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Friday January 27, 2012 Have you started journaling yet? Well, why not? I already told you how valuable it is! ;0) Whether you are new to journaling, or perhaps you’ve fallen out of the habit, maybe these tips will help you get started. - Don’t let the “hunt” for the perfect book stop you from starting your journal today. Just pick a blank book… any type, any style. You could even make your own by stapling or sewing a few pages together with a magazine page or cardstock for the cover. The only thing to keep in mind is that if you plan on painting in it, you may want something with thicker pages.
- Carry it with you everywhere. Yes, EVERYWHERE! Bring it to work and try sketching something you see on your break. Keep it by your bed at night and write your dreams in it. Frustrated at the mall? Open up your book and start scribbling!
- Remember that this journal is just for you. Journaling should be about practice, growth, and exploration. Don’t make it a big deal, don’t stress about it, and don’t try too hard. Use it to record notes, colors, ideas, or dreams. Use it to experiment new techniques, try out new mediums, and to just play. Don’t try to make your pages perfect, and don’t ever compare it to someone else’s journal.
- Make it a habit. Don’t wait for a large chunk of time to do a page. Don’t think, “oh I’ll do a page when I have more time”. Make time. Even if its just 10 minutes. If you wait, it will only seem like a chore and you will be less likely to open it again. If you’re just starting out, make a point to open it everyday, even if its just to make a small doodle. It will be hard to get in the habit of using it at first, but if you keep at it, it will soon become natural to you.
- Don’t give up. Not ever. At first, journaling may seem like a chore. But the more you do it, and the more of a habit it becomes; the more you will come to love it and the more it will come to help you with your creativity. Your first few pages (or maybe even first few hundred) will not be “picture perfect”. You may even feel some frustration that you cannot produce what you are envisioning. But this is normal, and in time you will get better and better, and come to love your journals.
What makes it difficult for you to journal daily? Do you have any tips for overcoming these obstacles? Leave a comment below!
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Wednesday January 25, 2012 Do you feel that what you are making is a disappointment to you sometimes? If you are just starting the journey to become a “creative”, or you are entering a new world of mediums, you may feel frustrated that you cannot produce the art that you are envisioning. But what you should know is that this is totally normal. ALL of the artists you admire went through this stage. You just need to keep at it, don’t quit, and push yourself to work on what you are pursuing everyday. And in time you will close that gap between what you are envisioning and what you are creating. Watch this two minute video to hear it explained beautifully by Ira Glass. (Although he is speaking of storytelling, it is the same theory for any craft.)
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Monday January 23, 2012 To me, there is nothing more inspiring than picking up a new tool or medium and getting to just experiment and play with it. But, with the holidays just passing and the snow coming down, you may be like me snuggling up on the couch not wanting to go anywhere, and perhaps a bit hard up for cash to be going out shopping for new art supplies. So… time to go on a hunt!
Take a walk through your home, and with a fresh eye on things, take a look around you for some tools or random things you could use in your art journal or to use along with your favorite medium. The junk drawer always proves to be a treasure chest for imaginative ideas! If you’re a quilter, try sewing on some washers or bolts to create a design. If you’re a potter, try finding things in your home with interesting textures that you can press into the clay. If you want to experiment in your art journal, look for things like q-tips, old gift cards, toothpicks, or just about anything that inspires you to push around the paint or stamp with. 
Collect at least five things from your home, and bring them back to your “studio” (whether it be an actual studio or your kitchen table!) and get to work – I mean PLAY! It’s amazing the amount of inspiration you can get from a few simple household items. Give it a try!
I hope you enjoy this creative exercise. Give it a try, and let me know how it goes! What things did you find in your home? How did you use it in your art? Leave a comment below!
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Wednesday January 18, 2012  I believe in journals, and you should too. If you are religious about keeping an art journal, or carry around a notebook… you know exactly what I”m talking about. If you don’t, well… you’re probably thinking about those “Dear Diary” entries you used to write back in middle school, or maybe you’ve seen some beautiful art journals and you’re thinking they’re just for “artists”. But that is totally not the case. And that’s why I’m sharing this with you. I’m sure you’ve heard others talk about journals, probably saw some pics on flickr, and maybe even seen some classes about it too. So what’s all the hype about? Because it works. Journaling works. It keeps your creativity flowing, sets you free, gives you a place to be yourself and create without fear. It energizes you, inspires you. You’re not worrying about ruining a canvas, or disappointing a customer, or loosing sales. You just get to play.
Don’t think that journaling is just for “artists”. It doesn’t have to be all about mixed media or painting if you don’t want it to. You can do anything with your journal. Do you have ideas? Do you have dreams? Do you want to be more creative? Journaling is for everyone… doctors, writers, mothers, painters, bakers, you name it. Why would you want to loose all of those wonderful insights and ideas you get everyday? Write them down! Sketch those stunning views you see. If you hear an inspiring quote, record it and doodle around it… you get the idea. And nevermind all of those magnificent art journal pages you see all over the net. Pay no mind. You know why they’re so good? Because they’ve been doing this for years. It will take quite some time for you to get as good as them (and you will if you keep at it).
It’s not a beauty contest like they make it out to be. Journaling is about practice, growth, exploration. This journal is for YOU and you only. That is why you will probably not see many of my personal journal pages for quite some time (unless I’m showing you some techniques to try). I’ve been a textile artist for the past 10 years, and now I’m currently using my journals to experiment and learn new techniques to explore the world of mixed media and painting. So, you don’t need to share it with the world. You may not even be proud of the first few hundred pages, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that you keep doing it. Keep writing, keep sketching, keep painting, keep PLAYING. It’s your free ticket to experiment, record your inspirations, test out new mediums, or learn new techniques. Do it for yourself as the audience. Think of it like your creativity records.
So are you ready to give it a try? If you’re not convinced, do it anyway and in time you will see. ;0) Journaling can free your creativity, and get you into the flow. And what’s more, is that when you get stuck for ideas on a project, all you have to do is flip through one of your journals. It’s like a customized inspiration book just for you.
If you already journal, what tips can you give to those who are just starting out?
If you have yet to start, what’s stopping you? Leave a comment below!
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Monday January 16, 2012  We all get stuck doing the same routines day after day. And in doing so, our minds are running more and more on auto pilot. Consciously turn it off for today. Turn off your auto pilot and pay attention to what your doing. Shake things up a bit. If you find yourself in a routine activity, change course. Try something new. Take a new route to work, try something new for breakfast, if you usually read fiction books try reading a biography, or perhaps try a new recreation. Studies show that changes in our habitual behavior have profound effects on our brains. By stopping just one routine behavior and doing it in a different way, your brain is being forced to form new neurological pathways. What that means is your brain starts to make new connections; and with new connections, often comes sparks of creativity! So, for this week, try doing at least one routine differently each day. Pay attention, and perhaps you will be flooded with inspiration! And don’t forget to come back and comment with how it went! :) Love this post?
Friday January 13, 2012  One of the funnest ways to learn new techniques, or to get out of a creative rut is to take a workshop. And what’s better than a free one, or how about three!? :) Strathmore is hosting three free online workshops this year. January’s workshop, Doodles Unleashed by Traci Bautista is all about having fun with mixed media. The first in her series is “playful printmaking”, where she combines a number of different techniques to create a beautiful painting. I had so much fun following along with her videos, that I think you should give it a try too! The key is to just let loose and doodle to your heart’s desire. This workshop is currently running, so go sign up now and play!
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Monday January 09, 2012 Every Monday I hope to share with you some thoughts, images, or exercises from Monday’s Muse that might spark some inspiration for you to start the week off. I love the messiness of art sometimes, so I’ve collected some images with that idea in mind. Let yourself go, let yourself play with your art, and you will truly feel free!
1. Blues – An abstract painting, 2. Art is my comfort (art journal), 3. Art, 4. SPEAK LOUDLY art journal page, 5. Color Pencils, 6. Art Journal January 2009, 7. Paint Brushes, 8. Blues skies coming down – FO, 9. Blick Art supplies
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Sunday January 08, 2012  When faced with the word “creativity”, most people tend to start thinking of famous artists like Picasso or Andy Warhol, or perhaps they think of famous writers, poets, or even John Lennon or another musician they admire. But creativity is really just a human trait that we all posess, so why not think of ourselves, or the people around us?
Over the years, the meaning of creativity has gotten a little distorted. Those that weren’t encouraged to foster their creativity as a child have come to believe that it is a mysterious quality that only some posess. But in reality, having creativity simply means you are able to bring your ideas to life. Its about imagining something, then figuring out how to make it real. Everyone has ideas. Sit back and think – I’m sure you can bring back a few ideas you’ve had in the past. Now all you have to do is find the ambition, knowledge, and tools you need to bring it to life. That my friend is creativity.
“We’ve become narrow in the way we think about creativity,” observes Teresa Amabile, a psychologist at Brandeis University, MA. “We tend to think of it as rarefied: artists, musicians, poets. But the cook in her kitchen is showing creativity when she invents a variation on a recipe.” Creativity can be as broad as finding a new way to get your child to do their chores, or creating a new solution to fit all those tools on that tiny shelf to as narrow as painting a picture in oils or writing a symphony.
The world is not divided between creative people and uncreative people. If there is a divide, its between those who nurture their creativity and those who are surpessing it. Creativity is the essence of everything we do, its in our nature. People are creating everyday whether you are aware of it or not. Look around you. Everything you see… your home, the styles you wear, the food you eat, the tools or electronics you use… everything has been created as a direct result of creativity. Creativity is a gift to us all. It gives us the ability to change the world we live in, and it allows us to express who we are. So you shouldn’t be asking, “Am I creative?” because we are all inherantly creative. What you should be asking, is “What inspires or motivates me to create?”. Love this post?
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Are you looking for inspiration or craving more creativity in your life? Stick with me and I’ll help give you the clarity, tools, inspiration, and confidence you need to live a more fulfilling, beautiful, and creative life.
