Art and drawing are known to be great methods to help reduce stress. In fact, there is an entire field called Art Therapy for this very reason. If you observe children creating drawings, paintings, and doing other crafts, you can see how it relaxes them and gives them great joy. Adults don’t often think to practice art or drawing to relieve stress, but it can do wonders for most people.
Art helps to take your mind off stressful situations
Creating art is a great way to take your mind off the stressors in your life. When you create, you engage a different part of your brain, and you can get caught up in what you are creating. Even if you spend 45 minutes on art, it will clear your head and allow you to approach problems from a fresher perspective.
Art can be similar to meditation
Meditation is known to help people clear their heads of the negativity surrounding them, and art can help you do the same thing. When you become immersed in your creation, your brain gets recharged from the focus. It can actually help to reduce stress and improve your ability to deal with things that are going on around you. Many different forms of art can help you experience this, including drawing, painting, or diamond painting.
Art is a form of self-care
Sometimes stress is greater when people forget to take care of themselves. Life can throw so many curve balls that you forget to sit down and relax. If you take even a few minutes each day to devote yourself to a form of art, you are giving your brain a little time to unwind and relax. In the end, you will find joy in your creation.
Drawing to relieve stress
Drawing is similar to keeping a visual diary. You can draw whatever you are feeling. Some people enjoy drawing shapes and objects, and other people might draw animals or other scenes. No matter what your skill level is, you can just draw what you are feeling in a sketchbook. It is therapeutic, and it will help you relieve stress. Your ability to be stress released will be highly sustainable when you focus a little more on some specific objects but if you are a newbie you can find a good guide on face drawing tutorial by BIOWARS.
Colouring
Detailed colouring books are another wonderful way to relieve stress. You can find them for people of all ages, and they often have intricate patterns that force you to focus. This act will help you to unwind and it doesn’t require a lot of extra skill.
Diamond painting
Diamond painting is a wildly popular form of mosaic art that is similar to paint-by-numbers and cross-stitching. You can buy a diamond painting kit that has everything you need, and you will affix little sparkly diamond resins to a canvas with a preprinted picture. This is a really easy and engaging craft, and it is perfect for parents and kids. When you finish, you will have a beautiful sparkly work of art to hang on your wall. Not sure where to begin? Check this diamond painting how-to guide.
Cross-stitching
Cross-stitching is another fun activity that can help to relieve stress. You can buy a cross-stitching kit and get started. It requires a lot of focus, and you can get kits in all different sizes. The end result can be something you can frame or make into a pillow.
Paint-by numbers
Paint-by-numbers is a great way to make a painting if you don’t have technical skills or experience in painting. It gives you a canvas with numbers where you paint certain colors. This is a fun way to get started painting animals or other objects that you may not know how to create without a pattern. Once you practice, you may be able to paint your own creations later on.
Keep a dream journal
Another idea is to keep a journal of your dreams. These can be dreams you have while you are sleeping or things you imagine when you are awake. You can sketch scenes from your dreams and keep them in a sketchbook made of recycled paper to mitigate the environmental burden. Maybe you will write a caption or a few sentences so that you can remember the dream later in life.
Final words
Life is very active today, and people are constantly under pressure to do more. Between work and children, there isn’t a lot of time to take care of yourself. If you make it a point to add in a little art each day, it will help to reduce your stress. You aren’t limited to free drawing and painting; there are many crafts, such as diamond paintings, that are easy and just as relaxing.
When you add art into your life, you give your mind a chance to relax and focus its creative powers on something. This will help to clear your head so that you can attack the problems in life with a fresh mind. Art is one of the best gifts that you can give yourself.
Tommy Williamson did his degree in psychology at the University of Edinburgh. He has an ongoing interest in mental health and well-being.
