5 Therapeutic Crafts That Anyone Can Try

Calming the nerves and getting creative.

If you find painting your own nails to be too finicky or you don’t have what you need to get into pottery or baking or any of the other projects trending on Instagram since lockdown, there are other crafts you can get into that not only allow you to unleash your creativity but may also help you relieve some of your stress too. And the best part about them, they’re open to interpretation so no step-by-step lessons needed and definitely no criticism (constructive or otherwise) at the end either. Here are some of our easiest to try.

1. Meditative painting – no skill needed here, just a bit of paint, a blank canvas (any paintable surface will do) and a willingness to relax and let your creativity run free. Remember, the goal isn’t to produce any particular image, this activity is more about releasing your stress. Try experimenting with different techniques, like splashing or flicking paint, swirling your brush around using just one colour or using your fingers if you’re not afraid to get messy.

2. Blind drawing – take a mental picture and close your eyes while you draw or keep your eyes fixed on your subject matter and don’t look down at your page until you’re done. The idea is to enjoy the movement of the shapes you’re creating or at least get a lol out how your final image turned out.

3. Continuous line drawing – take your pen to paper and don’t take it off until you’re done. It helps if you’ve got a nice smooth medium to work with so you can just enjoy the continuous movement of pen on paper without caring about what the final image looks like in the end.

4. Colouring in – nope, it’s not just for kids. There are so many illustrated books for adults to colour in, but you can always create your own. Find calmness in the colours you choose, try alternating the pressure you apply on pencils to create gradients, and if staying inside the lines is more frustrating for you, simply don’t.

5. Drawing in sand – if you don’t have your own Zen Garden perhaps it’s time to invest, or at least give it a go on your next beach trip. Traditional Zen Gardens can get quite complex, but if you’re trying it out at home or at the beach, simply use your fingers, or any tools you have handy, to draw soothing shapes in the sand until your heart's content.

For a calm creative space