When there is little material around or when you have that 5 minute window, why not try using a biro pen to make some marks.

Maybe see where one line takes you or play with how much pressure you put on the page. Let the pen wonder.

Select different coloured ink or paint and create random blobs onto a page. Unfold and see what patterns form

Turn the paper and notice what shapes and images emerge

This creative play produced some great results if you want to give it a try. Just get some crayons/oil pastels and cover a sheet of paper in whatever patterns you like. Grab some poster paint/acrylics and layer the paint onto the page.

Once the page is dry, use whatever tools you like to make marks on the page and see what you uncover.

Feeling the need to move about after sitting at a desk all day ? Stand with different materials in your left and right hand, closing your eyes whilst moving your arms to create a series of quick rhythmic marks onto paper. Notice areas in the body where tensions are held/ released

Or quickly scribble if your feeling stuck and finding it difficult to be creative

Use one piece of paper if you’ve only got a few minutes to spare and build different marks onto the page throughout the day.

Go on a walk outside and collect some of natures fallen gifts . Find a stick, then use these treasures to document your walk and the places you went on your journey. Attach them using string! @melissasmeltingpot

As we draw towards the end of the year, the Art Psychotherapy team took some time in reflecting on Endings & Beginnings, making artwork whilst listening to music linked to this theme.

Art making can be a great opportunity to pause and reflect.

Inspiration relates to 'the action, or an act, of breathing in or inhaling' (OED). For Luce Irigaray, 'breathing, in fact, corresponds to the first autonomous gesture of human being.' Use a little breath in your art to create the space you need to feel human, and to be inspired.

Linked tweet: For more on Breath in visual art, see lifeofbreath.org/podcast/breath…

Prompt of the day: “I try to apply colors like words that shape poems, like notes that shape music.” -Joan Miro Choose a word, and try to represent it in full colour.

Surrealist art game- We had fun creating this character. Method: draw part of the image, fold paper to conceal, pass to friend for them to draw next part and repeat until drawing is complete...

Right on cue. Come along! Doing this with Sarah FurneauxBlick and Sejal Chad. #ArtTherapy iniva eventbrite.co.uk/e/white-privil…

We would love to hear from you if you are interested in joining our team. We highly value art psychotherapy and our trust has a well developed arts therapies service for you to connect with too