Painting Your Emotions: A Therapeutic Art Exercise for Mental Health and Self-Discovery
Life can feel overwhelming sometimes. Recently, I found myself carrying some heavy emotions and realized I hadn’t taken a moment to pause and check in with myself. That’s when I turned to one of my favourite creative practices: painting my emotions.
This isn’t about creating a masterpiece—it’s about expressing what I feel and finding clarity in the process. Painting my emotions has become a powerful tool for managing my mental health and discovering more about myself. In this post, I’ll share my step-by-step approach so you can try this therapeutic art exercise too.
What Does Painting Your Emotions Mean?
Painting your emotions is a creative process where you use colours, shapes, and textures to express how you feel inside. It’s not about technique or talent—it’s about giving yourself a safe space to process emotions, relieve stress, and reconnect with yourself.
This exercise can be deeply personal and therapeutic, offering a way to navigate emotions you might not even realise you’re carrying. Let’s dive into how you can try this for yourself.
Step-by-Step Guide to Painting Your Emotions
1. Before You Begin: Prepare Your Mind and Heart
Painting your emotions is more than just a creative act—it’s a therapeutic exercise for emotional self-discovery and mental health. To truly connect with your inner self, it helps to ground yourself first. Here are some steps to prepare your mind, body, and spirit before picking up a brush.
Close Your Eyes and Breathe
Start with a few deep breaths to ground yourself in the present moment. Visualize your emotions swirling around you—what do they feel like? Are they fast or slow? Bright or muted? Heavy or light? This simple breathing exercise helps set the tone for emotional expression through art.
Engage Your Senses
Tune into your physical sensations. Does your body feel tense, relaxed, or restless? Often, emotions manifest as physical sensations before they translate into colors or shapes. Acknowledge what you’re feeling—it’s all part of the process.
Journal Freely About Your Feelings
Journaling is a powerful way to connect with your emotions and spark creative ideas for your painting. Try one (or all) of these approaches:
Three Words: Write down three words that best describe your current mood or feelings.
Stream of Consciousness: Set a timer for 5 minutes and let your thoughts flow freely. Scribble, ramble, or even draw symbols—there’s no wrong way to do it.
Emotional Metaphors: Ask yourself, If my emotions were a place, a weather pattern, or a sound, what would they be?
Color Associations: What colors or textures come to mind when you think of your feelings? Write or sketch your thoughts.
Journaling can help you untangle complex emotions and prepare for the next step in this therapeutic art exercise.
Play with Music or Silence
Decide whether music or silence will best suit your mood.
Music: Choose a song that amplifies your feelings, whether it’s soothing, chaotic, or somewhere in between.
Silence: Sometimes, the absence of sound helps you hear your inner voice more clearly.
Both options can influence the energy and flow of your creative process.
Choose an Emotion to Focus On
If your emotions feel overwhelming or tangled, start by picking just one to explore deeply. For example, you might choose to focus on joy, sadness, frustration, or confusion. Alternatively, let all your feelings flow together in layers—it’s your choice.
Imagine the Story Behind Your Emotions
Ask yourself: Why do I feel this way? You don’t need a clear answer, but reflecting on the “why” can shape your creative choices.
Frustration: Use jagged lines or bold strokes.
Sadness: Experiment with soft washes or muted tones.
Confusion: Try overlapping spirals or fragmented shapes.
This visualization exercise helps translate your emotions into meaningful artistic expression.
Set an Intention
Decide what you want to gain from this process.
Are you looking to release pent-up emotions?
Do you want to explore a specific feeling further?
Or do you simply want to let your emotions exist on the page without judgment?
Setting an intention gives your art session a sense of purpose and direction.
Create a Mood Board or Mini Sketches
If you’re unsure where to begin, try one of these:
Make tiny thumbnail sketches of abstract forms or symbols that represent your feelings.
Gather images, textures, or color swatches that resonate with your current mood.
Experiment with simple shapes or gestures to warm up your creative muscles.
This step is especially helpful if you’re feeling stuck or hesitant about starting.
Assign Colors to Feelings
What color feels like anger? What texture feels like joy? Let your instincts guide you as you assign colors and textures to specific emotions. Don’t overthink this step—trust your gut.2. Gather Your Materials
This is where the fun begins! For this exercise, I used a few basic supplies, but the possibilities are endless. The beauty of painting your emotions is that you can adapt it to whatever you have on hand or feel drawn to. Here are some ideas to inspire you:
Acrylic Paints: Bold, versatile, and forgiving—great for layering and experimentation.
Charcoal: Perfect for dramatic, raw, and expressive mark-making.
Watercolors: Fluid and delicate, ideal for capturing fragility or softer emotions.
Oil Pastels: Blendable and rich, perfect for creating vivid, textured pieces.
Ink (India or Acrylic): Excellent for sharp contrasts, splatters, or fluid, flowing marks.
Collage Materials: Layer textures, images, or found objects to add depth and personal meaning.
Palette Knives: Use for scraping, layering, and adding thick impasto textures.
Fingers: Get tactile and raw by applying paint directly with your hands—it’s freeing and cathartic!
Sand or Dirt: Mix into your paint for gritty, visceral textures that connect you to nature.
Canvas or Wood Panels: Sturdy surfaces that can hold up to any combination of materials you throw at them.
There’s no right or wrong way to approach this. Whether you’re using professional art supplies, items from around your home, or a mix of both, it’s all about experimenting and letting your emotions guide you. Remember, the focus is on the process, not the outcome—so let go and have fun!
Taking time to ground yourself before painting your emotions creates a stronger connection between your feelings and your art. These exercises help you tune into your emotions, making your therapeutic art practice even more meaningful. Whether you’re painting for mental health, self-expression, or simply to unwind, these steps will deepen your creative experience.
3. Choose Colors That Speak to You
Colors carry emotional weight and can represent how you’re feeling. For example:
Bright reds or oranges might express energy, anger, or intensity.
Soft blues or greens can evoke calmness or introspection.
Dark tones, like grays or blacks, might reflect heaviness or sadness.
Don’t overthink it—let your instincts guide you. Maybe a specific color jumps out at you, or you simply grab the first shade you see. Trust that whatever you choose is exactly what you need.
4. Create a Cozy, Safe Space
Set the mood for your creative session by creating a calming environment. Consider:
Lighting a candle or using essential oils for soothing scents.
Playing your favorite music to set the tone.
Making a cup of tea or having a glass of water nearby.
These small, intentional touches can make the process feel grounding and enjoyable.
5. Start Painting
Now it’s time to let your emotions flow onto the paper. Start with the color that feels most true to your current mood and make a few marks. Whether it’s broad strokes, repetitive patterns, or abstract shapes, there’s no wrong way to begin.
If you’re feeling stuck, remind yourself: this is about the process, not the outcome. Sometimes just making the first mark is the hardest step—and the most liberating.
Tip for Letting Go of Perfection:
Take a photo of your painting partway through. This can help you let go of fear about “ruining” something and encourages you to keep experimenting.
6. Reflect on Your Work (Optional)
Reflection isn’t necessary, but it can deepen the experience. After finishing your painting, take a moment to ask yourself:
What stands out to me in this piece?
Why did I choose these colors, shapes, or patterns?
What does this painting tell me about my emotions?
You can also journal about your painting to explore your feelings further. But if you’re not in the mood to reflect, that’s okay too—sometimes the act of painting is enough.
Why Painting Your Emotions Is Good for Mental Health
Life moves fast, and it’s easy to push emotions aside. Painting your emotions is a way to pause, check in with yourself, and process feelings in a nonverbal way. This therapeutic exercise can help you:
Relieve stress and tension.
Gain clarity about your emotions.
Feel more grounded and connected to yourself.
In my own mental health journey, this practice has been a game-changer. It’s a gentle reminder of the importance of self-care and emotional awareness.
Want to See the Process in Action?
If you’re curious about how this looks in real time, check out my YouTube video, “Painting My Emotions: A Therapeutic Art Practice.” In it, I walk you through this process step by step and share my personal experience.
Join the Conversation
Have you ever tried painting your emotions? I’d love to hear about your experience!
Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Tag me on Instagram @mar.mar.studio with your creations—I can’t wait to see them!
Join My Newsletter
If this exercise resonates with you, subscribe to my monthly newsletter, Scrawls and Scribbles. You’ll get creative tips, personal stories, and updates on my art journey delivered straight to your inbox.
Life can get overwhelming sometimes, can’t it? Recently, I found myself navigating some tough emotions, and I realized I hadn’t taken time to pause and really check in with myself. That’s when I turned to one of my favorite creative practices: painting my emotions.
This isn’t about making a masterpiece—it’s about expressing what I feel and finding clarity in the process. Painting my emotions has become one of my go-to activities for mental health and self-discovery, and I thought I’d share my approach in case it’s something that resonates with you too.
Step 1: Sit With Yourself
Before picking up a paintbrush, I take a moment to pause and reflect on how I’m feeling. Sometimes it’s just a matter of asking:
How do I feel right now?
What’s been taking up space in my mind?
I also like to visualize my emotions. Do they feel heavy? Light? Smooth or jagged? What colors, shapes, or textures might represent them? Journaling can help too—writing down three words that describe your state of mind is a great way to gain clarity and spark ideas for your painting.
Step 2: Gather Your Materials
This is where the fun begins! You don’t need anything fancy—just grab whatever materials you have on hand. My go-to choices are:
Gouache or watercolor paints for fluid expression.
Charcoal to add depth and texture.
Watercolor paper to handle a mix of mediums.
The beauty of this exercise is that it’s flexible. Whether you’re using professional supplies or a basic set of markers, it’s all about experimenting and finding what works for you.
Step 3: Choose Colors That Speak to You
Colors can carry so much emotional weight. For me, bright, warm tones like reds and oranges feel energetic or intense, while blues and greens bring calm and introspection.
I don’t overthink this step—I let my instincts guide me. Maybe I’m drawn to a specific shade, or maybe I just start with the first color that catches my eye. It’s all part of letting emotions flow naturally.
Step 4: Create a Cozy, Safe Space
I like to create an environment that feels comforting and intentional. This might mean lighting a candle, playing music, or making a cup of tea.
Think about how sensory details can influence your mood. A lavender-scented candle, soft lighting, or gentle background music might be exactly what you need to feel grounded and ready to create.
Step 5: Start Painting
Here’s where the magic happens. I start with the color that feels most true to my emotions and make a few marks on the page. If I’m feeling stuck, I remind myself there’s no wrong way to do this—sometimes just making that first mark is the hardest part.
I often find myself drawn to patterns or repetitive marks because they calm me and allow the rest of the painting to flow organically. It’s incredibly freeing to let the process take over.
Tip for Letting Go of Perfection:
If I start feeling precious about my work—afraid to “ruin” something I like—I’ll take a photo of it. This takes the pressure off and lets me continue experimenting.
Step 6: Reflect (If You Want To)
Reflection is optional, but it can be a powerful way to connect with yourself. After finishing a painting, I might ask:
What stands out to me?
Why did I choose those colors, shapes, or patterns?
What does this piece tell me about how I’m feeling?
Sometimes I journal about the painting afterward, using it as a tool for deeper understanding. But if you’re not in the mood to reflect, that’s okay too. Sometimes the act of painting is enough.
Why This Practice Matters
Mental health has been a journey for me, and having creative outlets like this has made a huge difference. This exercise gives me a chance to slow down, check in, and process emotions I might not have even realized I was carrying.
In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to push feelings aside and just keep going. But taking time for intentional practices like this reminds me of the importance of self-care and emotional awareness.
Final Thoughts
After spending time painting my emotions, I always feel lighter and more grounded. It’s like giving myself a little gift—a low-pressure, judgment-free space to create and reflect.
I’m planning to make this a regular habit again, maybe even by starting an art journal. If you decide to try this exercise, I’d love to hear about your experience!
Want to See the Process in Action?
Check out my YouTube video, “Painting My Emotions,” where I walk you through this process step by step.
Join the Conversation
Have you ever tried painting your emotions? Share your thoughts in the comments, or tag me on Instagram @mar.mar.studio to show me your creations—I’d love to see them!
Join My Newsletter
If this exercise resonates with you, I’d love to stay connected! Subscribe to my monthly newsletter, Scrawls and Scribbles, where I share creative tips, personal stories, and updates on my art journey.