25 New Hobby Ideas & 50 Help Resources

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

A large selection of sites and channels for those who are looking for a hobby to their liking.

1. Calligraphy - the art of beautiful writing

If you think that calligraphy is just hieroglyphs, you are wrong. Letter signs can be elevated to the rank of art in Cyrillic, Arabic script, and Hebrew. And this is always more than drawing. Calligraphy is pure creation and Zen.

Get pumped up in calligraphy:

1. "" Is an online magazine about graffiti, street art, design, art and street culture in Russia and abroad. A separate section is devoted to calligraphy.
2. is the site of one of the most popular calligraphers and street artists, Niels Möllmann, known as Shoe. He is considered the inventor of the calligraffiti style.

2. Doodling and Zentangle - Irrational Painting

This activity is suitable for those who start scribbling as soon as they pick up a writing instrument. Doodling is translated from English as “doodle”. It is an irrational drawing style that develops memory and creativity, and is already an independent form of contemporary art.

Upgrade in doodling and zentangle:

• Tanglepatterns.com is a famous site with a huge number of patterns for creating zentangle tiles.
• - a large community for doodling and zentangle lovers.

3. Marbling - drawing on water

Have you ever looked for bizarre shapes from the clouds in the sky? Then this is a hobby for you: a pattern is created on the water surface with insoluble paints, and then transferred to paper, fabric or any surface. It turns out very unusual and beautiful, and the process is truly mesmerizing.

There are two main techniques for marbling: Persian ebru and Japanese suminagashi. The first is dominated by abstract patterns, while the second is dominated by circular patterns.

Get a boost in the art of marbling:

• - an international community of fans of marbling with a library, gallery and forum.
• - a site dedicated to suminagashi and other types of marbling.

4. Freezelight - frozen light

Perhaps you have already met strange young people who use flashlights in front of cameras. These are freezelighters. From English freeze - "freeze" and light - "light". The light really seems to freeze in the frosty air when it is shot with a slow shutter speed. With the help of this technique, both beautiful abstractions and integral figurative compositions are created. The main thing is no computer processing.

Freeze-up:

• - a worldwide alliance of painters with light.
• is an author's Russian-language art project dedicated to painting with light. On the site you will find video tutorials and a gallery with cool works.

5. Mehendi - henna painting on the body

An ancient oriental tradition, which in the XXI century is again on the wave of popularity. There are more and more artists developing in mehendi, and if you are also looking for new forms, then be sure to try painting with henna on the body. Another form of mehendi's hobby is photography in images created on its basis, including in nude style.

Level up in mehendi:

• - online training for henna painting.
• - an author's YouTube channel with video tutorials of mehendi for beginners.

6. Kanzashi - ribbon decorations

Kanzashi is a traditional Japanese hair ornament worn by women with a kimono. Here this term has acquired a new meaning - kanzashi - and a new meaning. Kanzashi is a handicraft technique that creates beautiful hairpins, brooches and other jewelry. To try yourself in this direction, you need some satin ribbons, a candle or lighter, and a needle and thread.

Upgrade in kanzashi:

• - a site where master classes and literature on kanzashi are collected.
• "" - in the section dedicated to kanzashi, there are many photo and video tutorials.

7. Felting - felting

Felting (felting) is a needlework technique, when voluminous drawings, toys, panels and other decorative elements are created from wool. There are several directions: dry, wet felting, nuno-felting. For work, you need sheep's wool, a special needle or soap solution. The hobby is ideal for women and children.

Upgrade in felting:

• - a site about felting for beginners with videos and master classes.
• - a section of the forum about felting on the most popular site about needlework.

8. Isography - embroidery on cardboard

Here this lesson is also called thread graphics or simply isothreading, and in English-speaking countries - embroidery on paper ("embroidery on paper"). All you need to create in this direction is thick paper and thread. Great for co-creation with children.

Level up in isography:

• "" - this site contains many master classes and examples of finished works, including in the technique of thread graphics.
• "" - a series of isothread master classes.

9. Patchwork - patchwork

A type of applied art with centuries-old traditions, when scattered scraps of fabric turn into a single mosaic canvas. In the patchwork technique (quilt, quilting), you can sew not only a blanket, but a bag or, for example, a toy.

Upgrade in patchwork:

• - blog by Jacqueline Steves, who just loves quilt.
• - a patchwork workshop with materials from the paper magazine of the same name.

10. Painted gingerbread

A hobby for those who love to cook and paint. This can be done at the same time if you start painting gingerbread with icing (special sugar icing). If you really get carried away and fill your hand, you can even earn money.

To pump in the gingerbread painting:

• "" Is the most famous in Runet trading platform with handmade goods, where, among other things, master classes on baking and decorating gingerbread are collected.
• - the author's YouTube channel for painting gingerbread.

11. Brewing - making a foamy drink at home

Brewing is a whole science. And many people successfully master it right in their kitchens. At first, the result encourages: you will not find tasty beer with fire during the day. But then the process itself drags on.

Upgrade in brewing:

• "" - a detailed guide for beginners.
• “Russian“Wikipedia”about home brewing” is all about how to brew a drink from malt and hops on your own.

12. Second life of old things

Recycle in English means "reuse of things." This is the name of the environmental direction, which implies the separation of waste, responsible consumption and energy conservation, as well as the direction of applied creativity. Why throw away Grandma's old chest of drawers, cargo pallets, plastic bottles or wine corks when they can be given a second life? Just get creative.

Upgrade into recycle:

• is an online publication about sustainable lifestyles. The site contains news, articles and tips on how to take care of the planet and live in accordance with the philosophy of minimalism.
• - in the most creative of all social networks, you will find many workshops on remodeling and decorating old things. Request - DIY recycle.

13. Customizing - from jeans to bikes

Customizing is about reworking clothes. Customizers transform jeans into skirts, shirts into dresses, and turn ordinary T-shirts into designer ones. A hobby for those who want to always be in style, but are not ready to spend a lot of money on clothes.

For men, customizing is often expressed in the transformation of motorcycles and cars. Custom bikes are real works of art, and their creators are usually literally sick with their hobby.

Upgrade in customization:

• "" Is a site and a community of the same name, where thousands of craftsmen post their work on altering things and are inspired by each other's ideas.
• - a site where there is everything about creating exclusive motorcycles.

14. Modding - the transformation of technology outside and inside

The term "modding", that is, modification, change, is traditionally used in relation to the rework of computers. The peak of fashion for this hobby came in the mid-2000s. Now smartphones and tablets rule, so they, as well as other gadgets, are being modified. For modern modders, not only the appearance is important, but also the performance of the devices.

Upgrade in modding:

• - a large portal about modding with a forum.
• - one of the oldest Russian-language sites about this hobby.

15. Growing butterflies

A beautiful and unusual hobby for biologists and romantics. In addition to special knowledge, you will need an insectarium, a humidifier, a thermometer and other gadgets to make the fluttering beauties feel good. But if everything works out, then breeding tropical butterflies can be a lucrative side job.

Level up in growing butterflies:

• - a detailed tutorial on creating beauty from a cocoon.
• - an English-language blog of a person who has been raising butterflies for over 30 years.

16. Contemporary - self-expression through dance

Contemporary is a dance style that combines classics, modern jazz and oriental art of movement (qigong, yoga and taijiquan). There are no clear boundaries in it, the main thing is self-expression. Contemporary teaches to understand your body, to master it and to express your inner world.

Upgrade in contemporary:

• "" - a site about the history, theory and practice of contemporary art. Lots of useful information about movements, techniques and techniques.
• is a large English-language website about contemporary music.

17. Dancehall - music and dance from the heart of Jamaica

It is a musical and dance style that grew out of reggae. Dancehall dance is especially popular now. Its dynamics and emancipation captivate from the first seconds. If you are tired of routine, you need a burst of energy and you want to compete in dance battles, this is a hobby for you.

Upgrade in dancehall:

• - Australian site dedicated to Jamaican culture. There is a lot of music, videos and news from the world of reggae and dancehall.
• - a site that contains video tutorials and information on various dance styles, including dancehall.

18. Zumba - dance fitness

At the junction of hip-hop, salsa, samba, merengue, mambo, flamenco and belly dancing, zumba was born. This direction was invented by the Colombian Alberto Perez in the late 1990s. The maximum number of muscles is involved in a zumba - this is not only a great pastime, but also an effective way to lose weight.

Level up in a zumba:

• - the official website of the Zumba fitness brand.
• - Internet poster of zumba events. Here you will find like-minded people, information about parties and master classes.

19. Bookcarving - book carving

Bookcarving is the creation of voluminous compositions from multi-page paper manuscripts. Carving in translation from English means "carving", book - "book". Book carving is popular all over the world, but it requires patience, hard work and accuracy. This is a hobby for industrious people with artistic thinking. The greatest heights in this art were reached by Brian Dettmer, Nicholas Galanin, Guy Laramie, Kylie Stillman and Robert Te.

Upgrade in bookcarving:

• - Brian Dettmer's official website with photographs of the great master's works and videos of his performances.
• - A selection of articles on book carving in this creative almanac.

20. Bookcrossing - book exchange

Bookcrossing can be called one of the ways to get rid of old books beautifully. The bottom line is this: a person who reads a book leaves it in some public place (library, cafe, bookstore, subway, and so on). A casual passer-by picks it up, takes it for himself to read, and in exchange he “loses” another book somewhere. You can track the movement of books on the project website. Its mission is to popularize reading and respect for nature.

Upgrade in bookcrossing:

• is an international bookcrossing site.
• - Russian-language site in support of the international movement of book exchange.

21. Postcrossing - a postcard from a stranger

Postcrossing is a global project, the essence of which is the exchange of paper postcards. The system gives you a random address, you send a postcard to a person, and you yourself receive it from someone else (one of the schemes). As of 2017, over 676 thousand people from all over the world are registered on the official postcrossing website. People have exchanged over 40 million postcards. Postcrossing is very popular in Russia and Belarus, because it is romantic and helps to find new friends.

Upgrade in postcrossing:

• - the official website of the project.
• - Russian-language portal for postcrossing fans.

22. Geocaching - treasure hunt

This is an international travel game, the essence of which is the search for the "treasure". Some players make caches, while others use GPS to search for them. For almost twenty years of history, the game has had millions of fans. The plus is that this hobby can be practiced not alone, but with the whole family or a group of friends.

Upgrade in geocaching:

• - the official website of the geocaching movement.
• - the main site of Russian geocaches.

23. Survivalism - the mastery of survival

Survivalists are people who intend to survive in any emergency situation - from natural and man-made disasters to epidemics. It doesn't matter if something like that happens to them or not. It's important to be prepared! Survivalists collect their alarming suitcase, arrange training games and acquire a number of useful skills (providing first aid, building a fire, disinfecting water, and so on).

Get a boost in survivalism:

• - a blog about the survivalist movement.
• - a forum about survival and preparation for the post-apocalypse.

24. Historical reconstructions

Do you want to feel like a brave Roman legionnaire or a Russian vigilante fighting for the prince? Immerse yourself in the amazing world of historical reenactment. It is both science and artistic creation. Some are restoring old equipment and armor, others are putting on performances. It takes deep knowledge and patience to recreate everything reliably. The historical reconstruction has many fans, clubs are created, various festivals are held.

Upgrade in historical reenactments:

• - the official website of the Russian Historical Society, a portal for professionals and history buffs.
• - a catalog of historical reconstruction clubs, as well as activities related to them.

25. Volunteering - gratuitous assistance

Volunteering is multifaceted. This is not only work in national parks and at sports and cultural events, but also, for example, helping orphans or homeless animals. You can choose the field of volunteering to your liking and every day, through good deeds, receive a portion of new knowledge, experience and love.

Get a boost in volunteering:

• "" Is an international volunteer program.
• "" Is the main volunteer resource in Russia.