Simple art therapy activities are extremely useful in helping organize, understand, and process your thoughts and emotions while getting you in a creative and relaxed mindset. You can think of it as a mental reset, especially if you need to take a little time to yourself and slow down the day a bit. We’ll go over 15 simple art therapy activities you can start making right now (like the image below), their helpful benefits, and how you can get started right away!
Contents
- 15 Simple Art Therapy Activities
- What Are Simple Art Therapy Activities?
- Activities Used in Art Therapy
- How to Start Art Therapy
- Is There an Age Limit for Art Therapy?
15 Relaxing Yet Simple Art Therapy Activities for All Skill Levels / Adults
1. Draw Lines on Paper
Let’s start off with something super simple: drawing only lines on a paper. Try to draw them across the entire page. And it’s okay if they aren’t straight.
What matters most is making large movements with your arm and wrist as broad physical movements help release built up stress in your arms and upper back.
In addition, trying to make something look straight or more ‘correct’ helps you get out of your thoughts because you’re focusing on the present and concentrating on reaching a specific result or outcome.
2. Sketch Circles
Use you entire arm (not just your wrist!) to draw doodles of circles on a sheet of paper. Try drawing circles that take up the entire piece of paper, as it exercises your entire arm and releases built up stress in your upper body.
You can try drawing different sizes like shown below, to make your doodles more interesting and randomized.
3. Free Drawing
One of my favorite art therapy activities is to ‘free draw’. Free drawing is when you allow your hand to guide you while creating art without actively thinking or preparing to draw anything it particular.
It’s a calming mindfulness exercise that brings you into the present while focusing on ‘going with the flow’. It doesn’t have a particular focus but has room for a lot of happy accidents.
This art therapy exercise is perfect for all ages including adults, kids, and teens because no art skills are needed and is a productive creative outlet to express oneself.
4. Continuous Drawing
Draw using only 1 continuous line without lifting your writing tool from your paper or drawing surface.
Let your hand guide you as it glides across the paper. This really helps randomize what you’re doodling while not putting any pressure on yourself to make a perfect drawing.
It’s a fantastic way to draw casually and keep yourself occupied while keeping your mind active. Plus, it’s really fun to see you’re final doodle once you’re all done!
It’s also a fun exercise for keeping kids and teens occupied.
5. Make Random Doodles
Doodling is a fantastic way to cope with mixed emotions such as sadness and just feeling down in general because it requires little effort but very satisfying and manageable, sparking moments of positivity and completion.
When we complete something, we get a sense of accomplishment. Drawing little doodles is a great way to motivate us and build up our self-confidence. So if you need a little pick-me-up, next time try doodling little drawings.
If you need a little help figuring out what to draw, check out these 15 Random Doodles to Draw When You’re Bored to boost your mood!
6. Cross Hatch
Cross hatching is great to draw because it will really pass the time when you’re bored or need a grounding exercise for anxiety or stress. It’s simple, and you can get some really dense detail quickly! All you need to doodle is a few lines (I like sticking with 4-5).
Follow the quick tutorial below to get started:
Simple Cross Hatching Tutorial
- Draw the first group of lines.
- For the second groups of lines, draw them in a direction opposite the first group.
- Each set of lines after that should be in a different direction and gradually become wider apart and bigger.
- You’ll eventually get a nice gradient from light to dark and you can stop whenever you’d like.
For more art therapy activities that target stress and anxiety, check out these 15 Anxiety Art Therapy Drawing Activities to Help You Feel Calm Now or Natural Stress Relief with Drawing for Beginners & 7 Ways It Halts Stress!
7. Draw Shapes Inside Each Other
Some easy shapes to sketch are squares and rectangles, triangles, circles, and diamonds. You can try sketching more detailed shapes once you’re comfortable enough with the basics.
How to Draw Random Shapes to Get a Pattern
1. Start Drawing 1 Shape
It can be big or small.
2. Then, Draw Another Shape Either Around or Inside Your First Shape
It can be the same shape or a different one. Keep doodling random shapes until you’ve filled a page or want to sketch something else.
8. Mix Colors Together
This exercise helps slow down racing thoughts by helping you concentrate and be aware of the present moment, relaxing your mind.
Whatever art medium you’re using, try to blend or layer the colors together. It doesn’t need to be a specific shape or anything in particular. The final image can look abstract like the pic below.
You can also make new colors with existing ones, allowing for unique blends and combinations.
I used watercolors in the image above because they’re easy to blend and using brushstrokes is more gestural and fluid than using a pencil or pen.
9. Simple Patterns
Now, I want you to think about your personality for this next simple art therapy activity. What type of person are you? What makes you unique? Are you funny, an extrovert, or more of an introvert?
Now, try drawing that personality on paper.
If you’re having a difficult time trying to sketch that, try looking at shapes and patterns. What pattern best represents you?
I chose a 90s pattern with bright colors because I can be spontaneous but also all over the place sometimes. My thoughts can get pretty cluttered but I love colorful things and different types of random shapes.
Try finding a pattern that you feel best shows off your personality and draw it!
10. Draw an Emoji of How You’re Feeling
Emojis and expressions are funny simple sketches to draw when you want to express or understand your emotions better. Think of it as a way to express your feelings creatively, especially if you don’t feel comfortable talking about them.
It allows for a mental release and in some cases, to be truly honest with yourself about how you’re feeling, especially when you feel you might not have other outlets to express yourself in this way.
And no, you don’t have to share these drawings with anyone if you don’t want to.
1. Draw a Circle
2. Doodle In Whatever Expression You Want!
It could be happy, sad, or tired. Or even how you’re feeling in the moment.
Doodling your emotions is a perfect way to connect with your feelings.
11. Simple Shading
This simple art therapy activity is great for releasing stress and for helping calm down feelings of aggression or anger, especially if you’re looking for a quick remedy.
All you need to do is take your pencil (preferred) and use broad strokes to scribble on paper. Try scribbling from a super dark value/shade, using lots of hand pressure, and then gradually releasing that pressure to make a lighter value.
You can do this as fast or slow as you like.
Keep in mind: the faster you move your arm and the more pressure you use, the more pent-up energy you expend. When you expend this energy in controlled physical movements, you release it, leaving you feeling relaxed and mentally calm afterwards. A huge plus!
12. Self-Esteem Tree
Now, let’s build up that self-confidence with an easy self-esteem tree drawing.
- Start by Sketching the Branches & Trunk
- Next, Add Leaves to Each Branch
- Make sure there is enough space to write something in the leaves
- Draw at least 5 leaves but no more than 10-15
- Then, In Each Leaf, Write 1 Unique or Positive Quality About Yourself that You Appreciate
- What do you love about yourself?
- You can list qualities that other people admire about you as well
- To go even further, you can write down some personal qualities you’d like to improve on, at the tree’s roots
- Use this as a reminder to work on yourself in areas you don’t feel 100% confident in.
What I love about this activity is that it helps remind us of who we are as individuals and the incredible qualities we bring to ourselves and others. It can be so easy to spend more time worrying about everyone else that we forget to appreciate how awesome we are.
So take some time to build yourself up!
For more nature-inspired art therapy activities, check out these 9 Comforting Fall Art Therapy Activities for Cozy Season you can easily do indoors, perfect for adults, kids, and teens!
13. Art Lettering
Drawing text and words is a great art therapy activity that’s simple, fun, and the possibilities are endless!
It helps in not only drawing out your feelings in recognizable words but puts a physicality to them that you can actually see, helping you to express your feelings and understand your thoughts.
Try drawing words in different styles, colors, or even with some small doodles. Make it your own!
14. Gratitude Drawing
Think of 2-3 things you’re thankful for. They can be the simplest things from what you had to eat today or even just being able to get sleep.
Whatever they are, try your best to sketch them or something to represent them, if they’re too complicated to draw.
You can even write down why each thing makes you happy.
This art therapy idea helps teach gratefulness and being thankful for what you have now, rather than what you wish you had. It can help put things in perspective and even make us a bit happier just from admiring the simple things we get to experience.
15. Abstract Mood Painting
How are you feeling right now? Are you relaxed, stressed, happy? No answer is wrong here.
If you could see your emotions, what color(s) do you think they’d be?
Now, using those colors, just start drawing and mix them together. Do this for 10-15 minutes.
Your picture doesn’t need to look like anything in particular, as long as it captures your current mood.
Go as big and bold as you want.
The point of this art therapy exercise is to take the time to feel your emotion(s) and understand them a tiny bit better by helping you process those feelings in a fun, creative way.
What Are Simple Art Therapy Activities?
Simple art therapy activities are easy and quick visual art activities and prompts that help with processing and understanding your emotions while providing mental awareness, relief, and a productive, creative outlet to express yourself.
You don’t need any art skills fancy supplies to do them and they can take anywhere from 5-15 minutes to complete.
They can use a combination of traditional journaling (written words) along with different mediums of art including pencil, different types of paint, and anything else you can make art with!
Activities Used in Art Therapy
They can use a combination of traditional journaling (written words) along with different mediums of art including pencil, different types of paint, and anything else you can make art with!
Quick List of Art Mediums Used in Art Therapy
- Drawing with Pencil /Graphite
- Painting with Watercolors, Acrylics, Oil, or Gouache
- Ink or Pen
- Collage
- Art Journal Therapy
Let’s talk about how to start art therapy.
How Do You Start Art Therapy?
Starting any art therapy activity at home is insanely easy and you can get started now.
All you need is any type of drawing or writing tool, something to make your art on, and a few simple art therapy prompts to kickstart your creativity. That’s all!
See?
I told you it was super easy to get started.
Is There an Age Limit for Art Therapy?
Absolutely not!
There is no age limit or age restriction when taking part in any type of art therapy.
You can make art for therapy at any age and at any time, including young children above the ages of 3, given that they know how to use a pencil or crayons and are under adult supervision.
More Related Art Therapy Activities & Resources:
- 7 Relaxing Simple Zen Doodle Design Ideas to Help You Unwind | Post
- Soothing Art Therapy Activities for Aggression | Post
- Meaningful Art Therapy Activities for Couples to Strengthen Your Relationship | Post
- Calming Art Therapy Activities for Stress Management | Post
- 10 Expressive Art Therapy Activities to Try Now | Post
- Comforting Indoor Fall Art Therapy Activities to Get You Relaxed | Post
- 15 Anxiety Art Therapy Drawing Activities to Help You Feel Calm Now | Post
- Download 9 Free Mood Boosting Art Therapy Drawing Activities for Anxiety | Freebie
- Easy Art Journal Therapy for Beginners | Post
- Free Printable Stress Relief Cheat Sheet | Freebie
- 10 Euphoric Drawing Art Therapy Prompts for Racing Thoughts | Post
- Natural Stress Relief with Drawing for Beginners & 7 Ways It Halts Stress | Post
- The Difference Between Traditional Art Expression vs. Expressive Art Therapy | Post
- 15 Quick Doodles to Draw When You’re Bored | Post
Which of these simple art therapy activities do you want to try first? Leave your comments below and see you in the next post!
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