a material or a technique. You then decide everything else!
3. Choose what materials. This is one of the more popular approaches. We’ll give you the materials, and you do the rest! With a wide variety of exciting materials to choose from, you can let your imagination go wild and create whatever you like with what we have on hand.

The Benefits of Open-Ended Art

Everyone needs the freedom to be creative, to explore the imagination and to even share, through art, what you experience in your own life. With open-ended art, you can freely express yourself, and it’s a method that’s worth exploring. Here are a few more benefits of open-ended art:

• The art is unique. You’ll make something that is one-of-a-kind and truly yours.
• It’s a confidence booster! There is no right or wrong answer, no samples or instructions so you can take pride in what you create! We see what you create as an extension of you and that’s something to celebrate.
• It’s a great stress relief. Without the pressure of creating something specific, you enjoy the therapeutic process of simply creating and exploring.

The ultimate goal of open-ended art is not the finished product, per say. It’s all about exploring your own creativity in a pressure-less environment. You’ll pick up new techniques and skills along the way, of course, and we’ll always be there to help you if you get stuck or if you need feedback. So get to work and enjoy being creative!