Creative Hobbies To Try This Year

Are you looking for a new creative project? If you’re an artist or craft enthusiast, discovering a new medium can be remarkably gratifying. Not only that, but adopting a new creative hobby can boost your self-esteem and provide you with a renewed sense of purpose. Fortunately, there is a seemingly endless list of creative endeavours from which to choose, from needlecraft to pottery. With Spring commencing and the days becoming progressively longer, what better time to nurture your creative side? Here are some excellent creative hobby ideas to try this year.

Stained Glass Art

Stained glass has been used for thousands of years and is mainly associated with religious buildings. Using a technique in which small pieces of coloured glass are arranged into patterns and bound together with a solder glaze - usually a lead and tin alloy. While it may seem ambitious, making your own beautiful, light-catching, stained glass creations is relatively straightforward. You can purchase stained glass kits with all the necessary tools and materials to get started.

Knitting Or Crocheting

Learning to knit or crochet is not only a fantastic method of expressing yourself creatively, but it’s an incredibly practical skill to have. Making your own garments, accessories and homeware items from a ball of wool is profoundly rewarding, and it won’t be long before you start receiving requests. You could even sell your knitted or crocheted pieces at craft fairs or donate them to charities.

Scrapbooking

Scrapbooking can be a tremendously mindful pastime in which you can document meaningful memories in an aesthetically pleasing way. While you can always make a simple photo album, scrapbooking is the art of artistically preserving memories with stamps, stickers, illustrations and annotations. Purchase a plain scrapbook for your local craft supply retailers and start experimenting with colours, textures and layouts - you can even teach yourself some calligraphy skills to make your scrapbook look extra special.

Watercolour

Painting, regardless of your artistic background, can be remarkably relaxing. Painting, like many other forms of visual art, supports emotional well-being by enabling you to express yourself through art. Whatever you enjoy painting, from landscapes to portraits, finding a medium that works best for you can significantly improve your capabilities. For instance, as a beginner, you may find that watercolour painting is far more accessible than oil painting. That said, many consider versatile acrylic or gouache paints good all-rounders.

Cross Stitch

Cross stitch is often considered an easier, beginner-friendly alternative to embroidery; however, both are excellent for practising mindfulness. For a unique, personal touch, you can use cross stitch to decorate various household items, such as tablecloths, pillows and wall hangings. Fortunately, there isn’t an extensive list of tools and materials you need to get started, as you can purchase cross stitch kits from most haberdasheries and online craft supply retailers.

Creative Writing

Stepping away from visual art and craft suggestions, creative writing is an exceptionally beneficial method of self-expression. Sharing stories and ideas through the medium of poetry and prose can be an incredibly cathartic experience. You don’t necessarily have to be gifted with language; after all, writing is a skill that comes with practice and perseverance. To give yourself a head start, you could join a local creative writing club or enrol on a free online course for beginners.

Photography

Taking on photography as a hobby is another excellent way to document memories and emotions while expressing yourself artistically. Photography is often considered equal parts art and science, as once you under the fundamental elements, including light, colour, composition and depth, you can create truly remarkable, professional photographs. That being said, photography equipment doesn’t come cheap; a high-quality camera could set you back anywhere from £300 to upwards of £5,000. It may be worth starting off with a second-hand model before committing to a significant investment.

Digital Art

Many purists and critics still consider digital art an inauthentic medium; however, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The parameters of what is and is not considered “real art” are perpetually expanding, particularly considering the recent discourse surrounding AI art. In reality, digital art involves just as much skill and creativity as any form of traditional art. To get started, purchase some photo editing and graphic design software such as PaintShop or opt for a free alternative like Procreate.

You can read more about the benefits of creative hobbies in this article.

Emily Price