What To Create When You Don’t Know What To Create!
We know art is healing. Whether you are creating art or the observer, it can transform how we go about life and how we feel about our lives. Having a daily art practice can really make anxiety subside, help us deal with complex emotions and create balance.
It’s inevitable at some point we will have trouble getting into a creative flow. This is especially true if you’re a busy person; and who isn’t these days?!? It’s not a sexy piece of advice, but it totally works: SCHEDULE creative time for yourself. Start small. Even 10-15 minutes a day (doodling!) will help establish a creative habit. Fun “fact” (there’s plenty of info out there both agreeing and disagreeing with this…so take this with a grain of salt): it takes about 66 days to create a new habit (or unlearn a bad one). Creating a new habit doesn’t equate to automatic behavior. I can guarantee like every thing else in life creating a new habit takes effort and will be a struggle at times. You don’t need to be MOTIVATED on a daily basis, but you do need to be COMMITTED to the new habit. Read that again!
Reflect on what part of the day you typically are in a creative mindset. For me it’s after my morning coffee and after the kids are in school. Occasionally, it’s at night, after everyone is in bed and the house goes quiet. It doesn’t have to be when you’re the most energetic, but the time of day you have the RIGHT energy for creative flow. The distraction of life/kids/roommates, it all can make the day slip by without any results...so give it a try. Schedule your creative time.
When you have to schedule time to make art it can feel like: ready, set, be creative! Then nothing flows. A lot of the time the only part of the day you can carve out to work (play) is when you’re physically and mentally depleted. What can one do when you JUST FEEL UNINSPIRED? Ugh. This self imposed pressure plus a creative block can really negate all of the mental health benefits of a daily creative practice.
Here are my suggestions to deal with creative blocks:
Keep a running list of ideas on your phone. Inspiration arrives at the most inconvenient moments! Am I right? It can be like a train coming in hot at the station! Get in or off it goes; and when it’s time to produce, you can’t remember your ideas or they seem stupid. When you have an idea, write it down or capture an image to remind you of why your idea is awesome. I use the free Notes app on my iPhone because I can type memos and insert images. It helps me stay excited about the idea.
Tap that favorite (heart emoji) button when you come across one of your photos that can be a useful reference! Go one step further and create an online album that will act as a visual treasure trove of inspiration. Put images in this album that will be useful in subject matter, composition, color palette, studies for figures, textures, perspective, and so much more.
Ask a child for an idea. Kids have AMAZING imaginations. As adults (let’s face the truth) we have really forgotten over time how to brainstorm without judgement. Sometimes I’ll ask my kids for random prompts and it will spark something. Mushrooms! Cabin! Feet! Balloon! Go!
Dabble with a new medium, tool or style. Get unstuck by putting your go-to methods to the side. Don’t let exploring new techniques hold too much weight. When we make “mistakes”, we are growing and learning. I truly believe it’s impossible to get worse at art. Your work may change but every new iteration facilitates growth.
Be a copycat. Plagiarism is the highest form of flattery, isn’t it? I’m not advocating stealing intellectual or trademarked property. However, the appropriation of elements or a style can foster some super cool ideas and projects. If you see something you love, try to replicate some aspect of it! You might unearth a new direction to take your work.
Plan ahead. There are days I wake up parsing in my mind what one thing I’ll accomplish today and what is required to make it happen. Some days it’s a big effort I know I have time for and other, more busy, days it’s the smallest little thing (like signing some prints). Just the set up on any given day can be daunting enough to squash all motivation and commitment to create. Once I decide on what will receive my focus (especially because there are always multiple projects in progress simultaneously), I think about what supplies will be needed, if a device needs to be charged to do the thing, what area I need to clear to have the space, if I intend to film the process, etc. Don’t forget to tell your family or the people around you the plan…(read: someone else might be making dinner tonight).
Always be a student. Have a list of educational resources at your fingertips. A lot of times when I just don’t know what I want to focus on or just don’t FEEL like working on one of my projects, I do a free online workshop, class or even a YouTube tutorial. It gets those creative juices flowing! Don’t forget about browsing your library for beautiful coffee table-sized books with amazing photography, small local museums, flea markets and shops.
Organize. It’s the perfect thing to do when you have a creative block. A messy workspace can be very distracting. Sorting, going through old and unfinished pieces will give you a birds eye view of where you are on your creative journey and help you prioritize your next steps. A lot of times we immerse ourselves in a project and get tunnel vision. Organizing provides clarity on what is the best use of our time and effort.
Ask questions and start conversations about all things creative. I love talking to people about art, interior design, architecture, photography, music, crafting, fashion design, furniture, etc…I often get ideas for a new project when I start conversations with people about what kind of art they love, what types of pieces they drool over, artists they know or follow on social media, or if they are looking for something to add to their home or collection.
Collaborate. I have a best friend who speaks my creative language (and it is definitely NOT my husband lol). We are constantly texting each other photos (“Isn’t this so rad!?!” or “This made me think of you!”), sharing artists’ social media profiles, inviting each other to art shows, sharing opportunities and asking for help when we are unsure of next steps. It’s inevitable a project can stall and we question our decisions, feeling unsure if we are on the right path. Find a pal who can be your person who shares your love of creating and understands where you are in your journey. Their assistance and fresh eyes are priceless when you need help, validation and confidence.
Do you have any tips about what to do when you don’t know what to create? I would love to hear your suggestions! Send me a message!
