When you get that
pristine white blank page out and ‘the fear’ takes you over – what will I draw or write?
What if I make a mistake? OMG I’ve lost my creativity because I can’t think of
anything I can do… Despair! These are a few of the things I think about when I
push down the crease on a new sketch book or stare blankly at a fresh page… for
so long that my eyes start to loose focus and I see black splodges wobbling
around before me.
I’m sure this kind of
thing has happened to many, many people even those not creatively active on a daily basis. If you have a speech to write for your best mate’s wedding or a
presentation to do for a job interview. We all have the choice whether we make
something bog standard or whether we push the boat out a little to make
something really special for that friend or something that will make us stand
out from the crowd for that job interview. This is where the creative process
comes in. But this is also where ‘the fear’ sets in. Here are a few tips and ideas I use:
Firstly, you need to
limber up, shake it out, get some energy flowing because you need a brain which
is wide awake. Then you need to make a brainstorm – write down all your ideas, empty your mind onto the page, what you’d like to do, quotes, things
that inspire you, pictures. If you get stuck, take a walk, make a cuppa or talk
to a friend about it – they might have some of their own thoughts and although
you might not like their ideas it could spark an idea in you. Most successful
creativity comes from a long process which may start very generally or vaguely
but which branches off and flourishes into something really amazing and
engaging.
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| Gathering inspiration at a Hunterwasser exhibition |
Stick to what you are
good at, unless you have the time and/or money to invest in a new skill. Once I went to a wedding where the best man was
a Philosophy teacher and his speech was actually a ‘lesson’ on the groom's life which
included philosophical questions on the grooms choice of clothes/haircuts over
the years and he really got the wedding guests actively involved in his lesson with some hands up style questions. It was the funniest and most brilliant best man’s speech
I have ever heard and the guy really played o his strengths and showcased his passion for teaching (this would also be a great way to get head hunted!).
Don’t worry about the
technicalities (at least not initially) – just get something down on paper
because you can always neaten up and fix things at a later date. It’s easier to
do something from the heart - think of a time of great emotion or a place or
person that means a lot to you or even just the first word that pops into your head. It doesn’t have to be good – my friend Johnny
is not an artist in the traditional sense of the word and he thinks he is
terrible at drawing but he still does it. And when he does his drawings really
give you a sense of honesty and caring. There is just something so special
about them. So you don’t have to be the best of the best to do something
creative because if you do it from the heart then your personality will shine
through.
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| Drawing by Johnny |
Relax. Put on a piece
of music that inspires you and get comfortable. If it’s sunny go to the park or
if it’s snowy get under a– big warm fluffy blanket. Being comfortable let’s you
be comfortable with your creative task. Clear all mundane thoughts from your
mind (don’t think about doing the dishes or hoovering up that piece of dirt on
the floor it will still be there when you’ve finished and for all of your
life there will be dishes and dirt so take this time out to have a moment for
yourself). If this doesn't work then do something fun - draw around your hand and then turn it into something different or make an Exquiste Corpse with a friend.
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| An Exquiste Corpse |
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| I drew a hand and then turned it into a bird |
