It is not that complicated. It is not mystical, at least most days. I believe it is a skill, when exercised, you are able to develop over time. More like flexibility in your brain muscle than anything else.
Here are the things I practice that help me be more creative:
- Open-ended is your enemy. Boundaries are your friend. When observing students, I realized that the more open-ended the assignment the more they floundered. The more closed the end goal, the more they rebelled against the assignment. There is a great place between these two extremes that is a vague idea and yet clear direction. If you are able to master this in your own thinking it is a valuable tool. Instead of looking at a blank canvas and feeling like you should create a work of art give yourself a topic and theme. Like a bird painting using warm colors. Then search for inspiration.
- Change your scenery. It is true, if you go to a coffee shop to sketch and your normal environment is your home studio, you're going to stir something up.
- Do something relaxing that allows your mind to wander. I like to drive alone. When I do, I think. When I think, I unearth things that haven't had a chance to come to the surface.
- Silence. Sometimes silence is the best medicine, for the same reasons as the last. I will often wash dishes in silence. I get all kinds of ideas.
- Stimulate senses. Good food, bright colors, hot sun or a massage brings you to a different space and reinvigorates your look at the current day. I would plan to work the next day, not right after any of these necessarily, but it will re-engage your mind.
- Keep a sketchbook or notebook. This should be your idea file. A well-loved sketchbook has pages taped into it, writing, notes, directions, techniques, lists of artists ... I find it helpful to go through old sketchbooks and look for ideas as well as things I never full pursued.
- Keep materials at hand. Keep some portion of items to work with at hand so if there is a brainstorm you are able to go ahead and work it out right then.
- Schedule time. Block out regular time to work. Block it out with the awareness of when you are at your best. Avoid marathons if possible. I work better earlier in the week and do better backgrounds and research later in the week.
- Take a class. Even if you know a topic taking a class is a great tool in approaching a material differently--everyone handles the same media a different way.
- Talk to others about it. Talking stirs up the interest and desire to work, don't give away the end--that is yours to work out, just talk about what you may want to explore and get feedback.
- Explore your interests, draw from other passions. I am currently interested in Social Justice issues and plan on doing some art around that. I would not have done this 4 years ago, but now it makes sense.
- Make up your mind you are lucky. People who believe they are lucky are more open to possibilities.
- Play. Here and there, don't plan anything, just doodle or play. Try out a technique you researched and make a piece of art around it, that is a great way to play.
- Push through. If you are not "feeling" creative, work anyway. This does not include exhaustion.
- Word lists and mind maps. When I'm feeling a bit stumped I will make a word list. It is such a divergent way of looking at things because I am normally visual, it opens up a new part of my brain. If the topic is snow, you start by listing every characteristic of snow. To map it out, circle one word and draw a line and begin a new list. So, if snowflake was on my list, I'd circle it and begin a new list for it.
- Divert to something totally different. I also love photography, pottery, digital work and pretty-much all other art forms. When I am at a place where I just can't look at another mixed media piece again then I will break out the camera or other media for a while.
- Irons in the fire. It is always a good idea to start something before you end the last thing. It helps the ebb and flow of ending a creative project and keeps your energy up and momentum high.
- Be curious. If an idea strikes you to explore, unless you are on a deadline, explore it.
- Mix and match. I often will have a couple working ideas started and set the aside, later I will go through them and match them up. Sometimes the most unexpected masterpieces come out of random pairings. A bright collage and Mother Teresa's face got paired up one day. Seems to be my most popular piece.
- Create even if you can't use your medium. I would love to do pottery at home, but it is not going to happen. Between the dust and the cost of running a kiln ... nope. It is important for me to create though. I work in other media that I know I am equally successful with.
- Use emotional energy. If you are particularly down about something or the opposite, try to work. I think these times also unlock parts of your brain and heart that are not always heard from.
- Exercise. I used to think that taking the time to exercise was just time away from useful work time but now I believe the opposite. Working out seems to allow more mental clarity, better energy and stamina and more flexibility.
And there are a lot more ideas ... these are just the best ones.
