It doesn’t matter if you’re not exactly Van Gogh, doing something artistic, whether it’s painting, drawing, sculpting, or even decoupage or knitting – can pull you out of a bad mood. That’s according to research from Northern Arizona University. In their study, when people created art – even if they didn’t consider themselves artistic – they felt happier and less stressed. That’s because art distracts you from negative thinking. And the repetitive movement involved triggers a relaxation response.