Tag: creativity

August 4, 2017 Magazine Post a Comment

How to Overcome “Artist’s Block”

The Case of the Artist Blues


Every creative person can agree that when inspiration and ideas runs dry, quite frankly… it sucks. While you may have heard about writer’s block, artist’s experience this as well! Pablo Picasso had a case of artist’s block in 1935 after divorcing his first wife, Olga. He refused to go to his own studio because the drawings and paintings “infuriated him”. Here are a few tips and tricks to solving your own block of creativity.

 

 

 

 

 

Explore with new materials and tools.

 Picasso did this too! Instead of painting, he took a new outlook and began writing poetry, later publishing them in his journal Les Chaiers d’Art. Don’t feel like you have to focus on solely one art form. Try something new! Instead of acrylic paint try oil pastels, etc. Exploring new materials forces you to slow down and think about each process. This is a great way to crawl out of the slump and forces you to think of new ideas.

Find an alternate point of view.

Spending time with the same art crowd can limit you from seeing things differently. Being with an new crowd of people who have other experiences and skills can open up new perceptions and help tear down the blinders that disallow you from having an open mind.

Observe other artists.

Explore the internet, visit a local gallery or museum or even look through art books and magazines. Take the time to appreciate other artist’s work and find inspiration from them!

Have fun!

We seldom forget that while art is our job, it is still important to enjoy ourselves too. Try finger painting or even flinging paint at a canvas. Loosen up and don’t worry about the outcome.

Watching children create is a great way to find the fun again.You may be surprised what they can teach you!

Move around.

Sitting and staring at a blank page of paper is not going to be productive. Try going for a walk or run. Allow yourself to be spontaneous and explore your horizons.

Sleep.

You may just be working too hard and your brain doesn’t function anymore. Who knows, maybe you will have an interesting dream that motivates you!

 

July 21, 2017 Magazine Post a Comment

The Power of Doodling

While taking notes in class or in a business meeting, most people (especially creative ones) find themselves doodling in the margins of their notebooks or even on a stray napkin. However, this isn’t just a mindless, pointless activity. In the Journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology, a study has found that doodling can improve a person’s ability to retain information by 29%. The mind is a fascinating thing and you will be surprised how doodling helps your thinking!

Visual learning is a powerful tool for strategic thinking, brainstorming and business planning. Some of the million dollar ideas have originated just from images on a piece of paper or post-it note. Even President Obama admits that he doodles in business meetings. In an interview in 2012 he says,”…sometimes when I’m in a big, important international meeting and you see me writings stuff down, it might be that I’m just drawing some, drawing some folks”. Many other presidents/politicians have also been caught drawing in meetings including JFK, Ronald Reagan and Hillary Clinton. So if well known people have found doodling helpful, it must be true.

Doodling can also be a way for children to burn some physical energy in class. While listening with a pen, the child is actually more engaged in the content and processes what they hear even more. A learner will recall a map they drew much more than long handwritten notes. Pictures allow the person to break down complex ideas into a more basic level of understanding.

Our brains are highly visual. As your pen hits the paper, you are opening your mind to ideas, insight and inspiration. Doodles can unite different neural pathways to the brain, creating higher levels of concentration and bring you closer to finding your “a-ha” moment.

Words alone can’t allow you to discover a new idea. So while brainstorming or learning, pick up a pen or pencil and start to free draw. Whether it be just lines and shapes or even faces of people, this can help you think in more ways than you will ever know.

June 23, 2017 Magazine

The Health Benefits of Creativity

That flash of inspiration, mind racing with thoughts as you let your imagination roam free in ways you never thought were possible. These are the moments that make us the most happiest. I know that when I am stressed or down, doing something creative changes my mood drastically. However, I never knew just how much it helped my physical and mental health. For example, CNN reported that creative activities impact the body in a similar way that meditation does. Basically like yoga for your brain!

Creative activities are beneficial in a lot of ways. While heavy amounts of psychological stress on a daily basis contribute to numerous chronic diseases such as heart disease, depression and Alzheimer’s, this means it is extremely important to protect your overall health and wellness. Creating art increases the “feel good” neurotransmitter, dopamine. So whether it means creating art yourself or even just observing creativity (attending a concert, going to a museum, etc), you will see overall mood change and significant decrease in your stress levels. Anything that makes you happy you should focus on.

According to the Public Library of Science, making art improves communication between different parts of the brain, which is vital to preventing cognitive deterioration. By performing creative tasks, this promotes the production of new neurons which are crucial for maintaining a healthy central nervous system. Out-of-the-box thinking also stimulates your brain to grow new neurons.

Art also improves memory substantially. It exercises our medial temporal lobes which produces all of your memories. An example of this comes from physician, Dr. Arnold Bresky, who utilizes art therapy for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. By drawing and painting, his patients increased their connectivity between the right and left hemispheres of their brain, growing new brain cells. Dr. Bresky saw a 70% improvement in his patients health and their memories. So not only can you improve your well being, happiness and health you can also retain more memories, which helps you later in life.

In high moments of stress, I strongly recommend that you pick up a pen and draw/write. Whatever it is you are thinking at that moment, capture it in your art. Your self-identity will improve and further down the line you will be impressed with the results.