“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
— Pablo Picasso
Lets explore 10 Secrets to a Better Life through Watercolor Painting!
Any form of art no matter what it is encourages creativity! If you have done any form of Art do you recall being anxious or stressed out while or after doing it? That’s the power of any form of Art it brings joy, calmness and a strong sense of accomplishment! Let’s explore the 10 Secrets to a Better Life through Watercolor Painting!
Anything creative like singing, dancing, painting, crocheting or photography has plenty of benefits. It is not just about learning a new hobby or just learning it to earn some side income, it is much more than that with the impact it can have on one’s personal well-being and overall lifestyle.
I have experienced this first hand.
Painting with watercolors is very convenient as all you need is some paint, a brush, paper and some water! It is one of the less toxic paints and is very easy to clean, mostly odorless and chemical free as well.
You can just grab your materials and take them anywhere easily!
Want a better life through Watercolor painting? Self-confidence is a much needed skill or trait that comes in handy in any business or profession you are in or for life in general. With confidence tasks become a breeze, talking of people and leaving an impression comes along when one is confident.
Studies have proved that engaging in art and painting often makes one feel better about them.
Learning Watercolors can help boost confidence in the following ways-
- With a Sense of accomplishment comes greater confidence
- When they get compliments and feedback it brings joy and happiness
- When they learn the art with step by step instruction their skills develop and this strengthens confidence
- Art increases self-expression and this also helps in building confidence
- Art also teaches self-respect
It is something that is equally beneficial for adults and kids both!
“Among the matched sample, children who participated in arts activities most days were significantly more likely to have higher levels of self-esteem than those who participated less often,” the researchers report.”
Source: Greater Good Berkley Edu
2. Improves Mental Health for a better life through Watercolor painting
Art also encourages imagination be it kids or adults. This creative way of thinking helps with their well-being and mental health. Watercolor art can help one feel calm, happy and stress free. It acts as a form of mediation and a creative escape from real life problems. It a fact well proven by several studies.
“Over the past decade, health psychologists have cautiously begun looking at how the arts might be used in a variety of ways to heal emotional injuries, increase understanding of oneself and others, develop a capacity for self-reflection, reduce symptoms, and alter behaviors and thinking patterns.”
Source: The National Center for Biotechnology Information
“Engaging in the arts seems to be growing in popularity as a way to improve your wellbeing. Participating in the arts can enable people to deal with a wide range of mental ill-health conditions and psychological distress. The best part is that it helps people to improve their mental health through creativity.”
Source: Mental Health Foundation U
3. Increases Focus
Painting can make the left and right brain work together, thinking about the process, what they are going to draw, how they will draw or how will the compose the illustration will enhance left brain intelligence.
Thinking and planning about colors they will use, shapes they will make, elements they will add will enhance right brain intelligence.
Watercolor Art enhances
- Critical thinking – thinking & deciding what to paint, what paint to use, what colors to use, how to go about it, what combinations will look nice etc. etc. makes you take so many decisions and enhances your thinking skills.
- Problem solving – not just critical thinking skills but problem solving skills also improve
- Imagination – when you create something with your own creative thinking it enhances imagination a well!
4. Breaks Social-media Addiction
We all these days have more complaints about screen time, but with pandemic and the norms of social distancing screen time seems to be unavoidable. Research show that it not the screen time that can damaging but the type of content we are exposed to,
As Prof Dr Rich rightly puts it,
“Screen time is less important to mental health than screen content and the context in which it is consumed and created. It is what children and adolescents are exposed to and encouraged to do with screens that helps or harms”
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Instead of mindless scrolling use the internet to get inspiration or take art classes and courses to enhance your painting skills. Mindfully use your screen time in a productive way.
5. Teaches Patience & Persistence
Watercolor Art teaches persistence because it is not a skill that can be acquired in a few days. It takes time and since is an enjoyable experience the individual want to keep at it and this also teaches patience. Being persistent will art will reflect in other areas of life as well. It makes you slow down when you are working with layers as they must be let dry.
This laid back and relaxed approach will make you patient and you will enjoy this whole process, this will in turn help you become calmer and patient in life situations as well.
Not just this it is really hard to correct mistakes in watercolor, so you have to get used to that which eventually teaches you to deal with frustration in a calm manner!
6. Accept constructive Criticism for a better life through Watercolor painting
Since Watercolor Art has no Right or wrong it has better scope of constructive criticism. Art is a process, as one moves through it and makes mistakes learning along the way, the capacity to see things in different perspectives develops.
7. Art is Therapy!
Painting with watercolors is a very calm and peaceful experience. It is a joy to see the colors blend in and just float on the paper.
Watercolor painting can inspire kids to do well in academics as well. It helps them improve attendance and excel in studies and enhances innovative thinking.
When you focus on one picture that you are painting it relaxes the mind and eases the stress. Painting helps you relax and manage stress better.
8. Will help You Unleash Your Creative Side
Art teaches originality, it helps you express in a way you prefer. With watercolours you can have their own interpretation as there is no right or wrong way in Art!
Paint with your heart not your mind!
“Artists do art. Typically, they are not consumed with the need to analyze their creative process or engage in debates about the nature of creativity”
Source: How Creativity works in the brain report
9. Increases Happiness
I have dealt with anxiety and panic attacks almost all my life, but ever since I started watercolors I have become happier and satisfied. It is amazing how much a hobby can teach you!
In one study, “cognitive neuroscientists found that creating art reduces cortisol levels (markers for stress), and that through art people can induce positive mental states. These studies are part of a new field of research, called neuroesthetics: the scientific study of the neurobiological basis of the arts.” “… arts engage the mind in novel ways, tap into our emotions in healthy ways and make us feel good.”
Source: The Conversation
“…the participants’ self-reports imply that the combination of mindfulness and art had a positive impact on mood.
This study offers insight into arts and mindfulness as well as supporting the idea that the arts can serve as a complimentary piece to mindfulness-based interventions.”
Source: “Calming Watercolors”: Using Mindful Art in Treatment of Mood Disorder
10. Benefits of being a part of a Community
Being a part of an art group can help you stay connected to like-minded individuals. You can make friends in a safe place where other artist share their art and experiences; it can give you a sense of belongingness. It can also help you learn from others as well as share your own art journey. Artist can also exchange information and reviews about art supplies and art classes. Interacting is such groups will help you maintain good social health! Most of these communities adhere to some basic social rules and so are safe and they are mostly free!
If you want you can join My Watercolor community HERE!
Now you get an idea of how you can get a better life through Watercolor painting? I highly recommend you to explore this more! Don’t focus on the supplies, just grab a set, some paper & pick that brush now! You will be amazed! Go take a class if you need help! You can also check my beginner friendly tutorials HERE! Not sure where to start? Grab this FREE guide!!
But give this a try, I strongly believe that anyone can do Art, all you have to have is an open mind-set and the willingness to learn! Go give it a try! Believe me, You will be amazed!
Until next time,
