Are you looking for some new and exciting creative ideas to try right now? Stuck in a creative rut? Sometimes just starting is the hardest part. Being an artist isn’t just about making a beautiful finished piece of art. It is the whole process. From getting inspired, doing the research, testing and experimenting, and putting that altogether to make something you love and expresses your voice. Every intricate part of making is creating – and every part is important.
So I have put together a list of 5 creative ideas you can try, whatever stage of the process you might be in, to help you start creating today. Trust the process!
CREATIVE IDEAS TO TRY
Creative Idea 1: Mindful Drawing
Mindful Drawing is the act of bringing yourself (your mind and your body) to the present moment and focusing on the act of drawing. Basically, it is similar to other self-care meditations in that you set aside a specified time (I recommend 10 minutes) to refocus your mind and your energy. The goal is not to finish a drawing and it is not to draw something amazing. The goal is simply focus your mind on drawing.
Why would people practice mindful drawing? Just like tuning your instrument or stretching for exercise, mindful drawing is a great opportunity to ‘warm up’. It gets you creating with no pressure to perform. This is a great chance to draw things that you might not find yourself drawing if you are in the creative field already. It is also a great time to improve your drawing skills. You never know what creative ideas might come to you when you try something new every day.
You can either keep a journal for your mindful drawing (sometimes your previous drawings might give you the art inspiration you need to get started ), or just throw them away when you’re done. Personally, I recommend keeping a journal as I believe every idea is a starting point to something. It might inspire you one day!
But Sara – I don’t know what to draw!
If you’re struggling to come up with ideas or just want to take that pressure off, I recommend using prompts. You can find a prompt generator here.
Mindful Drawing Steps
- Grab your favourite media (pen, pencil, paintbrush, crayon – whatever you want to work with). You will also need some paper or a journal.
- Find somewhere quiet and comfortable to draw. You can also turn on soothing music and set a timer if you wish.
- Start by taking a few deep breaths, and focusing on your inhale and exhale. Take a moment to consider how you’re sitting, and how that feels.
- When you’re comfortable, you can start drawing. Focus on how you are holding your pen, how tight your grip is, and how you move your pen on the paper.
- If your mind starts to wander as you draw, gently return to yourself. Focus on the page and on the present moment.
And that is it! Voilà ! The first time you try might feel weird and uncomfortable, but the key is building a habit. The more you do it, the more natural it feels and the less your mind will wander.
Creative Idea 2: Organise Your Brainstorming
If you are finding it hard to narrow down your thoughts and ideas, then this creative idea is for you. Brainstorming can seem like you are only going off on further tangents so a good way to practice generating ideas is to put a time limit on yourself. This means that instead of spending the whole day just dreaming about ideas and not producing anything, you can get something done by the end of the day!
I usually put a timer on for 10 minutes with an alarm that goes off 2 minutes before time is up. This is so that I know I only have a couple of minutes left and I will manage my time better. After your brainstorming time is up, you can give yourself another 10 minutes to go through your ideas. You can use this time to cross off any ideas you didn’t like and do a little research on the ones you did.
Spend this time looking up some of your ideas to get inspiration and find reference images. This will help you decide if you want to cut that idea if you don’t see that idea playing out. After the 20 minutes, you should have an idea (or at least a refined list) of ideas for an artwork. Then move onto the next stage – drawing!
Brainstorming Steps
- Find a quiet place with something to write on (paper or your device), a device to research, and a timer/alarm (any phone will do).
- Decide on the issue or product you want to address. For instance, maybe you want to make an artwork about your quarantine experience (issue) or maybe you want to make a set of stickers (product).
- Set an alarm for in 8 minutes time or 10 minutes time. When the 8 minute alarm sounds, you will know you only have two minutes left to brainstorm. Alternatively you can set a timer for 10 minutes and position it in a place where you can see. Start the timer.
- Start timers and start brainstorming your ideas. Aim for at least 20.
- When your ten minutes is up, repeat step 3 (set an alarm or timer for 10 minutes). Start the timer.
- Look through your ideas. Your goal is to narrow them down to around 5 creative ideas. You can use your device (phone, tablet, computer) to research your ideas. Are there other examples being done? Are there reference images that you can use to develop your idea?
- When the timer is up, you are done! I usually rank my ideas 1-5 by how successful I think they will be. Then I start making number 1 and if I don’t think it works out I can move to number two and so on.
Creative Idea 3: Draw Outside
Are you lacking art inspiration or just finding it hard to get started? I recommend grabbing your equipment and heading outside! If you’re new to painting outside, I recommend starting somewhere comfortable. It can be stressful when you feel like people are watching you and you feel a need to perform. Bring a picnic blanket or find a nice comfy chair in your favourite park. Otherwise, you can head to your favourite café and find a great window seat. With an ever-changing view you will have more than enough material to draw!
The more experiences you give yourself, the more opportunities you will have to discover new and exciting creative ideas that you might have never thought of. For cute photogenic places to visit, you can find ideas here.
Equipment:
If you’re not sure what equipment to bring with you – start small. All you really need is:
- a plain journal
- a pencil
- an eraser.
Other easy to carry equipment could include:
- Watercolour pencils (you can use a brush and water on them when you get home or bring a water pen).
- A traveller’s watercolour set and water pen.
Creative Idea 4: Look Through Your Photos!
You know all those photos hanging around on your Google Photos or drive? It is time to take a trip down memory lane. You took those photos for a reason. Something must have inspired you to capture those moments. Those memories, the feelings, the magic… let nostalgia take over and utilise them as inspiration for your next painting or drawing. I use this creative idea all the time for making artworks. This is particularly true when I took photos of places and feel like I did not capture the feeling I wanted to portray, so I try and do it through painting instead.
Creative Idea 5: Create a Mood Board/Vision Board
Pinterest is my best friend, but you can keep a vision board anywhere. I have a folder on my Google Photos for photos I take that I want to use as references or art inspiration. Putting together a collection of images to create a mood board that will inspire you will help you to define what you like, your style, and aid you in the direction you want to go. When you create a mood board they are also FABULOUS for color schemes! Research is fundamental in creating something meaningful, so it totally counts and being creative.
How To Make A Mood Board
- Use a website like Pinterest or Instagram where you have the option to save images into folders.
- Make a physical board or journal where you print out photos and collage or file them together.
- Research your favourite artists (painters, musicians, photographers etc) and collect the work that resonates with you.
- Research your favourite muses (influencers, artists, “it girls”, world-changers).
- Collect images of your favourite colours, settings, props.
- Collect images of your past work too so you can see how it fits in with your inspiration.
Soon you’ll see your taste (or aesthetic) coming together right before your eyes.
VERDICT
Verdict:The best way to get inspired is to do
You can either wait for motivation to come to you, or seek it out. Creative inspiration is easier to find when you’re surrounded by things that inspire you!
Did this article speak to you?
I’d love to hear your thoughts! If you’re on Instagram, you can find me over here: @apicturesquelife so feel free to reach out or use #apicturesquelife and I’d be happy to connect!