Model Nikki Fuego shot for the Heavy Hitters Fight Calendar. © aguirre photography

Although most think creativity is a fickle mistress, I’ve had enough experiences to know that sometimes all it takes is patience to get the results you’re after. Sure some days you’re going to be full of ideas while other days you’re creative brain my feel duller than a Carrot Top performance. There’s a lot of factors that could affect your “flow” and here’s 5 to watch out for.

1. Working on projects only when you feel like it
I wonder what life would be like if pilots, surgeons and bus drivers only worked when they felt like it? If you’re only working on projects on days you feel like it, it’s a pretty sure bet you’re limiting your time and focus. If being creative is your job, that means you turn up to work just like everyone else.

“Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up.”
—Chuck close, Painter

“An artist’s career is a series of peaks and valleys—and I enjoy both equally.”
—Rocky Schenck, Photographer

2. Work only if you’re getting paid
The more successful you are the more important it is to remember to work on your personal projects. Even if you feel it’s taking time away from paying gigs, working on projects that are exciting and close your heart will pay off. It will feed you inspiration and ideas that you can use to enhance your paying work as well as keep you motivated. Think of it as investment in yourself.

3. Limiting the scope of your work
If your creations are based on one subject or medium, your work risks getting stale. Don’t be afraid to try new ideas or directions. It could be as simple as a different format, medium, color palettes, etc. The great thing about being creative is it allows you the freedom to explore and experiment. Make sure to take advantage of it.

4. Not keeping a sketchbook
Your sketchbook is like a forgiving friend who you can share all your unedited ideas, notes, sketches, etc. It’s like a brainstorming session because when you brainstorm, there are no bad ideas. I can’t express how important it is to have box, book, file or sketchbook to store all your great inspirations and ideas.

5. Becoming a couch potato
It’s easy to get sucked into this season’s new shows and episodes. Some studies have suggested that watching television can have an adverse effect on a person’s creativity. I’m not sure how true that is, but I do know that it can easily suck hours, weeks and years of your life that you’ll never get back if you let it. Not becoming a couch potato is more of personal opinion as I found that the less television I watched, the more productive I became. It had nothing to do with TV sucking my creativity into some void. I suddenly found myself with all this extra time from not watching TV which motivated me to do more interactive activities like: visiting with friends an having actual conversations, writing, getting out more and getting inspired with new ideas for projects. (Just to name a few). Program your brain, not the TV!

cartoon by Hugh Macleod. © gapingvoid.com

After reading Hugh Macleod’s book, Ignore Everybody and 39 Keys to Creativity the one point that really seemed to stick with me was his Sex and Cash Theory. Put simply it’s:

“The creative person basically has two kinds of jobs: One is the sexy, creative kind. Second is the kind that pays the bills. Sometimes the task in hand covers both bases, but not often. This tense duality will always play center stage. It will never be transcended.”

In a nutshell, don’t quit your day job. There’s examples in the book of photographers, coders and writers who work for the faceless corporations to survive (cash) and get all their personal works done on their free time (sex).

“This tense duality will always play center stage. It will never be transcended.” As soon as you accept this, I mean really accept this, for some reason your career starts moving ahead faster. I don’t know why this happens. It’s the people who refuse to cleave their lives this way- who just want to start Day One by quitting their current crappy day job and moving straight on over to best-selling author… Well, they never make it. — Hugh Mcleod,

I’m buying into this theory more and more. After quitting my day job to get more creative freedom, it seems I’m working harder and longer trying to make my cash which leaves me little time to get my sex (creativity) on.

I was at the bookstore and stumbled onto James Jean’s, “Hugs and Kisses” (postcard book) and was floored that I’d missed his work up to now. He’s a huge talent who’s work has been featured in museums, shows and even Prada fabrics. I couldn’t get enough of his hauntingly delicate and dreamy style.

You can see more of his work at jamesjean.com and follow his blog at www.processrecess.com

Wendy's date. Photograph by Susana Raab. © Susana Raab

In the midst of my own struggle, the quote below via MIAD-FA382 came across my screen at a serendipitous time.

What is the best advice you can give to a photographer who is struggling to find their voice?

Well if it wasn’t a struggle to find one’s own voice, what would be the point? Struggle is good! I think it helps to be an independent thinker. Be sure of yourself and your intention. Read and read more. The struggle is what makes it worth doing—what gives your voice meaning.

—Susana Raab

Change the word, “Photographer” to any creative field and it still applies.

Check out more of Susana Raab’s work here: www.susanaraab.com

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