Cinnamon Pink

One Word Resolution Fringe Wall Exercise: from Art Bar Blog

 

Image from Art Bar Blog

Via the children's Art Bar blog, I discovered this One Word Resolution Fringe Wall Exercise created by Barbara Rucci.

I believe this would be a fun activity to do with your art group - or at any family gathering. Each person takes a turn and chooses a word that speaks to them. Let it be their word for the day, the week......or a word to tuck in their art journal or planner.

To do the exercise, visit the Art Bar blog to print up the words. Thank you Barbara for permission to share your fun exercise.

Nourish Your Creativity: from The Creativity Workshop

I discovered a site (that is new to me) called, The Creativity Workshop which has an interesting variety of informative articles. The first post that caught my interest is Time to Nourish Our Creativity written by Shelley Berc. I like what she says about taking short segments of time to feed our creativity.

"Taking time for twenty minutes of creative exploration each day can bring our imaginations alive and keep them inspired while we go about the rest of our lives....Twenty minutes a day......feeds the unspoken longings of our soul. For it is the soul that suffers most when we don’t let ourselves create. Our soul needs to have play-time in the world of pretend, which is a deeply focused and meditative place."

"Creativity and play clear our beings and give us energy to live. Twenty minutes a day of writing whatever comes to your mind, or drawing the vase of flowers that sits forgotten on the window sill, or turning up the music and dancing your heart out. When creative expression is accessed every day even for the shortest periods of time, it becomes stronger and more resilient, just like any muscle."

Take a few minutes to read the rest of Berc's article for more ideas.

 

 

Become More Creative Now: Wordstream Infographic

Image credit: Wordstream

Via Inc, I came across this eye-catching infographic. For more details, read the complete article written by Larry Kim.

Then try one or more of his ideas now.

Tips to Boost Your Creativity: from VeryWell

Via the VeryWell site, I discovered this post on How to Boost Your Creativity written by Kendra Cherry. I especially liked Cherry's suggestion to keep a Creativity Journal. She says:

"Begin keeping a journal to follow your creative process and track the ideas you produce. A journal is a great way to reflect back on what you have accomplished and look for other possible solutions. This journal can be used to save ideas that can later serve as future inspiration."

I keep a list of my ideas in a note book. But many times I write down inspirational thoughts on the nearest scrap of paper. I keep those paper scraps and make time to regularly review all of my ideas.

Check out the complete article for more tips.

Ira Glass Quote

Here's another inspirational quote. The author is Ira Glass. I believe the quote is targeted to journalists but the words apply to all those involved in creative work.

Use Creativity to Ease Stress & Anxiety from Balance Media

Fairy Girl Art Journal Page

Via the London-based Balance Media site, I discovered this post on: Is Creativity the Cure for Stress & Anxiety? written by Elizabeth Bennett. Here are a couple of the points that caught my interest:

• Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi argues that our best moments occur when a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.

 

• Creativity itself breeds creativity. Being actively imaginative helps us to gain confidence in our abilities, and we are therefore more likely to think creatively in other aspects of our life, whether that is at work, social situations or in our relationships. We begin to trust our inherent emotional intelligence and we find new solutions to what may have stumped us before, says Barbara Diane Barry, author of  Painting Your Way Out of a Corner.

Check out the complete article - and the Balance site - for more ideas.

 

Capture Your Creative Ideas: from Time Magazine

I continue to be mystified by the why and how of creative ideas. Therefore, I was interested in the TIME post, Strokes of Genius: Here’s How the Most Creative People Get Their Ideas written by Eric Barker. In the article, he says:

Researcher Vera John-Steiner wanted to know: What nourishes sustained productivity in the lives of creative individuals? She interviewed over 70 living creative geniuses and analyzed the notebooks of 50 geniuses from the past (including Tolstoy, Einstein, etc.) to look at their work habits. 

She assumed her work was going to end up as a review of Eureka! moments in the greatest creative minds. But she was completely wrong. "Eureka! moments turned out to be a myth. John-Steiner found that strokes of genius happened over time. A great idea comes into the world by drips and drabs, false starts, and rough sketches."

"Creativity started with the notebooks’ sketches and jottings, and only later resulted in a pure, powerful idea. The one characteristic that all of these creatives shared— whether they were painters, actors, or scientists— was how often they put their early thoughts and inklings out into the world, in sketches, dashed-off phrases and observations, bits of dialogue, and quick prototypes."

"Instead of arriving in one giant leap, great creations emerged by zigs and zags as their creators engaged over and over again with these externalized images."

Check out the complete article for more ideas - and then break out your sketch book and start capturing your ideas.

Exercises to Boost Your Creativity from Inc

Via Inc, I came upon this post on: 32 Easy Exercises to Boost Your Creativity Everyday written by Ayse Birsel. Here are a few of the ideas that caught my interest:

• "Cover your table completely with large easel paper. Draw on it large, free style, stream of consciousness, using a Sharpie (make sure Sharpie doesn't seep through) for 10 minutes or until the whole table is covered. Tape it all together and tack it on your wall."

• "Buy a set of color pencils. Draw parallel lines freehand or with a ruler. Color them in a la Paul Smith." Be sure to check out Smith's Pinterest board."

• "Write something you want to solve in your notebook before you go to sleep. Sleep on your problem and let your subconscious do the work. When you wake up, ideate in your notebook."

Take a few minutes to check out the complete article.

Boost Creativity: from Life Hack

Image from Life Hack site

I was in Chesapeake, VA for most of yesterday and Wow was it cold and windy. The holiday shopping was really picking up in the stores. Large crowds and lots of empty shelves. On to some creative news:

Via Life Hack, I discovered this post on Boosting your Creativity in Ten Great Ways written by Jane Hurst. Here are just a few of the great ideas:

"Learn to Relax: By relaxing, you rejuvenate your mind and creativity flows naturally. There are many ways to relax and unwind, freeing up your mind for better creativity. Simple activities like walking on the beach, engaging in your favorite sport activity, or whatever you choose that helps you relax."

"Make Time for Reading: Nothing is better for relaxing and stimulating the mind than reading. Reading opens the mind to new ways of thinking while increasing creativity."

"Do Something New: If you want to give your creativity a big boost, bringing in many new ideas, do something you’ve never done before. This is anything you’ve always thought you’d like to try, like skydiving or bungee jumping, but have never taken the time to do it."

Check out the complete article for more ideas. Then try one of them today.

Happy Thanksgiving 2016

Enjoy the Day!

I had to share this news items that appeared in the latest issue of Shape magazine. Another good reason to make art.

Differences Between Imagination, Creativity & Innovation from Creative Something

Mural in Norfolk, Virginia

The subjects of imagination, creativity and innovation continually intrigue me. That's why I was interested in this thoughtful post from Tanner Christensen, founder of Creative Something: The Differences Between Imagination, Creativity and Innovation. Here are just a couple of his points:

"Imagination is about seeing the impossible, or unreal. Creativity is using imagination to unleash the potential of existing ideas in order to create new and valuable ones. Innovation is taking existing, reliable systems and ideas and improving them."

Creativity Plaque - Darlene Koppel

"With imagination, our focus can be on things that are impossible. Creativity requires our focus to be on things that might be possible, but we can’t be sure until we explore them further. While innovation entails being focused on what is right in front of us, something that can be measurably improved in the here and now."

Take a few minutes to read the complete article for more ideas. Then begin focusing on how you use your imagination, creativity and innovation to enhance your art.

Related articles

Creative Inspiration Roundup from Lifehack

Inspirational Posts from Brainzooming

Creatively Changing Your Mind

Breaking Through Blocks: from Textile Artist

The Textile Artist blog regularly offers excellent posts. I recently discovered this post on Breaking through Blocks: Ten Ways to Reclaim Your Practice written by Louise Etheridge. Here are just a few of the points that caught my interest: 

"Routines Set You Free. Some creative souls shudder at the thought of a routine, but routines are essentially the route to freedom and to an energized mind....Routines help us by creating habits that don’t need a decision.....And routines are not only fruitful when applied to the day-to-day. Creative routines are a sure-fire way to get your artistic juices flowing. Finding a creative routine will help your brain know that it’s time to start creating."

"Get Some Clarity. Perhaps you have too many choices, too many unfinished pieces, too many ideas. Or perhaps no ideas at all...Gain clarity about what you want to do, what you need to do, to show, to make. Gaining clarity will lead you naturally to your first step....One effective method of gaining clarity is to journal."

"Your Most Important Thing (MIT). The latter is the thing that will help you on the way to where you want to be, artistically. Your MIT could be about producing a work, or exploring a new method, or gaining inspiration from other artists."

Check out the other tips for more inspiration.

 

Filling the Well

If you regularly read my blog, you know that I am fascinated by the topic of creativity.

Today I was looking through my folders when I came across a blog post that I wrote many years ago. I thought that you may be interested in reading it when you are on the hunt for fresh ideas

Filling the Well: Idea Sheet

In her well-known book, The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron tells us that “Filling the Well involves the active pursuit of images to refresh our artistic reservoirs.” Whether we are in a dry spell, wish to jumpstart our creativity, or need a break from making Big Art, stepping back and cultivating some quiet or small art time usually refreshes our spirit. Here are some ideas that I have tried:

• Make a List. When you make a list, one idea naturally leads to another idea. As you concentrate on your To Do list, a unique approach to collage may suddenly grab your attention. Fresh ideas seem to pop into our mind when we’re not looking for them. Before you know it, you will be making up an art supplies list for the new collage project.

• Start sifting through the messy areas of your Studio. As you begin to organize and sort your art supplies, unexpected sparks of innovative ideas may catch your attention. Keep your Art Journal handy and write them down.

• Surf the Internet and Art Blogs for inspiration. Looking at new to you images could help you dream up your own exclusive ideas for future Art Making.

• Doodle. Use your doodles as tools to produce new art. Better yet, do your doodles in your Art Journal so that you can go back, revisit them and further develop them. A doodle can be an object, word or shape.

• Make small art. Try Inchies, Artist Trading Cards (ATCs), or Moo Mini Cards. Many times, small art creations lead to Big Art projects.

• Ask the famous What If?  For example, What if you combined acrylic and watercolor paint on one canvas? What if you only used one color in a painting?

• Grab the Aha experience by taking some serious downtime (listen to music, do absolutely nothing, go out for a drive or take a bubble bath). These activities have nothing to do with art but they can produce the atmosphere for original thoughts.

• Explore Art History books - or go online and view the Artcyclopedia  The Guide to Great Art Online.

Copyright © Darlene Maciuba-Koppel 2016

Creative Rituals

 

Here's an article that I wrote on the topic of Creative Rituals a few years ago that you may find interesting:

On a daily basis, use creative rituals to open the door to artistic inspiration. Before you begin working on your serious art projects, try setting the stage with one of these ideas:

• Create a quick collage. I like to make a fast collage before I work on my bigger art pieces. I usually use a small format such as an index card, artist trading card or a section of my daily planner. 
• Light a candle to indicate that this is your sacred time to make art.
• In the book, Artist’s Block Cured, co-author Linda Krall suggests that artists do a Brain Dump. Krall says that artists’ brains are typically filled with many negative thoughts such as self-doubt, judgment and fear – as well as creative and imaginative ideas. She suggests taking a blank sheet of paper - and to start dumping out whatever words come to mind as fast as you can. Get it all out and then start making Art.
• Put your wood manikin to work instead of using it as a decoration. These accurately proportioned figures easily adjust to assume most human positions. So let your manikins strike a pose and begin drawing. Over the next few days, do a series of manikin sketches.
• Take a long, relaxing walk. You may want to carry a small notebook and pen in your pocket to jot down those innovative insights that will certainly pop up as your mind calms down during the walk.
• Clear your work table. If you’re like me, your work table is probably cluttered with bottles of paint, pens, embellishments, etc. Because of this clutter, many times I painted on a board of wood propped on my lap. Now, I take the time to clear my table, giving myself a clean area to create. Try it – and watch your creativity soar to new heights.
• Set the stage with music that invigorates your heart and soul to jumpstart your art making sessions. What type of music? Classic, Rock……..I personally love the Blues.
• Start your art sessions with a cup of tea, coffee or cocoa.
• Do a fast sketch of an object in your Studio, e.g., tubes of paint, paint brushes, Taboret, book shelves, chair or a nearby window.
• Set the stage the night before by laying out the art supplies that you will use for your next creative session.
  

©Darlene Maciuba-Koppel

 

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Spark Artistic Creativity from Professional Artist

Via Professional Artist Magazine, I discovered this post on Seven Tips to Spark Artistic Creativity written by Ora Sorensen. Here are a couple of points that caught my interest:

• Clean up your workspace. Sorensen needs a freshly cleaned and organized workspace for new ideas to flourish. For Sorensen, new ideas come from an unpolluted space where older projects are out of view and are not competing for her imagination or her capacity to problem solve.

• Keep an inspiration box. Sorensen has kept an “inspiration box” for 20 years. It is overflowing with pages ripped from magazines, with photos, cards, colorful beads, feathers — anything that appeals to her visually. And, today it is even easier to collect sources that stimulate creativity. She has a folder on her computer consisting of screenshots, quotes, book covers, photos and memes.....When she has finished scrolling through that folder, she hops onto Pinterest to peruse the collected inspirations of thousands of others.

Take a few minutes to read the complete article for more inspiration.

 

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Paper Art Sculptures from Isabelle Guiot-Hullot

Thoughts on Character Design from Wouter Tulp

Creative Prompts to Increase Positivity from PsychCentral

Via PsychCentral, I discovered this post on 10 Creative Prompts for An Instant Dose of Positivity written by Margarita Tartakovsky, MS. The prompts come from the book, The Positivity Kit: Instant Happiness on Every Page written by artist and author Lisa Currie

Here are a few of the ideas that caught my interest:

• "Draw a different mug for every day of the week — something to make you smile as you sip your morning coffee/tea!" Why not do a quick sketch on your coffee mug with a Sharpie.

• "List your favorite things for every letter of the alphabet, starting with A and ending with Z." Here's another drawing opportunity.

• Draw a map of places that make you happy." Or places that put you in a creative mood.

• List several small but satisfying victories you’ve had recently." Sketch these victories out too.

Check out the complete article for more ideas

Creativity Quotes from LifeHack

Via LifeHack, I discovered this post on 24 Creativity Quotes to Bring Out Your Inner Artist written by Ciara Conlon. 

Here are a few of my favorites:

• “Clean out a corner of your mind and creativity will instantly fill it.” – Dee Hock.

• “Curiosity about life in all of its aspects, I think, is still the secret of great creative people.” – Leo Burnett.

• “True intelligence operates silently. Stillness is where creativity and solutions to problems are found.” – Eckhart Tolle.

Check out the complete list for more inspiration.

 

Harnessing Your Creativity from Nicole Velik

Here's an interesting article from the Collective Hub on Why Creativity has Nothing to Do With Being Creative. In this post, Bridget De Maine interviews Nicole Velik. Here's just one of the interesting points that Velik makes:

"The trick is to break our familiar thinking patterns. As humans, we want to take the path of least resistance and that often means rehashing old ideas – ideas that worked in the past."

"If we’re rehashing old ideas, we’ll never come up with anything truly innovative. The more you work in the same job or on the same brand or product, it becomes increasingly difficult to come up with fresh ideas."

Take a few minutes to read the complete article.

 

Social Media Resources for Motivating People to Create from Brainzooming

Via Brainzooming, I came across this article on: 61 Online and Social Media Resources for Motivating People to Create written by Mike Brown. The post was written in 2012 but it still contains many useful ideas. Here are just a few of the suggestions that caught my interest:

• Virtually visit creative places.

• Find people who trigger creative ideas for you.

• Share your creative stories.

• Read/skim design-oriented blogs.

• Source new creative tools.

Take a few minutes to read the complete article. Then explore the ideas that Brown mentions.

 

How Solitude Enriches Creative Work from Brain Pickings

Via the Brain Pickings site, I discovered this post from Artist Louise Bourgeois on How Solitude Enriches Creative Work. The article is written by site founder Maria Popova. This thought especially caught my interest:

"Our capacity for what psychoanalyst Adam Phillips has termed fertile solitude is absolutely essential not only for our creativity but for the basic fabric of our happiness — without time and space unburdened from external input and social strain, we’d be unable to fully inhabit our interior life, which is the raw material of all art."

Take some time to read the complete article for more great ideas. Do you regularly give yourself the gift of solitude?

 

Creative Habits to Explore from Blacksburg Belle

I came across this inspiring post on the Blacksburg Belle site on 101 Creative Habits to Explore: Add More Creativity to Your Daily Life.

Here are just a few of the ideas that caught my attention:

• Create a mini painting (the size of a playing card) every day.

• Make your own gift wrap.

• Post a new illustration on your blog every day.

• Try out different types of image transfers every Wednesday afternoon.

• Practice creative lettering every day.

Make sure you read the complete article for more great ideas. In fact, why not begin some creative habits this weekend.

 

33 Ways to Boost Creativity from Greatist

 

Need to pump up your energy on this chilly Monday? Check out the ideas from Greatist on 33 Surprising Ways to Boost Creativity for Free. Here are a few of the tips that caught my interest:

"Get Someone Else's Opinion: Don't be afraid to ask for help. A friend might mention something that sparks a whole new stream of thought. The more ideas and perspectives, the better."

"Try Something New: Doing things out of habit tends to undermine creative thought; on the other hand, novelty-seeking is associated with creativity (and overall well-being). Even something as simple as taking a new route to work or experimenting with a cool recipe counts."

"Make a Creativity Room: Designate a physical space for creativity in the house and include objects related to hobbies, mementos from favorite memories, and vision boards featuring possible projects. Not enough space? Try a "creativity corner" in a single room. That way, says Mark Banschick, M.D., the brain will get into the habit of being creative every time we’re in that area."

Check out the complete article for more great ideas.

 

Jeffrey Davis Suggests Taking Mind Breaks

Via The Creativity Post, I discovered this article on The Unusual Secret to Create What Matters written by Jeffrey Davis. I was especially interested in his comments on taking Mind Breaks.

Jeffrey says, "Make space for acting on what matters....Every day is a series of decisions, some small, some monumental. Yet when a thousand thoughts compete for attention at any given moment, the mind’s debris clouds our ability to decide, invent, innovate, and create with any real wherewithal."

"When our mind is crowded, we default to the safest route that requires the least resistance and least energy." 

Jeffrey suggests that during your Mind Breaks, you check in with these questions:

• "What question am I living in today?
• What am I writing this article for?
• What am I making this product for?
• How is this activity part of my larger vision?
• How is my larger vision part of something that matters to me and the world?"

Check out the complete post for more innovative ideas.

 

Jumpstart Your Creativity from Huffington Post

Via the Huffington Post, here's a post from 2014 that is still relevant: Nine Art Techniques That Anyone Can Do To Jumpstart Creativity.

I especially like the technique suggested by Martin Abrahams, Instructor of Animation at the School of Visual Arts. Here's his thoughts in his own words:

Doodle like a Traditional Animator.

"I’m always encouraging my students to understand the basics of traditional animation and apply them to your personal concepts, style, story or abstract ideas.

"It all starts with drawing. The rough idea of drawings, doodles, enthusiasm and sketches plays such a major part in the process of animation. We begin by drawing on paper and creating a personal stylistic approach, making drawings that move, a flow of story, design, animation principles, expressionistic style and content. The computers are there to make the finished film look colored and composited."

"There is no such thing as good or bad in art …it’s making it better. That's important. Take the principals and most of all give it your signature of personal style. Create images you want to see."

Martin's ideas can be applied to all types of art making. Make sure you read the complete article for more inspiration.

 

Related articles

How to Improve Your Art from the Fine Art Tips Blog

Art Therapy De-Stressing Techniques from The Huffington Post

Creative People Do Things Differently from the Huffington Post

Describing Creative People from Scott Barry Kaufman

Via The Creativity Post, Scott Barry Kaufman lists Eight Ways of Describing Creative People. He believes "creative individuals are really good at mixing and matching all sorts of seemingly contradictory emotions, ideas, and personality traits to produce something truly original and meaningful." Here are a few of his points that caught my interest:

Creative People are:

• "Playfully Serious. Creative people are silly, playful, and realize the absurdity of life, but they can also be extremely serious and focused on the issues that matter the most to them. Even when being serious, however, creative people tend to have a playful mindset, which helps them bounce back from setbacks and be comfortable with trial-and-error." 

• "Mindful Daydreamers. They are master observers of human nature-- and they use much of that material for their creative work-- but they are also able to turn inward and let their minds wander and imagine new worlds."

• "Logically Intuitive. They listen to their intuition, but they do not let their intuition completely dictate their behavior; while using intuition to inform their decisions, they can also be intensely rational and logical."

Can you see yourself in the above descriptions? For more interesting details, see the complete post.

 

Ten Ways Creativity Can Change Your Life from Tiny Buddha

Via the Tiny Buddha site, I discovered this post on Ten Ways Creativity Can Completely Change Your Life written by Lynn Newman. Here are just a few of the points from the article that caught my interest:

• "We’re Playing Again. As kids we could create anything and have fun with it without worrying about what other people thought......Creativity returns us to the innocence of our childhoods. Giving ourselves a break from the pressures of adult responsibility helps us become lighter and increases our sense of humor as we delight in the pleasure of our amusements."

• "It’s Always New. Every time we make stuff we’re embarking on fresh, unknown territory. Each time we begin and as we continue, we’re traversing on a new adventure. Creativity has this awesome way of always changing things up."

• "We Get Out Of Our Own Way. When doing something we enjoy, we're focused on the act of doing it rather then self-ruminating. It immediately gets us out of our head.....When we're engaged creatively, we're freed from any internal traps that say something about us, especially because it doesn't have to be so serious."

Take time to read the complete post. Then start creating and change your life.

 

 

Twelve Things You Are Not Taught in School About Creative Thinking from Michael Michalko

Via the Creative Thinking site, hosted by Michael Michalko, I discovered this insightful post: The Twelve Things You Are Not Taught in School About Creative Thinking. Here are a few of the points that caught my interest:

• "YOU ARE CREATIVE. The artist is not a special person, each one of us is a special kind of artist. Every one of us is born a creative, spontaneous thinker. The only difference between people who are creative and people who are not is a simple belief. Creative people believe they are creative."

• "CREATIVE THINKING IS WORK. You must have passion and the determination to immerse yourself in the process of creating new and different ideas. Then you must have patience to persevere against all adversity."

• "LEARN TO THINK UNCONVENTIONALLY. Creative geniuses do not think analytically and logically..... . Creative geniuses are inclusive thinkers which mean they look for ways to include everything, including things that are dissimilar and totally unrelated. 

Make sure you check out the complete post for more inspiring thoughts.

 

Working Messy & Creativity

Image from Canva

Do you work messy? If you do, then you may be interested in reading this article, from Canva, on Five Reasons Creative Geniuses Like Einstein, Twain and Zuckerberg Had Messy Desks – And Why You Should Too written by Andrew Tate. 

According to the article, "Researchers at Northwestern University found that people in messy rooms drew more creativity and were quicker at solving creative problems."

The post is a great read. Check out the complete article  and interesting photos for more details.

 

Creatively Changing Your Mind

Via Issuu, I came across a 35-page synopsis of the book, Change Your Mind written by Rod Judkins. The book reveals tips on how to become more creative at work, at home and at play. The complete book can purchased from Amazon.

Rod Judkins, MA, RCA is an artist and writer who lecturers on creative thinking techniques. He is also the author of the book, The Art of Creative Thinking.

Encourage Creative Thinking from Gregory Ciotti

Here's some food for thought for this weekend: Today, I happened upon the post, How to Encourage More Creative Thinking written by Gregory Ciotti. He is the host of Sparring Mind. The article is quite long but there's a lot of good information presented. Here are just a few of the interesting ideas:

• Restrict Yourself - "Research suggests that placing self-imposed limitations can boost creativity because it forces even creative people to work outside of their comfort zone."

•  Create Psychological Distance - "While it’s long been known that abstaining from a task is useful for breaking through a creative block, it also seems that creating psychological distance may also be useful."

• Ask: What might have been? - "According to research surrounding the process of counterfactual thinking, looking at a situation that has already occurred and asking yourself, What could have happened? can boost creativity for short periods of time."

Check out the complete article and determine how you can apply these ideas to your art.

 

Be More Creative - Tips from Adrian Furnham

Via Psychology Today, I discovered this post, Ten Things to Help You Be More Creative written by Adrian Furnham, Ph.D. Here are the points that caught my interest:

• "Piggy back: Adopt others’ work and take it further. Put things together that do not fit."
  

• "Build your particular expertise/skill/knowledge: Creativity is always skill based. Get to the cutting edge of your chosen area. There is no substitute for this."

• "Question and probe the obvious: Take little for granted, turn things upside down, and celebrate similarities and differences."

Check out the complete post for more details. You need to scroll down to get to the Ten Tips.

Which of these ideas can you apply to your own art?

 

Strategies To Improve Creativity from the Creativity Post

Via the Creativity Post, I found this article on Eight Scientific Strategies To Improve Creativity written by Dr. Jonathan Wai. Here are just a few of the points that resonated with me:

• Don’t Think Your Success Is A Matter of Luck. "Pasteur said 'Luck favors the prepared mind.'  The prepared mind will eventually find something important and then do it." 

• Work With the Door Open.You Will Sense What Is Important. “Working with the door open today is really about being open to other fields, ideas, and thoughts that are outside your area of expertise.  In order to identify problems worth solving, don’t get stuck by just learning from people in one field."

• Plant Many Small Seeds From Which A Mighty Oak Tree Can Grow. "Always remember to work on many different small problems, because you never know which one will grow into the next big idea. You can’t always know exactly where to be, but you can keep active in places where something might happen.” 

Check out the rest of the article for more inspiring ideas. What strategy can you apply to your art today?

 

Become Provocative!

Via Fast Company, I came across this article, Unlock Your Creative Genius: Four Steps to Being Provocative with a Purpose written by Ekaterina Walter.

The four steps come from the book Unthink: Rediscover Your Creative Genius authored by Erik Wahl. 

"Wahl says that purposeful provocation should be a part of our personal and professional lives every single day." Here are the four steps he suggests we need to take to inject a healthy disorder to remain progressive:

1. Step Outside Your Bubble.
2. Live with Some Discomfort.
3. Ask Forgiveness Instead of Permission.
4. Start Small.

For more inspiration, read the complete article. And then Become Provocative.

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What's Your Super Power? - from Tina Roth Eisenberg

Check out the Six-Part Recap on the 2014 99u Conference which focuses on Idea Execution. The topic of Part Four, written by Sasha VanHoven, is The Best Way to Complain Is to Make Things.

Here's a great quote from Tina Roth Eisenberg, Founder of Swissmiss, Tattly, CreativeMornings, TeuxDeux, & Studiomates

• “What’s Your Super Power?” The most successful people, Eisenberg tells us, know the answer to this question right away. Being able to recognize your own greatest asset means that you’ll also be able to use that to your advantage and capitalize on it. Eisenberg’s own superhero would be Captain Enthusiasm. Enthusiasm, she believes, is better than confidence: ”Confidence is impressive, while enthusiasm is infectious and fun. Fun wins.”

Read the rest of Recap Four and the other Recaps too for some added inspiration. Also, take a few minutes to check out the Swiss Miss blog.

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Creativity Quotes Roundup

The Creative Power of Thinking Young

Via DigitalArts, I discovered the post, The Creative Power of Thinking Young written by Neil Bennett. In the article, Bennett talks about Ian Wharton and his book, Spark for the Fire. 

Wharton's premise is based on "Youthful Thinking – being unafraid to try new things and understanding that the best way to learn is to do, fail, fix and learn from that." 

Wharton says, "My point for young people is You Have It, Don’t Lose It. For everyone else, it is We Still Have It, We Just Need Reminders." I like Wharton's ideas. I believe as artists we could all benefit from Thinking Young. For more inspiration, read the complete article. And then Think Young.

Creative Exercises for Increasing Motivation from iCraftopia

Founded by the Craft Guru, "iCraftopia was developed to serve handmade artisans from around the world with useful insights, tips, and business resources in an effort to raise awareness and advance the handmade selling industry."

There are many informative articles and cool Infographics on the site. Here's one post, and accompanying Infographic, that caught my attention, 30 Creative Exercises for Increasing Motivation. Here are just three examples from the list.

• "Give Your Ideas a Chance. It is good to be a dreamer. Give your dreams and ideas a chance by working hard to achieve your desires." 
•  "Compete Against Yourself. Competing against others is a waste of time. Try to compete against yourself from an earlier version. Prove your own success and ability to exceed old expectations."
• "Work Towards Your Goals Everyday. One small step made each day ends up becoming giant leaps to reaching your goal. Make sure you make logical steps that make sense."

Take some time to read the complete article. Then check out the site for more inspiring ideas.

 

 

 

Creativity Tip Sheets from Unstuck

Image from Unstuck site

Via Pinterest, I came across this cool site called Unstuck.

Here's a description of the site in their own words: "Unstuck is an in-the-moment digital coach that's ready every time we're feeling stuck. The app helps us see and solve situations with fresh perspective through provocative questions, targeted tips, and action-oriented tools. It's an approach that works for all kinds of issues, large and small, so we can live better every day."

Pictured above is one of their fun infographs, Tip Sheet for Your Creative Stuck Moments. You can download and print the Sheet at their site.

You may also like their post, How to Spark Creativity when You're Feeling Blocked. Four working artists were interviewed to compile this informative post.

Now pour yourself a cup of coffe and take time to explore the site - Lots of good ideas here.

 

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Creative Push-Ups from Scientific American

In the Winter 2014 issue of Scientific American Mind: The Mad Science of Creativity, Evangelia G. Chrysikou suggests that “Mental push-ups that shake up people’s typical ways of thinking can help put them in a creative mind-set.” How can you maximize your creativity? Here are some tips from the author:

• Step out of your comfort zone. Take up activities outside your field of expertise. Read a new-to-you art instruction book, take a short trip or an online art class. New experiences can bring on new thoughts.
• Take a break. Focusing your mind on a different task can set free innovative solutions.
• Take a nap or let your mind wander. Sleep and daydreaming can prompt your unconscious mind to work on the problem that is currently baffling you.
• Challenge yourself. Shake up your daily routine. Let go of your initial idea and look for a new one. Borrow other people’s answers but try to improve on them.

Read the complete article for more inspiring ideas. Although these tips focus on people in the work world, you can still use these ideas in your own art business.

Source: Your Fertile Brain at Work written by Evangelia G. Chrysikou

Unlock Your Creativity from The Huff Post

Image from the Amazon site

Danielle Krysa, host of  The Jealous Curator, has authored an interesting book entitled Creative Block (Get Unstuck, Discover New Ideas). Danielle interviewed "50 successful international artists working in different mediums to mine their insights on how to conquer self-doubt, stay motivated, and get new ideas to flow." 

If you want to learn more details about the book's contents, check out this great article, 19 Daily Habits Of Artists That Can Help Unlock Your Creativity written by Katherine Brooks for The Huff Post.

Here are just a few of the habits that caught my interest:

• Let go of your idea of Perfect.
  
• Find your Mantra and keep it close.
• Establish your Me Time.
• Let yourself Be Impulsive.

Take a few minutes to read the complete article for more ideas.

 

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Creative People Do Things Differently from the Huffington Post

If you regularly read my blog, you know that I enjoy all things related to creativity. Via the Huffington Post, I discovered this interesting article entitled, 18 Things Highly Creative People Do Differently written by Carolyn Gregoire. 

Here are some of the points that caught my attention:

• "In order to be open to creativity, one must have the capacity for constructive use of solitude. One must overcome the fear of being alone," according to psychologist Rollo May.
• "Creative people are insatiably curious -- they generally opt to live the examined life, and even as they get older, maintain a sense of curiosity about life. Whether through intense conversation or solitary mind-wandering, creatives look at the world around them and want to know why, and how, it is the way it is."
• "If there's one thing that distinguishes highly creative people from others, it's the ability to see possibilities where others don't -- or, in other words, vision. Many great artists and writers have said that creativity is simply the ability to connect the dots that others might never think to connect."

Do take the time to read the complete article. I know that you will enjoy it.

 

Curiosity & Creativity from Sam Harrison

Here's another thought-provoking article from Sam Harrison entitled, Curiosity is Jet Fuel for Your Creativity. The article is posted on the HOW Design site.

I agree with Harrison's premise: "Stick to the same routines for too long, and you become stale and boring. Curiosity helps move you into uncharted territory, making life and work more creative and rewarding." 

Harrison offers readers five ways curiosity can help expand their creativity. Check out the complete post on the HOW site.

What will you be curious about today?

Harness the Power of Daydreaming - from Sam Harrison

Via the Fast Company site, I discovered this article, Six Ways to Harness the Power of Daydreaming, written by well-known Creativity expert, Sam Harrison. Although the article is targeted to the business world, I believe it is also helpful to mixed-media artists.

Here are a few nuggets of information that caught my attention:

• "Our brains need time to reflect and recharge. The act of pausing facilitates creative cognition and brings about those “aha” and “eureka” solutions."
  
• "Recent studies show that not allowing the mind to frequently wander can hinder creativity."
• "Pausing is fruitless if you don’t capture what pops up. Keep a notebook or pad handy for fleeting insights and ideas."
• "Walking provides a clear path for pausing. It’s a great way to free the mind, assuming our hands also remain free of cell phones and printed materials."

Make sure you read the complete article for more ideas. Then start daydreaming your way to artistic success.

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Two Benefits of Art Journaling

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Art Journal PLAY

Thinking back to yesterday's post on the importance of play, I decided to simply play in my Art Journal today. I began working without any goals for my Journal page. I didn't plan or overthink what I was going to create.

I just doodled and painted and ended up with the page that you are looking at now. Valentine's Day must be on mind and maybe that's why I drew hearts. Creating the Journal page relaxed me - and soon I was ready to get back to work on a more serious, mixed-media art piece in-progress.

How about you? Did you play today? 

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The Need for Play in our Lives

I picked up a recent issue of Scientific American Mind magazine because of its' focus on The Mad Science of Creativity.

One of the articles talks about The Serious Need for PLAY written by Melinda Wenner Moyer. According to evolutionary biologist, Marc Bekoff, "Without play, adults may end up getting burned out from the hustle-bustle busyness that we all get involved in."

How about you? Do you make room for play in your life? Stuart Brown, psychiatrist, offers three ways adults can inject more play into their everyday life:

1. Body Play - Get involved in some form of active movement that is free of time pressures or expected outcomes. Exercising to lose weight is not play.
2. Object Play - Use your hands to create something you enjoy without having any specific goal. I do the majority of my play in my Art Journal. Maybe you do too.
3. Social Play - Join other people in seemingly meaningless social activities. This can range from simple small talk to verbal jousting.

Brown further suggests, "Try to remember what you enjoyed doing as a child. Translate those memories into activities that fit your current situation." He adds, "Make sure you play by scheduling time in your day for it.

Have you played today?

 

Staying Creative as an Artist

Via Design Sponge (Biz Ladies), I spotted this post on - 6 Tips for Staying Creative without Colleagues written by Margaret Hancock. Artists, writers and freelancers can all benefit from the tips.

I especially liked Margaret's advice to Stay Resource-Rich. Check out the complete post for more great ideas.

How do you stay creative?

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Exercises in Creativity from Artsy Shark

Take a few minutes to check out Carolyn Edlund's interview about Exercises in Creativity with bestselling author and artist Nick Bantock. He talks about Art, the Creative Process, and Writing his 27^th book.

Edlund is founder of Artsy Shark. On her site, you'll find a wealth of articles on The Business of Art.

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Owl Talisman 2014

I purchased this little owl ornament from West Elm. Something about him just spoke to me.

Only later did I realize that he is my talisman for 2014. The dictionery defines a talisman as "an object that is believed to have magical powers and to cause good things to happen to the person who has it." Artists believe in magic, don't you agree?

For me, this wise owl represents: optimistically pursuing my artistic goals, growing my skills and staying on track this year. The latter phrase refers back to My Word for 2014 - Focus.

What talismans do you own? Do you have talismans for your art?

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FOCUS: My Word for 2014

Become a Creativity Master from Andreas von der Heydt

Via LinkedIn, I discovered this post on: How To Become A Master Of Creativity: Work It! written by Andreas von der Heydt. Here are two ideas that I especially liked:

Feed Your Brain

"Creative thinkers love to eat new information, data, stories, etc." For example, Andreas suggests reading "biographies and How-to-books: You´ll find a wealth of new and unique ideas in them."

Store and Archive New Information 

"You should possess at least one idea collector and stimulator (shoe box, tablet, file folder) somewhere. As you periodically review your collected material, you will also stimulate your imagination. You'll start to search out connections between your collected data and your present situation or challenge."

Make sure you read the rest of the article for more ideas to enhance your artistic life. Then put them into action for a successful New Year in 2014.

 

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FOCUS: My Word for 2014

Have you chosen your Word for the New Year?

My word for 2013 was Passion. I pursued my passion by creating art every day of the year. However, since I enjoy mixed-media art, it seems I was chasing down many different paths these past twelve months.

I worked with assemblage art, collage, painting (both watercolor & acrylics), pen & ink drawings, art journaling, paper art, colored pencils, crafts, fiber art, hand lettering. And probably many more art forms that I cannot think of at this moment.

Because I scattered my energies in so many directions, I decided to Focus in 2014. Specifically, my plan is to focus on painting this year. I'll probably still work with other art forms here and there. It seems we artists carry that ADHD force within us. Better yet, I think it is curiosity that causes us to relish and seek out new art forms and regularly experiment.

So I will Focus - and explore too - this year. How about you? What word will you chose in 2014?

50 Ways to Think Creatively from Michelle Jamess

Check out this cool poster from Michelle James:  

50 Ways to Think Creatively.

Michelle also offers a text version of her poster which is easy to print out.

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