Exploring Art Materials in Therapy: My Favourite Tools and Why

One of the beautiful things about art therapy is that there’s no single “right” way to create. Different art materials bring out different experiences, sensations, and emotions, and each can support the therapeutic process in its own unique way. Over time, I’ve found myself returning to a handful of materials that consistently help clients explore, process, and express themselves. Below, I’ll share some of my favourite art materials to use in therapy, and why I think they can be so powerful.

Watercolour

Watercolour is a medium full of surprises. Its unpredictability often mirrors the uncertainties of life; pigment bleeding across the page, water spreading in directions we didn’t expect. For many clients, this creates a safe way to experience and process vulnerability, anxiety, or fear. Instead of trying to control every outcome, they learn to let go of rigid expectations and see beauty in the unexpected.

Because watercolours are forgiving, people often feel more comfortable experimenting. If something doesn’t turn out the way they planned, it can be reworked or simply absorbed into the larger piece. This fosters resilience and openness, reminding clients that mistakes are not failures but part of the process of growth.

Watercolour also carries a calming sensory element. Watching water spread, listening to the brush against the paper, and feeling the paint flow adds mindfulness to the experience. For those with heightened anxiety, the flowing motion can be grounding and meditative, while the gentle repetition of brushstrokes provides a release for pent-up energy. In this way, watercolour combines expression with self-soothing, making it a versatile therapeutic tool.

Collage

Collage is one of the most inclusive and adaptable materials in art therapy. For people who feel intimidated by drawing or painting, it offers a low-pressure entry point. Using pre-existing images from magazines, newspapers, or photographs allows clients to create without worrying about technical skills. They can cut, tear, arrange, and layer, discovering meaning in the choices they make along the way.

The act of tearing or cutting itself can be therapeutic; the sound of ripping paper, the feel of glue, the rough versus smooth textures of different materials. Collage is inherently sensory, engaging both the body and the mind. It also embraces unpredictability; no two collages are ever alike, and often the most unexpected juxtapositions are the most powerful.

On a symbolic level, collage is rich with possibilities. Combining fragmented pieces into a cohesive whole can mirror the process of healing or making sense of difficult experiences. Layering allows for depth, complexity, and the exploration of what lies beneath the surface. Clients often use collage to tell stories, sequence events, or represent aspects of identity and self-concept. The choice and control involved in selecting and arranging images reinforces agency, while working with discarded materials highlights the metaphor of transformation, turning something old into something meaningful and new.

Collage can also be playful. Stickers, tape, and colourful paper invite curiosity and experimentation. And because pieces can be added to, rearranged, or revisited later, collage offers temporal flexibility, allowing clients to reflect on their work over time. For those who find it difficult to share feelings directly, using images from outside sources provides safe distancing, creating a bridge between inner experiences and outward expression.

Chalk Pastels

If collage is about layering and watercolour about flow, chalk pastels bring raw, tactile immediacy. They’re bright, bold, and messy, which is often exactly what clients need. The dust on hands, the sound of chalk against paper, and the ability to cover large areas quickly all make pastels highly sensory and engaging.

This medium allows for a wide expressive range. Clients can make sweeping gestures to release strong emotions, or they can build up subtle layers to explore depth and complexity. The soft edges and blending create transitions that symbolise ambiguity, fluidity, and emotional nuance. Because pastels don’t erase easily and smudge with the slightest touch, they challenge perfectionism and invite acceptance of impermanence. What’s created can’t always be preserved exactly as it is, and that fragility often reflects themes of change, vulnerability, or letting go.

Pastels also have a childlike quality. Their messiness encourages play and freedom, helping clients reconnect with spontaneity. For individuals who tend to be very controlled or orderly, the unpredictability of chalk pastels can open new therapeutic pathways. At the same time, the energetic movements involved in applying them offer a physical outlet for emotion, bridging body and mind.

Pencil

Pencils might seem humble compared to more dramatic materials, but they hold a unique place in therapy. Almost everyone has used a pencil, which makes it a familiar, non-threatening tool. This accessibility lowers barriers to participation and creates a sense of comfort for those who may be hesitant about art.

The expressive possibilities with pencils are wide-ranging. They can be used for light sketching, soft shading, bold lines, or intricate detail. The level of control they provide can be reassuring, especially for clients who value precision or need to ease into creative risk-taking. At the same time, the ability to erase and revise can symbolise flexibility, second chances, or the idea of rewriting one’s story.

Practicality also makes the pencil a powerful therapeutic tool. It’s inexpensive, portable, and requires little setup or cleanup, which means clients can easily continue their art practice at home. Unlike more vibrant or messy mediums, pencils are straightforward and calming, helping some clients focus more on reflection than on the medium itself. Privacy is another subtle benefit. Pencil drawings can be stored or tucked away more easily, offering a sense of safety when working on deeply personal themes outside of the therapeutic space.

Fabric Paint

Fabric paint extends creative expression beyond the page and into daily life. Clients can transform clothes, bags, or even furniture into meaningful, personalised works of art. Fashion has always been a form of self-expression, and painting on fabric makes this visible and wearable.

There’s an empowering quality to this medium. Personalising belongings reinforces identity and ownership, while reclaiming old or discarded items symbolises resilience and renewal. Painting on clothing also connects art-making with the body, offering a way to explore themes of body image, presentation, and identity. The act of transforming something worn every day into a unique creation can represent change, new beginnings, or a reclaiming of self.

Fabric paint is versatile and playful, inviting techniques like stencilling, stamping, or splattering. It can be used individually or in groups, where creating shared pieces, like banners or T-shirts, fosters collaboration and belonging. Because the paint becomes a lasting mark, unlike chalk or pencil, it can also symbolise permanence and commitment, making the artwork something that clients literally carry with them into the world.

Final Thoughts

Every material has its own language, and in art therapy, these languages give clients more ways to explore themselves. Whether it’s the flowing unpredictability of watercolour, the symbolic layering of collage, the vivid expressiveness of chalk, the simplicity of pencil, or the empowerment of fabric paint, each medium offers something distinct. What they all share is the ability to make therapy flexible, creative, and deeply personal.

Art therapy isn’t about making “good” art; it’s about creating space to feel, reflect, and grow. By working with different materials, clients can discover the approaches that feel safest and most meaningful to them, opening pathways for healing that words alone can’t always reach.