Arts and crafts you can learn at home

One of the most therapeutic mediums to work with, watercolour painting is a really popular art form. Not only is it affordable, but it's also easy to learn on your own at home. There are various online resources that you can watch and practise at your own time. 

Tools you need

Watercolour paint. However, you don't actually need a set with over 30 colours. Beginners can start with a 12-colour palette which consists of warm and cool versions of the three primary colours (yellow, red, blue), violet red, a warm and a cool green, two earth tones, and a black or neutral grey. 

You'll also need a watercolour palette, specialised watercolour paper, and quality brushes. Start with a single round brush before investing in a starter set of brushes including smell, medium and large round brushes, as well as a medium flat brush. 

Online classes

If you haven't already, sign up for skillshare and get access to a range of classes such as Rosalie Haizlett's Beginner's Guide to Painting the Natural World and Watercolour for Beginners by Nyasha Lukacs. Additionally, you can also find various watercolour exercises on Youtube for free. 

Since art lessons in school, you may have been intimidated by drawing and avoided it even if your life depended on it. But hey, it's one of the most basic art mediums and all you (technically) need is a pen, piece of paper, and your imagination – or muse. But we'll get into the details. 

Tools you need

While you don't need a full drawing pencil set as a beginner, there are some individual pencils you might find helpful to have, such as 2H, HB, 2B and 4B pencils. You can also consider keeping a sketchbook which you can practise on every day, so you can look back and reflect on your progress the more you draw. 

Don't forget a sharpener and an eraser, which can be used as a mark-making tool. A variety of erasers, such as a rubber, kneaded and gum eraser can make a substantial difference to your drawing. 

Online classes

If you're on Skillshare, check out Drawing Course for Total Beginners by professional art teacher Alexandra Gábor. YouTube Channel Art For All also has fun videos on how to draw the Merlion and Marina Bay Sands.

Think it's finally time to upgrade your photography and transcend beyond your #iphoneonly photos? Dust off your old DSLR and work on improving your photography skills. 

Tools you need

The first thing you'll definitely need before you start your photography journey is a decent camera, whether you choose a mirrorless or DSLR. Some of the best entry-level cameras on the market are Nikon D5600, Canon 90D, Fujifilm X-T200 and Sony A6600. Of course, as you progress over time, you'd want to invest in better quality lenses as well. You might also need access to a photo editor such as Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop.

Online classes

You can easily learn photography skills anywhere. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) OpenCourseWare initiative features video lectures from a semester-long undergraduate-level course at MIT. And you definitely can't miss Nikon's various courses available online. 

If you prefer creating art digitally, consider graphic illustration. Not only is it much easier to "erase" your mistakes, making it suitable for beginners, illustrations are also less messy and doesn't need that much space. 

Tools you need

A vector program such as Illustrator, Sketch, Figma or Procreate. The latter, loved by artists, is a digital illustration app available for iPad – which makes learning illustration a whole lot easier. If you don't have an iPad, though, Procreate Pocket is available on the app store for $6.98, so you can start illustrating on your iPhone. 

Online classes 

Check out ClassCentral's free Introduction to Graphic Illustration online course. You can also find various videos on YouTube, from Digital Painting for Beginners to tutorials on making digital art on Photoshop.

Want to create your own motivational calligraphy quote? Try your hand at calligraphy and hand lettering. Not only will it take your cool factor up a notch, but you can also surprise your friends and family with art specially created by you. No more of those "live love laugh" generic quotes. 

Tools you need

The main supply you need is a calligraphy pen, which usually consists of a holder and nib. Alternatively, you can use felt tip calligraphy markers. As a beginner, you may want to use graph paper to practice. Once you progress, you can start creating on calligraphy paper. Also remember your pencil, eraser and ruler to create your guidelines on paper. 

Online classes

Calligraphy is something you can easily learn remotely. Try this beginner hand lettering tutorial on YouTube or a guide to hand-lettering basics on Skillshare. Brit + Co is also offering a free water brush lettering online class on its site. 

Not exactly a traditional artform, bullet journaling is an analogue system created by Ryder Carroll, a designer based in New York. While it started as an organisational system in a notebook that keeps track of anything you want to jot down, a lot of practitioners have started using it as a way of expressing themselves. 

Tools you need

A notebook, any notebook. A popular option is the Leuchtturm 1917, which come in a variety of colours and features a dot-grid pattern to make creating layouts easier. You can use sharpie fine point pens, dual brush markers, fine liners, and even colour pencils, alongside embellishments such as stickers, glitter, and washi tape. 

Online classes

The best thing about bullet journaling is that there's no one way to do it. Get creative. If you need inspiration, there are hundreds of bullet journaling videos on YouTube such as this guide on bullet journaling for beginners and of course, the ultimate guide from the creator himself. Local artist Stephanie (@stephcreates) is also offering online webinars for beginners, covering everything from basic lettering composition and brush lettering to bullet journalling. For more info on her online workshops, visit her site here. 

It's time to throw away the misconception that yarn crafts are only for your grandma. Crocheting is a relaxing craft that's know to relieve stress, increase self-esteem and also build a sense of community – especially if you start learning with friends who are keen or fellow crochet enthusiasts you meet online.

Tools you need

You'll need a crochet hook, some yarn or crochet thread, and scissors. If you're unsure of which type of yarn to choose, here's a quick guide: wool is great for practising your crochet stitches, cotton is perfect for warm weather projects, while acrylic is a more affordable and widely-available option for beginners. 

Online classes

If you're starting out, hit play on this Crochet for the Absolute Beginner class on Skillshare which teaches everything from the materials you should use to single-, double- and half double- crochets. After which, familiarise yourself with the four core crochet stitches in this online class.