"So what is a blog carnival you ask? "
It is group of Etsy Metal members who will collectively write a article on a monthly subject.
We will be blogging this the first Monday of each month.
This months question was:
"Create an inspirational 20 things to do,
to kick start creativity."
1. Clean and organize your work area.
2. Sit in the middle of a "clean" room with your sketchbook. (and your favorite snack of course)
3. Go on vacation. (with sketchbook)
4. Write a list of techniques you want to learn and start at the top.
5. Take a class or ten!
6. Do something not jewelry related at all, like cooking new recipes, gardening is a lovely one, even if it is only pulling weeds which I actually like doing, go figure....
7. I go to the beach, and find treasures. This will almost always evoke new ideas for me.
8. Take yourself to coffee, alone is the key for me, with sketchbook of course!
9. Work on taxes, organize something or clean the house or the worst, pick up pup-poo.
When I have to do things I dislike, it makes me appreciate being in the studio again very quickly.
10. Buy a NEW sketchbook! AND a new mechanical pencil!!! This is always a good day :)
11. Go thrift shopping, shoe shopping, or get a haircut. (any excuse will do for these things)
12. Join a Ring-a-Day project for a year. (warning: potentially hazardous to your mental health)
13. If you are involved with an online community, I highly reccomend joining in on a group challenge. Or even challenging a Flickr friend to a "Duel." I swear it is perfect motivation to cure a slump.
14. Buy a Creative Whack a Pack. I LOVE this deck. And read Sark Inspiration Sandwich series.
15. Think of things to make and sell, then give proceeds to a favorite charity.
16. Go to a friends house and try a new craft of some sort together!
17. Try to experience as many new things you are comfortable with, new things = new ideas.
18. Sleep late every day for a week, then you will feel behind and have to work! Or simpler just leave everything to the last minute and you will hopefully get alot done quickly!
19. Challenge yourself to create/design with unconventional materials. It is more difficult than you'd think!
20. Last but not least, Unplug!
Basically I think my approach is drawing, so I try to carry my sketchbook everywhere, and I rely heavily on it as my creative tool. I love to draw, so this might not be as fun for everyone as it is for me. I think keeping your creativity active and being able to design new things takes a bit of practice. I feel its like training your brain to always be open to recieving it. And always in the background it is working. But after awhile it is just part of who you are I think. I also think that it is very personal and your motivation for being creative/artist whatever also takes a role on how you create. Ok I better stop, I feel a long ramble beginning.
Oh, I almost forgot about this! Now mind you it doesn't happen every day like this, only when I can tap into that state and have some conciousness and realize I am there. This method is in the morning right before I am waking up. When you are in that state where you can kind of hear the outside world but you haven't opened your eyes yet and you haven't realized ya gots to pee. It is this perfect mindset and time I can be quiet enough to focus and think of new designs. Then when I get a good idea I want to test out, it gets me excited enough to get out of bed! I have to get up so I can remember the ideas. It’s been a productive creative time for me, and I'll take it however I can get it!
Have a good day and thank you for stopping by and reading my thoughts!
I can't wait to read my fellow metalsmiths creativity tricks, I do not let myself read thier Blog Carnivals until I finish mine, It's like my dessert!
So please join me below in reading others' March’s Blog Carnivals!
i love your sketches
ReplyDeletei can't do it for the life of me
Drawing is the key for me too, it helps me to see. I can relate to #10, I am the queen of starting a new sketchbook before the current is finished. New sketchbooks are hopeful, nothing but raw possibility.
ReplyDeletefabulous list!! "pick up pup-poo" great alliteration! challenging a friend to a flickr duel is also really good.
ReplyDeleteNo.10 is a great one! Gets me all excited like having a new toy. It's like a fresh start, making a mark on that first new clean page is scary though.
ReplyDeleteFantastic recommendations my dear!
ReplyDeleteGreat choices, Vic. I wish I would use my sketchbooks more.
ReplyDelete