Why Painting is Good for Your Wellbeing

The Healing Power of Painting: How Creativity Boosts Wellbeing

In today’s busy world, finding time to slow down and reconnect with ourselves can feel like a luxury. But painting — especially in watercolour — offers more than just a creative outlet. It can be a calming, restorative practice that benefits your wellbeing in surprising ways.

Here are some of the reasons why painting is so good for both body and mind.

1. Painting Helps You Switch Off

When you pick up a brush, your attention shifts away from the endless to-do list (and who doesn't love a to do list?) and into the simple rhythm of water and colour. Focusing on brushstrokes and washes encourages a state of “flow,” where time seems to slow down and worries fade into the background. During a workshop, for example, people will often remark how absorbed they are in the process and how everything else just fades away for that precious time.

2. It Encourages Mindfulness

Painting makes you notice things you might normally overlook — the subtle colours in a shadow, the way light moves across a landscape, or the delicate edges of a leaf. This gentle attention is a form of mindfulness, helping you feel more present and connected to the world around you. I often have people remark to me that, having started to paint landscape, they now look at the countryside differently - noticing details and thinking about how they would paint a particular cloud, or tree - or how they would capture the light streaming through trees.

3. A Creative Outlet for Emotions

Watercolour is wonderfully expressive. Loose washes, splashes, and marks allow you to express feelings that don’t always have words. The process of putting colour on paper can be soothing, energising, or even cathartic, depending on your mood.

4. Building Confidence, One Brushstroke at a Time

Many people feel nervous about painting — worrying they’re “not good enough.” But the act of trying, experimenting, and discovering new things in paint can slowly build confidence. Each small success (a colour blend you love, a shape that feels right) is a step forward.

5. A Sense of Joy and Playfulness

Most of all, painting is fun. It invites you to play, experiment, and sometimes even embrace happy accidents. That sense of curiosity and enjoyment is deeply uplifting — and good for the soul.

✨ Tip: You don’t need hours to feel the benefits. Even 15 minutes with a brush and a few colours can bring calm and joy into your day. If you're looking for a few easy, calming exercises when you don't feel you have time, space or energy for a full painting, check out my downloadable ebook 10 Creative Watercolour Warmups.

Ready to Experience It for Yourself?

If you’d like to explore painting in a supportive and welcoming environment, I run regular watercolour workshops in North Yorkshire that focus on both creativity and wellbeing. Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced painter looking to loosen up, you’re warmly invited to join.

👉 See upcoming workshops