The authors examined whether instructions to express emotional states represent an active ingredient in the mood-enhancing properties of drawing. Forty-five undergraduates were asked to make a list of recent stressful events (negative mood induction) before being randomly assigned to one of three conditions: drawing to express happiness (positive expression), drawing to express current stress (venting), or tracing and coloring a simple line drawing (distraction control). Mood improved in all three conditions, but the positive expression condition showed significantly greater improvement than either the tracing or venting groups. Venting and tracing produced similar levels of mood elevation. Positive emotional expression appears to be an active ingredient in the beneficial effects of drawing on mood.