Being creative doesn’t necessarily mean creating a perfect charcoal sketch of a famous celebrity or a tranquil painting of a sunset. You can be creative without necessarily being a “creative person.” I know many people who swear they’re the least creative people you’ll ever meet, yet I find that hard to believe. Part of being a human is being creative, even if you haven’t noticed it yet. So whether you’re bored or want to try your hand at more creative outlets, here are five easy ways to let your creativity take off.
1. Coloring pages
Not all coloring has to be of something you drew. If you’re like me and struggle to make a proportional stick figure, then coloring pages might be right up your alley. You can create a masterpiece by only picking a few colors and staying inside the lines of a perfectly pre-drawn picture.
Not only are coloring pages a fun, creative outlet, but they also double as a stress reliever. Coloring can have the same results as meditation due to its ability to reduce stressful thoughts and calm the brain’s fear center, the amygdala. While coloring books seem reserved for elderly people and young children, don’t let the marketing fool you. If you don’t want to go out of your way to purchase a full-on color book, feel free to find free ones to download and print a few pages off the web.
2. Rock painting
I know I’m not the only one who’s seen those cute Pinterest rocks with little ladybugs painted on them. Not only is this surprisingly simple, but the result is super cute. All you need is a cute rock and your choice of art supplies. And you don’t need some complex design for your rock to come out looking adorable. If the coloring already maxes your creativity out, don’t feel ashamed to look up inspiration online.
Painted rocks can bring joy to any aspect of life. You can keep them in your room as pets, or give them as gifts and keepsakes to friends and family. I personally love to hide them around my neighborhood, hoping that someone finds them and it brightens their day.
Simple and cute, decoration or gift, rock painting can be a great stress reliever and gateway into the world of art.
3. Scrapbooking
Who doesn’t want their memories encapsulated in glitter and patterned tape? If that doesn’t quite fit your vibe, don’t worry, scrapbooks can be any aesthetic you choose. You don’t need to be a super-talented artist to start your very own scrapbook. You can stop by a nearby craft store or raid a junk drawer in your house for whatever materials match your vibe. You can make use of sticky notes, yarn, paint, or colored pencils. There’s no specific way to create your perfect scrapbook. Everyone’s scrapbook looks different; you can’t mess it up.
Not only are scrapbooks an iconic way to express yourself, but they can be a perfect keepsake to look back on or even give to your future children. You can fill the pages with pictures and little notes, stories, or letters to your future self.
4. Water coloring
You don’t need a professional set of watercolors to get started at watercoloring. Some basic Crayola paints will work just fine. Amazon has a $4 assorted paint set with a small brush for sale on their website. It provides the basic red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple so all you need is paper. Watercolor painting doesn’t necessarily mean sunsets and landscapes, if those seem too intimidating feel free to just paint colors. Ombres, abstracts, spots, all of these work as simple, beautiful, relaxing ways to use your mind.
If you’re interested in painting, watercolors are a perfect gateway medium into art. While Crayola is a cheap option, its quality matches its price. Once you feel you want to get into advanced watercolor, only then would I recommend investing in higher-quality products.
5. Cootie catchers/paper fortune tellers
Cootie catchers, also known as paper fortune tellers, are a classic for a reason. No matter if you’re seventy or seven, almost anyone can make and enjoy a cootie catcher. If you follow a guide, they can be surprisingly easy to fold. Writing the little notes inside is my favorite part of making a cootie catcher. No matter, if they’re sweet or a little mischievous, writing the fortunes inside, can be creative without being artsy.
Even after folding and coloring, a cootie catcher’s versatility doesn’t end there. You can reuse the paper fortune tellers for years and due to their small shape, they’re very portable making them perfect for a road trip or plane ride.
