“Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way.” ~ Edward de Bono

The Creative Slump

Do you find the desire and creativeness comes together all at once and you just have to create an image or photograph elements for the stock library or get out with the camera? Then nothing, that feeling goes "missing in action" and you struggle for ideas. I have many times, it used to frustrate me. Now I recognise the signs and I either go with the flow and step back to re focus (not too long though) OR I work on a few strategies to kick start “me” again. Here are some tips that work for me, hope they can help you "beat the creative blues".

Look for inspiration

◼ For me I find "visually looking" helps clear the brain cells. I will look at various platforms to look for images I like, it could be colour, the elements or background used to create a composite that attracts me.

◼ I also do an exercise where I breakdown the image and make a mental note of what was used ~ for example I saw an image where the artist used a shoe. It gave me an idea for the future. I did not have a photo of a shoe, so I photographed my grandson's Converse shoe, so I could create an image using the shoe.

Get it down on paper

◼ When you have an idea or see an image that inspires you, write it down, putting it pen to paper ( I find using the phone it goes into the black hole and I forget about it. I use a "visual diary" (paper version) to record my ideas, etc and have it sitting on the desk as a reminder helps.

◼ That is what I did for this image, I wrote down the elements I needed, I started to write keywords, such as shoe, water, window, animals and so on (if you can draw why not roughly sketch your idea).

◼ Then I looked in my stock library for elements, the background I could use, what animals did I have photos of. If I didn't have the elements I needed, I wrote it on the page in my "visual diary". Then when the desire to create comes along I look in my visual diary for ideas and inspiration to kick start “me”.

Look in unlikely places

◼ Go and do something else entirely. You will be amazed where new ideas are hiding out. They're often where you would least expect them to be. I will often do a "cut out day", this means I look in my stock library for elements ( I have found some gems) and cut them out ready to use when I need them.

◼ This can help in several ways , you are practising your selections, masking out techniques in Photoshop, as well sometimes a random idea to create an image can happen when you are doing this.

Give yourself permission to play

◼ Life can get in the road of a "creative" work, family commitments the list can go on.

◼ One of the biggest "obstacles" for a creative to create or learn new skills, is not giving yourself time to "play". I know I do. I have bought a tutorial on digital drawing and I keep saying I must watch that, guess what I keep on keeping busy, not feeling it blah blah and I haven't watched. To beat this I have put a reminder in my calendar to watch this video one day/night when I don't have too many commitments on that day and I have given myself a week to watch it. It’s about managing yourself and REMEMBER YOU ARE IMPORTANT TOO !

Stay in the lines (or not)

◼ Colouring is probably one of my favorite ways to combat a work slump. Not only does it reduce anxiety, relieve stress, and increase my focus, it’s also fun and helps a creative mindset. I have a few adult colouring books and a good set of coloured pencils.

◼ Colouring brings you back to childhood, and we all know how imaginative and creative children are. Picking colours that bring the pages to vibrant life is therapeutic. After colouring for just 15 to 20 minutes, I feel re-energized, and I’m ready to start working again. It is just one technique I might use.

Don't be frightened to step away

◼ Sometimes you just have to step away and recognise you aren't feeling it.

◼ I do now, I didn't before and I would try to force myself, even though I was "feeling it". There were times I wanted to create an image and when I started I found ideas did not come to me, I would try and create a composite image and choose a background or a texture then look for elements, but it was not happening. I just was not in the groove. I now step away and do something else, until that feeling comes again.

Don't beat yourself up

◼ Remember being in a creative slump is natural, just roll with it, recognise the signs and try some of these tips to kick start the "creative cells" firing again.

Try this Visual Exercise

Look at the shoe image and see what elements I used to create this image. Then write down your thoughts, ideas, source the elements in your photo stock library.

◼ Think outside the "box" if you don't have an element “where can you photograph one”

◼ Have you photographed waves, I know I have and they have sat in the archives doing nothing. I used one of my wave photos with a bit of tweaking.

◼ And so on

Have fun with this exercise.

“As an artist, you’re like a vehicle on that road. You need fuel.”