Artistic expression for relaxation: What artistic techniques can I use to help calm down?

Artistic expression can be a wonderful way to help alleviate anxiety or stress, whether a person thinks of him or herself as an artist. There are numerous options for adults, including: colouring books, painting, drawing, collage or sculpture. Here are just a few examples:

• Crayola Coloured Pencils (at Walmart Canada) is a set of 100 different coloured pencils. Depending on the utensil you feel most comfortable using, markers and crayons are available from Crayola as well. These products range from about $20 (CDN), plus shipping fees if ordered online. Many large retailers and drug stores carry these items.
• Hilroy Studio Pro Sketch Book (at Staples) is an 8.5-inch by 11-inch sketch book that contains 100 blank sheets of paper for sketching or drawing. This product costs about $10 to $15 (CDN), plus shipping fees if ordered online. If you’re new to sketching, you might also consider a beginner’s guide book, such as How to Sketch, from Amazon. Again, these types of products are also readily available at bookstores and art supply stores.
• Mandala Colouring Books (at Indigo Canada) are mandala-themed colouring books designed for adults. A mandala has intricate lines and patterns and is designed to be a more meditative pattern for adults to colour. But there are many other themes available, such as gardens, animals and architecture. These products cost about $10 to $25 (CDN), plus shipping fees if ordered online.

If you are comfortable using a smartphone or table, you may also be interested in explore the apps listed below:

For Apple devices:

• Let’s Create! Pottery is a free app that allows users to create pottery on their smartphone or tablet by spinning a virtual pottery wheel. This app is for anyone who enjoys creative tasks.
• Happy Color – Color by Number is a free app that allows users to colour pictures by following numbered instructions. The app offers a large variety of simple and intricate pictures, mandalas, and other designs for the user to enjoy.

For Android devices:

• Let's Create! Pottery is a free app that allows users to create pottery on their smartphone or tablet by spinning a virtual pottery wheel. This app is for anyone who enjoys creative tasks.
• Happy Color – Color by Number is a free app that allows users to colour pictures by following numbered instructions. The app offers a large variety of simple and intricate pictures, mandalas, and other designs for the user to enjoy.