Elements and Principles of Massage
LINES AND SHAPES
Lines are marks that are connected between two points. A viewer uses the line to understand a message created by an artist. This mark may be used to imply movement, direction, or suggest an intention. Artists often use lines to produce texture, to imply or force their audience to see shapes.
In massage the line helps us create a story. We must paint lines on our client’s body with our mind’s eye. Think of it like the narrative of a story, the line is the storyline of the massage adventure. It may be used to plot a course of action and encourage trust and comfort with your client.
A shape creates a two-dimensional plane. It is comprised of one or more lines of various lengths. Shapes can be defined by emotional associations when a viewer sees them. Simplistic shapes like circles, triangles, and squares often imply a symbolic significance, while shapes with acute angles may be perceived as dangerous. Curvilinear shapes are often interpreted as chaotic and adaptable, while rectilinear encourage stability, and dependability.
How do lines encourage trust and comfort?
Trust
Sometimes people only want specific areas of their body addressed. If we draw a line in our mind’s eye we can create a fence to ensure we stay within the areas they want massaged. One of the most common complaints the public makes is “I asked them to only massage X, but they massaged Z.”
As licensed professionals we must have the ability to listen, and ethically adhere to the personal boundaries set by our client, and our scope of practice. We are guests visiting their personal palace, we need to respect their wishes by massaging the area we have been granted permission to touch. When we give a line shape we can create a fence that demonstrates our capacity to listen and follow instruction. When we do this, it fosters trust.
Comfort
Many clients want to lay on the table and let you do your thing. They want to feel your story and be lulled into a deep satisfying sleep. To achieve their expectations we must write a story for them.
We must set the stage, ensure we are writing the genre they want to experience, use a comforting voice, and captivate their spirit. Every scene must have significance, and each sentence should flow into the next. The story should be easy to follow, your techniques should foreshadow twists and turns, and ultimately the end of the story should end with them in a state of peace and harmony.
If we perform each massage with the intent of telling a story, every session will feel spectacular. When our client knows we have a story to tell, they will feel comfortable, safe, and secure.
FORM
Form is the volume of height, width, and depth of a three-dimensional object. It typically refers to physical works of art like sculptures.
In massage it may represent the shape of your hand, the client’s anatomical structures, and the tools utilized throughout a service. Many massage therapists apply their techniques utilizing a robotic and orderly approach. They fail to imagine how the shape of their hand may feel for the client. The application of your techniques may be drastically altered based on how you position your hand. Pair up with another massage therapist and explore how a specific technique feels based on how you hold your hand. Then change the shape of your hand and compare the two.
Color
Hues, chroma, and value are used to determine the elements of color. Hue is the primary color, value is how light or dark it is, and chroma is the intensity of the color. Chroma is a tool used to distinguish between strong and weak colors as seen on the color wheel.
The importance of color in relation to a massage service is witnessed in areas unrelated to its application. It is the fluff to the crunch. Examples of color include the color of the products used in the service, the lubricant bottles, the therapist’s attire, the décor, branding colors, and the color of the light used in the treatment room.
The colors used in a spa influence how the client experience their journey. Remain aware of the colors used to ensure the client’s environment promotes their parasympathetic nervous system and encourages them to associate your practice with ethical and professional services.
Space
Space represents the perspective and proportion in relation to shapes and objects. Positive space is the area that has observable content, while negative space does not.
In massage positive space are the area being massaged. Negative space are areas that will remain untouched. Some massage therapists lack the ability to honor the personal boundaries set by the client. This occurs when a client requests only specific areas to be addressed, but the therapist refused to accommodate the request by massaging outside of the client’s designated fences.
If a client asks to only have their arms massaged, the rest of the body must remain untouched. Artists and massage therapists have a difficult time with negative space. When they look at their canvas they feel like it is incomplete if the entire surface has not been painted. Respect the integrity of our trade or your art piece by respecting the importance of negative space.
TEXTURE
This is used to determine the surface quality of artwork. In art the texture can be tactile, or visual. Tactile means its real surface, and visual is its implied texture.
Texture is important in the application of massage. It is experienced via the consistency and smoothness of our lubricants, the softness of our hands, the sheets, and blankets. Changing up lubricants in a session creates variety and helps the client remain actively engaged with the story we are attempting to tell.
Value
Value is determined by the perceivable darkness of tones. It is often synonymous with luminosity and may be measures in units of electromagnetic radiation. The difference in value is measured by contrast, this is the range from white to black.
In massage this element manifests through the application of light and its influence on the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. It should be our goal to set the lighting to a value that encourages a restful and sleep encouraging atmosphere.
Mark Making and Materiality
Materiality is the materials and resources used by an artist to create their project. Mark making is how the artist uses materiality to compose the work of art.
In massage mark making encompasses the techniques used throughout a session and materiality are the resources used to apply those techniques.
