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How do you hit a pause on the fifteen tabs running tirelessly in the background of your mind? How do you tune out the constant noise? Is there any outlet to divert your attention productively? Often, when stress hits, many may resort to questionable coping mechanisms, such as emotional eating, like how you override the brain freeze and gorge on a tub of ice cream or throw caution to the wind and go on a shopping spree in the name of ‘retail therapy.’ In both cases, you are hurting yourself, either your health, going overboard with high-calorie foods (and gaining weight) or making awful financial decisions.

Turns out art can be a productive solution to de-stress. Usually, art is viewed as a hobby, but sometimes it acts as a creative outlet, giving you that much-needed tool to hit pause on your buzzing thoughts and emotional clutter. And if you want art to be more impactful, workshops offer a supportive environment, connecting you to a community. If you are afraid to commit or don’t wish to follow a schedule, you can also turn to art at the end of a busy day, keep it breezy and pick up a brush.

HT Lifestyle reached out to experts to learn how art can help support your emotional wellbeing.

What happens to your brain during creative art activities ?

First, let’s zoom in and take a closer look at the physiological response. Dr Ajit Dandekar, head of mental health (psychiatry and psychology), Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital, Mumbai, told us that creative activities reduce emotional tension.

“Any creative activity like painting or crafts, etc, engages the brain’s visual, motor and executive systems, enabling them to work together. It strengthens attention, working memory and planning. Due to this constant loop of seeing, imagining and creating, the mind stays focused in the present, relieving emotional tension,” the psychiatrist explained, highlighting that creative activities actually train your brain positively.

Dr Ajit Dandekar also insisted that art can be intrinsically rewarding, while also reinforcing cognitive skills like better attention, which may as well be a scarcity in the digital era.

“Creative activity also engages the brain’s reward system, making focused engagement feel enjoyable. Over time, such immersive art practice improves concentration, backs emotional expression and offers a calming, mentally restorative experience,” Dr Dandekar described how art also serves as a mood enhancer and stress reliever. The simple act of creating something helps to manage your emotions better.

The psychiatrist also shed light on the power of group art sessions. They act as a safe space for creativity. “Such settings help to build emotional understanding, improve interpersonal communication and promote cooperation, allowing participants to express feelings, tolerate differences and gain confidence. Working together on creative tasks produces positive social experiences,” he added.

The workshops also enhance creativity, as the doctor highlighted, improve confidence and forge a sense of companionship. When art workshop participants collaborate, their cognitive and emotional skills also improve. Dr Dandekar encouraged creating art, such as watercolour paintings, ideal for beginners.

How can you start using art as a tool to relieve stress?

To understand how one can practically get started with watercolour painting for relaxation, HT Lifestyle spoke to watercolour artist Abhijeet Bahadure. Sharing his experience of how art helps him to relieve stress, he said, “Art serves as a powerful means of self-expression. It helps release stress, build self-awareness, and create a sense of peace. Art helps to bring clarity.”

This means with art, turbulent emotions begin to settle, and you start to gain self-awareness. Painting also releases pent-up feelings as you express yourself. You give a tangible form to the scattered thoughts, finding an anchor amidst the whirlwind of chaos.

If you are a beginner, Abhijeet recommended these supplies for watercolour painting: artist-grade brushes (a few round & flat and one rigger for detailing), watercolour paper which should be 100 per cent cotton, mixing palette, masking tape, and a water container, paper napkin to clean brushes is good to start.

Every artist has a warm-up routine that helps them get in the zone. If you are considering adding watercolouring to your daily routine, you too stand to benefit from a structured routine, helping to get into the creative mindset. Just like a training session, you don’t jump straight into it; you ease in with a warm-up routine. Likewise, art is no different.

Abhijeet shared his pre-painting routine to de-stress, “Play soft instrumental music, good lights mostly natural with fresh air, and start by painting loose wet-on-wet washes—no subject, just letting colours flow and mingle freely for a few minutes before moving to the main painting.”

Next, if you are still hesitant because you may not have expert-level drawing skills, it turns out you don’t require any strong drawing experience to enjoy watercolouring, as per painter Abhijeet.

Abhijeet shared these techniques, which don’t require any major experience, and anyone can do these:

• Wet-on-wet colour blending
• Washes
• Brushworks (using different types and orientations of brushes)
• Texture effects, like using salt
• Splattering colours for grainy textures
• Lifting colour with tissue paper
• Abstract colour flows

Watercoloring stands out to be a productive and accessible stress-relieving tool. You are creating something. There’s something deeply rewarding and fulfilling about the prospect of creation, not just mindless consumption, unlike the regular doomscrolling while bed-rotting, month-end shopping sprees and late-night binge-eating. So make it a habit to turn to art, even for a few minutes a day, let the simple act of painting restore your emotional balance and help you feel better.

But it is important to note, creative activities like watercolour painting cannot replace traditional guidance from mental health experts, so do not attempt to use them as a substitute. Artistic activities are complementary tools to support your emotional well-being, besides professional care.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.