The Creative Brick Wall- How to Get Over a Creative Slump

The Creative Brick Wall- How to Get Over a Creative Slump By Heather Green

Regardless of where I am painting, whether its NY, Sydney, or Amsterdam certain designs are always highly requested. Spiderman, Butterflies and anything Frozen inspired top the list. I have painted them so much I can probably paint them in my sleep. The problem with repetition is that its easy to get in a slump.

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Hang in there..

I remember painting for the butterfly festival and naturally everyone wanted a butterfly design. By the end of the event I never wanted to paint another butterfly. Wouldn’t you know my next two parties during the weekend were also fairy butterfly themed. I decided to embrace the butterfly weekend and get as creative as possible. I painted every type of butterfly, in every color and by the end of the weekend I was truly proud of some of the designs I came up with. Since I had been busting out awesome butterflies all weekend I went in the studio to create a new tutorial on one of the butterfly designs. I started painting and everything, every line, every stroke just wasn’t working. Lia was so patient with me as I painted, then cleaned off her face and painted again and finally just gave up. I went home with my sketch book and I was a desert. I just couldn’t paint, sketch or come up with anything I liked.

The next day wasn’t better. I tried browsing on Pinterest, I searched all my inspiration folders and still I was drawing a blank. I started realizing I was in a creative funk. Its impossible to have a perfect creative day every day. Our moods directly effect outcomes on a daily basis. When we are overtired, cranky and stressed its hard to channel your positive energy to be creative. When you are in a good mood, ideas flow seamlessly and you tend to be more productive.

So the question is HOW DO YOU JUMP OVER A CREATIVE BRICKWALL?

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An awesome post from Pinterest

 

 

I found this post on Pinterest and printed it off. I found it so interesting because I saw first hand how changing the slightest thing in your life can impact you in a significant way. For example, every morning I drive to Starbucks order my iced latte and head home. One day during one of my cranky moods and feeling a little trapped by the brick wall, I decided to load my baby in the stroller and walk to Starbucks.

My little Greenbean
My little Greenbean

It must have been the change in scenery or the fresh air, but before I knew it my creative juices were flowing again.

Once we arrived at Starbucks, I was in such a good mood I decided to treat three people to their morning cup of Joe. I sat at Starbucks and enjoyed my latte and watched as they gave out free drinks courtesy of me. I could literally see how the free coffee changed someones whole day. The three people that won the coffee lotto that day smiled from ear to ear, and seeing their reaction sparked even more ideas a possibilities.

Creative ideas don’t only stem from art or pictures. They are stimulated by feelings, nature, personal interactions and human emotions. So when you are in your mood, feeling blue, take yourself out of your comfort zone and try something totally new. IMG_0056

If you spend hours searching butterflies on Facebook, try searching cooking recipes. One of the best ways to learn about improving your technique is to follow and learn from people who are successful at it. Most food blogs lure you in with the appetizing pictures of the food. Watch the angels and lighting in which they shoot the food, study how they position the colors and plate the meals. All those attention to details will help you when you are shooting your next designs, or when you are motivated to re create your business card.

Albert Einstein once said “The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over and expecting different results.”. So if you are feeling stuck, or find yourself starring at a brick wall, take a walk, watch a documentary, pick up a magazine you have never seen before and try something new. Our minds crave new information  feed your mind and use that energy to break through the brick wall.

<3 <3 Happy Painting

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