Creativity Information

Overcoming Artists Block (Part 1)


How many times does an artist stare down at that blank piece of paper thinking "What on earth do I paint - Where do I put my first mark?" More often than you would imagine! It happens to all creative people actually, from visual artists, designers, poets, through to musicians and writers.

When this situation arises, you are in the grip of creative block. When you wrack your brains to come up with ideas but just can't seem to. There may be contributing factors to this state, such as tiredness, depression, environmental, physiological or psychological issues. On the other hand you could just be experiencing a period of simple low creativity.

When this happens there are a few things you can do to restore your creativity levels at will, however what you must not do is worry or fret about it. If the worst comes to the worse and you don't seem to be able to produce any work, simply regard the period as a 'holiday' or a rest. Your creativity level WILL rise again. In the meantime, utilise the time spent not creating to do positive things anyway.

Research other artists' work. Visit galleries or surf the net and see what other people are doing. Join artists' chat rooms or visit message boards or forums where you can exchange ideas and views with other artists. Just talking to other creative people can give you a real buzz! You might even make some new friends in the process.

Spend the time you are not actually producing art, by increasing your marketing efforts. Send postcards to galleries, research upcoming local art fairs or events where you could possibly take a booth to sell your art. Have some leaflets or brochures printed up all about yourself and your work. Take a couple of days out of your schedule and do a local neighbourhood leaflet drop.

Update your website or online portfolio. You may think it's already perfect but it's not often that things can't be improved or sharpened in some way. Update your artist's statement; put new 'zing' into your descriptions.

If you really can't face doing anything concerning your own artwork, visit the theatre, go to a pop concert, browse local museums. Go to a restaurant or coffee bar with friends and have a (non art related) natter.

Use the time to take a complete break, if this is what works best for you. You will instinctively know when the time is right to 'go back' to your art. When this happens there are lots of techniques you can use to get back into the swing of high creativity. These I explore in my article 'Overcoming Artist's Block (part 2)'.

Gail Miller is a professional artist whose artwork is a visual feast of colour and fun. Her fascination with bold colours and fluid, expressive shapes and line are evident in funky abstracts, sinuous nudes, vibrant still life paintings and lively townscapes. Visit her website at http://www.gailmiller.com


MORE RESOURCES:

Panther Pride: Creative problem solvers head to state
my.hsj.org
I am so proud of Dakota Valley for putting such an emphasis on creative problem solving. This teaches students to think critically, which will help them in ...

and more »


Creative MediaWorks Hires New Graphic Designer
PharmaLive.com (press release)
Pennington, NJ, March 20, 2010 —Creative MediaWorks is pleased to announce that their Graphics Division has added Stephanie Rutkowsky to their team. ...

and more »


Sydney Morning Herald

Lack of creativity handcuffs 'Bounty'
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
AP Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler have a love-hate-love bond in “The Bounty Hunter.” By Sue Pierman, Special to the Journal Sentinel Journal Sentinel TV ...
Metro Morning Movie ReviewsCBC.ca
The Bounty Hunter ( ** )AHN | All Headline News

all 1,350 news articles »


Don't let fear choke creativity
Seattle Times
It taught me that creativity comes in many forms. The experience of fearing failure and then being redirected and encouraged to try a different way was ...

and more »


Canon U.S.A. Joins Creative Forces with Fashion Brand LeSportsac
MarketWatch (press release)
... all over the world, has applied the same fashion-forward design creativity to create this exclusive camera case for Canon PowerShot Digital cameras. ...

and more »


Chambersburg Area Middle School's young poets show their creativity
Chambersburg Public Opinion
CHAMBERSBURG -- Sixth-grade students at the Chambersburg Area Middle School have been trying their hands at poetry over the ...

and more »


Servicing the masses requires creativity
Times LIVE
As a quid pro quo for its partial privatisation in 1997, Telkom had to undertake to roll out its services in rural areas, extending access. ...



Saturday Art: John Roecker's Video Manifesto on Creativity and Self
Firedoglake (blog)
All I did was write about him and later host him on FDL Movie Night, but to John anyone who actually does anything creative–whether it's about him or or ...



Add a dash of attitude with creative adaptations
Asheville Citizen-Times
It's fair to say that living well can mean enjoying both heirloom and everyday furnishings that offer creativity and individuality. ...

and more »


UPI.com

Jonze's new short film debuts online
UPI.com
"'I'm Here' marks an evolution of our longstanding commitment to creativity, and I am incredibly proud to make this film available to a global online ...
I'm Here Readies for Global Online LaunchHeyUGuys.co.uk (blog)

all 30 news articles »

Google News

Index | Site map
2009 VirBooks  Home
PLAE  | Solar System