A brief note on using the creative tools of drawing and painting in Housing Studies dissertation projects

A brief note on using the creative tools of drawing and painting in Housing Studies dissertation projects (information from perplexity.ai)

My question 1: "What are the creative tools of drawing and painting as arts-based research tools all about in the context of doing Housing Studies dissertation projects?"

The reply: "Drawing and painting as creative arts-based research tools in Housing Studies dissertation projects serve as expressive, participatory methods to generate new knowledge and explore spatial, social, and emotional dimensions of housing environments. These creative tools are used not just for artistic expression but as active research methods to collect rich, layered data, engage participants deeply, and communicate findings in accessible, impactful ways.

In the context of Housing Studies, drawing and painting help researchers and participants visually document and interpret lived experiences, spatial relationships, and socio-cultural meanings tied to housing. They enable the capture of complex, multi-dimensional urban or residential environments that are often difficult to grasp fully through textual or numeric data alone. For example, performative drawing or sketching allows for intuitive, immediate representation of housing life, reflecting memories, spatial practices, and emotional responses to place. This visual language can open up new perspectives on housing issues by surfacing tacit knowledge, multiple viewpoints, and embodied experiences.

Arts-based research approaches in Housing Studies typically emphasize co-creation, where participants actively contribute to creating artworks that embody their insights or narratives. This participatory element empowers residents, fosters critical reflection, and challenges dominant housing narratives, contributing to social change and knowledge democratization. The art-making process itself—whether drawing, painting, or other visual practices—acts as a dialogic and reflexive research tool, generating data as well as knowledge.

These creative tools also aid in data analysis and dissemination, offering innovative ways to synthesize and present research outcomes that resonate emotionally and intellectually with academic and public audiences alike. Through visual arts, research findings can be made more inclusive, engaging, and accessible, enriching traditional research outputs.

In summary, drawing and painting within arts-based research for Housing Studies dissertations are powerful tools for exploring and representing the complex realities of housing environments. They complement traditional methods by enabling deeper understanding, richer data generation, and participatory knowledge creation with housed communities.

This explanation integrates the methodological principles and practical applications of arts-based research tools in urban and housing-related contexts as documented in recent research literature."

My question 2: "Please provide 2 examples of a research method that use drawing and painting, depicting briefly its data gathering method and data analysis effort. If feasible, relate your examples to the research theme of "life stress arising from severe the housing affordability problem facing the young lower-middle class families in Hong Kong in 2025"."

The reply: "Here are two examples of arts-based research methods using drawing and painting, framed around the theme of life stress from housing affordability problems for young lower-middle-class families in Hong Kong in 2025:

1. Participatory Visual Mapping:

• Data Gathering: Participants (young lower-middle-class families) create drawings or paintings mapping their housing environments and daily spatial practices, emphasizing areas and moments of stress such as cramped living spaces, commuting challenges, or financial burdens.

• Data Analysis: Researchers analyze visual elements (e.g., size, color, motifs) to interpret emotional and social dimensions of housing stress, triangulating with participant narratives elicited during or after art-making. The visual maps reveal tacit knowledge about coping strategies and spatial constraints that verbal accounts alone may miss.

An illustration of a participatory visual map (source link)

2. Expressive Life-Story Painting:

• Data Gathering: Participants paint scenes or abstract images reflecting their life experiences and emotional states related to housing affordability struggles, such as feelings of insecurity, crowding, or aspirations for better living conditions.

• Data Analysis: The paintings are examined for recurring themes and symbolic representations of stress, resilience, and hope. Researchers combine this with thematic coding of participants’ explanations of their artworks to uncover layers of subjective experience and social context.

Both methods foster participant engagement, evoke rich, multidimensional data, and make visible the complex, embodied realities of housing stress beyond conventional surveys or interviews. They empower families to articulate their challenges creatively and contribute meaningfully to the research findings, informing supportive housing policies tailored to lived experiences in Hong Kong.

This approach aligns with arts-based research values and has been applied in urban and housing studies to explore social issues through creative, visual data."

An illustrative example of an Expressive Life-Story Painting

(source link)

My question 3: "Please provide 5 academic references in clear Harvard reference format related to our discussion topic here."

The reply: "Here are 5 academic references in clear Harvard referencing format related to arts-based research methods using drawing and painting, and housing affordability issues in Hong Kong:

1. Chan, S.M., 2020. Impact of Housing on Poverty Situation in Hong Kong. [online] Available at: https://web.swk.cuhk.edu.hk/~hwong/pubfile/thesis/2020_Chan%20Siu%20Ming.pdf [Accessed 28 October 2025].

2. Charrieras, D., 2018. The shifting spaces of creativity in Hong Kong. [online] Available at: https://scholars.cityu.edu.hk/files/86586769/The_Shifting_Spaces_of_Creativity_in_Hong_Kong.pdf [Accessed 28 October 2025].

3. Lam, T. and Tavecchia, E., 2013. Commoning art for sustainable engagement with Hong Kong's existential crises: a case study of Tak Cheong Lane Vegetarian Cooperative. [online] Available at: https://scholars.hkbu.edu.hk/files/123893917/Commoning_art_for_sustainable_engagement_with_Hong_Kong_s_existential_crises_a_case_study_of_Tak_Cheong_Lane_Vegetarian_Cooperative.pdf [Accessed 28 October 2025].

4. Wong, H.W., 2020. Arts-Based Participatory Research Approaches in Cultural Partnerships. [online] Available at: https://research.manchester.ac.uk/files/357038818/Findings_Report_Full_-_Exploring_Arts-Based_Participatory_Research_Approaches_in_Cultural_Partnerships_with_Creative_Manchester_08.2024.pdf [Accessed 28 October 2025].

5. Kong, L., 2012. Improbable Art: The Creative Economy and Sustainable Development in Hong Kong. Singapore: Singapore Management University Press.

These references provide foundational context and methodological insights for applying drawing and painting as arts-based research tools to investigate housing stress and affordability challenges in Hong Kong."

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