my sketch of the day: just ideas - media: micron 05 black ink pen

“A sketchbook is like a valve, a pressure release system. Instead of weighing things up in my head, I give them a place in my sketchbook.”—Daniel Kluge, Designer

I must confess that it’s been years since I’ve had a sektchbook. Years of creating with a computer has put all that paper and pencil business out of my head for a very long time. On one of my breaks from sitting with my mother at the hospital, I went to a bookstore where I discovered a display of Moleskine sketchbooks. I purchased one to take back to the hospital with me to help pass the time and it turned out to be the best purchase I’ve made all year. Now it goes everywhere with me.

When sketching my focus on the task and subject is so immersive that the world, worries and time just disappear. It’s probably the purest form of living in the moment I can think of. It’s like taking a mini-reprieve or hike in quiet woods. Like most who happen into their passion like sudden car accident, I’m trying to convert (encourage) anyone who’s ever considered a creative project to start sketching, jotting, writing and playing within the pages of their own sketchbook.

I stumbled onto, “Sketchbooks: The Hidden Art of Designers, Illustrators and Creatives” at the bookstore which contained the quote above and the following which pretty much say’s it all for me:

A spread from Richard Bereton's Book: Sketchbooks: The hidden Art of Designers, Illustrators and Creatives

“The familiarity of sketching is a way of grounding myslef. It allows me to retreat from the anxiety of the unknown environment, directing clarity towards a singular object of my choosing, and I can filter out everything else. When traveling I also carry a camera and take photographs, but drawing is something I think about. It has a different personal involvement than the time investment of taking photos”—Andrea Dezö

sketch of the day - coffee shop characters

Whatever your chosen medium or work, everyone has the capacity to be creative. Sometimes getting inspired is the hurdle and other times, staying focused and excited about your project is the challenge.

Managing your motivation means long-term maintenance. Getting inspired can be tough, but once you get the ball rolling consistency and discipline become key. Losing gas half-way through a project can happen to the best of us. These simple solutions might help you keep the creative fire burning but in the end, it’s up to you to find what works best.

Set Goals
Motivation is easiest when you’re accomplishing. Give yourself something to achieve. Setting bite-sized goals is the best approach. This way, your goals are manageable and easy to complete. The more goals you reach, the more motivated you’ll be.

Have a Creative Cave
Having a place set aside for being creative is important. The more you create within your space, the more your mind will click into creative mode whenever you’re there. It’s important to let your family or roommates know that once you’re in your cave, you’re not to be disturbed. Distractions are a sure way to get off track.

Keep a sketchbook or notebook
This one should be a requirement. A sketchbook or notebook is an immediate way to jot down ideas or thoughts. Putting your ideas on paper clears your mind for new ideas. It also serves as a library of ideas you can fall back on when you’re in a dry spell. There’s tons of sketchbooks out there, too. I have a preference for Moleskines because they’re durable and come in a variety of sizes.

Don’t give up
If you’re stuck and feel like throwing in the towel, picture Mick from Rocky yelling for you to, “Keep fightin!”. In other words, don’t quit. If you have to, take a break but make sure you plan to come back for another round. Every project has a solution, some a little harder than others but when it’s tough, quitting should never be an option.

Prime time
Find out when your creativity peaks. Everyone’s mind and body has their own internal schedule for certain functions and creativity is no exception. I feel most creative late at night but some might find the morning better. Find your time and use it to your advantage.

When it comes to creativity, it’s important to get that ball rolling and keep it rolling. I hope you find these suggestions helpful. In the end however, it’s really up to you to decide what works best. The important thing is to start rolling that ball.

Creativity or bust
My job requires me to be creative even on days when I’m not quite feeling it. On those occasions, I need to either jump start my engine or risk losing a paycheck. Unlike most, I believe that creativity can be cultivated, motivated and cajoled and here are a few strategies to do just that:

1. Change your space
There’s no point in drumming your fingers while staring at a blank piece of paper or computer screen. It’s best to just take some time to reset your perspective with new scenery. My locations of choice are bookstores or quick hike or walk with my iPod.

2. Change your tools or medium
Step away from your comfort zone and experiment with different tools. If you do most of your work on a computer, pick up a pencil and draw. If you can’t draw, try interpretive dance, write a poem or take pictures. The point is to get away from your comfort zone so you approach problems in a new way.

3. Chase away your inner critic
Creativity is fueled by experimentation but some of us have an inner critic that keeps us from trying new things. We’re afraid of failure yet a lot of times we need to go through several failures in order to get to that “Aha!” moment. Try to be aware of your meddling, inner critic and shut ‘em down before they pipe up. Remember when brainstorming, there are no bad ideas!

4. Doodle to your favorite music
Doodling alone can be enough to get the engines primed. I find that adding a soundtrack to my scribbles not only add a dimension that inspires visualization, it’s also a great stress reliever. Solutions and fortunes can present themselves in the tangle of swirls and lines, too.

5. Make an inspiration scrabook
While everyone uses their iPhoto application to hold precious family photos of little timmy, I use it to collect any and all inspirational images, color palettes and art I come across on the internet. I also keep a sketchbook of inspiring imagery, designs or colors I’ve torn out of magazines. Any time I look through my collection, I always feel more inspired and creative.

iPhoto is great for collecting an inspirational scrapbook

Now get out there and create!

I had planned to get a lot of work done this last saturday. In the spirit of planning, nothing went as expected. My mother woke up feeling terribly ill and it was another all day trip to the hospital. There’s a horrible pit that settles in my stomach when I want so badly to make her feel better and it’s out of my power to do so.

As she slept with a crease of pain between her brows, all I could do was sit, sketch and wait for her scan results…

Thankfully, after an overnight stay, she woke up feeling refreshed and good enough to go home the very next evening.

I’ve always held to the belief that everyone should find a creative outlet. For me, creativity has always served as an expressive release which leads to an aware and relaxed state of mind. I think most, however believe that creativity requires talent. I think that’s pure nonsense. There are hundreds of famous artist who’s creations are based on expression and not skill. Art is what you make of it for yourself and talent amounts to nothing more than taking the time to work on something whether you’re inspired, skillful or not. The first step is learning that there is no right way.

If you don’t know where to start, this book is a good place:

Drawing for Older Children & Teens A Creative Method for Adult Beginners, too