Do you ever feel like you're in a rut? That you can't seem to get your creative juices flowing? This can be a frustrating experience for any artist. I may or may not be speaking from the past few years of working through that... But luckily, there are ways to stay in the zone every day and keep those creative blocks at bay. In this blog post, we'll discuss some of the best techniques for staying in creative flow. So read on, and learn how to make art every day!
Making art should be a fun and passion-filled experience. But sometimes, it can feel like a chore. This is often when creative blocks set in. So how do you keep the creativity flowing? Here are a few tips:
Find reasons to make something: Art is about expression and communicating your ideas. Put on some music, go to an antique mall, anything to get out of your space and find new experiences, moods, or subjects that inspire you. Art doesn't have to be grandiose or even good, it just has to come from you.
Create a fun passion project: Experiment with new mediums, techniques, and ideas that you're passionate about. It's okay to not know what you're doing! In fact, that's half the fun. Passion projects are meant to be enjoyed, not perfectionized. I once spent a week drawing out and trying to build my dream chair. Can't say I am sitting in that chair while writing this, thanks to a lack of specialized power tools, but I learned new skills along the way. A more triumphant take here was creating my Circle Circle Math instagram project when I wanted to spend time creating art for 30mins every day for a year.
Give yourself problems to solve: Art can be therapeutic, but it can also be educational. Give yourself problems to solve through your art- whether it's learning a new skill or researching an issue that interests you. My personal favorite is filling out small briefs for myself. For example: I've used "how can I make a ___ that will prompt a viewer to say toothpaste out-loud" or "how can I make a poster that shows the ties of religion and plastic waste pollution in our oceans" Art should challenge you and help you grow as an artist and thinker.
My ultimate creative jumpstart is similar to above but is a game i made up, best played with a friend or partner. I've yet to name the game but it plays as such... It begins with having the other come up with two completely random items, and your job is to create a name, marketing slogan, and elevator pitch in less than 2 minutes. Don't think too hard, see where your mind goes and how you can bring two wild concepts into one cohesive idea. My favorite scenario was coffee cups and plastic surgery... The only logical solution was a business called "Ugly Mugs" where you take a before and after photo for any cosmetic face procedure, then once you are done and ready.. your before and after photos are added to one of those heat activated coffee mugs and switch between the two photos. Nothing to do with art at first but it got my mind moving.
So there you have it! These are just a few of the ways you can stay in creative flow by making art every day. By finding reasons to make art, creating passion projects, and giving yourself problems to solve, you'll be well on your way to a more creative and productive life. Thanks for reading!
What are some of the best techniques for staying in creative flow? How do you make sure that you're always productive and never hit a creative block? Let us know in the comments below! We'd love to hear from you.