Creative Blocks

Have you ever experienced a creative block?
I was in the process of working on some sketch ideas for a composition involving a wood mouse with pine cones and acorns when I just couldn’t…I just couldn’t bring myself to draw. I figured I needed a break because I understand that as an artist this happens at times but this has been going on for three weeks now and I’m struggling to create. I haven’t been drawing and have little desire to do so. Fortunately I had a few line drawings made out on art cards stashed away from a year ago that over the past week I’ve been able to at least bring myself to start inking. I used to kick myself for starting drawings that I don’t finish but now I see the benefit of that; I may have moments just like this, where I have a creative block and can’t bring myself to draw to work on a new project. Having something that has already been drawn up and just needs to be inked allows me to bring myself out of my slump without taxing what little creative juice I have.
This is one of the pieces I had stashed away from some time ago. I haven’t done any figure drawings in a while so I thought the change might be helpful. So far I got the background finished, which actually is my favorite part to ink, but I still have yet to come up with a name for this. I was inking it while listening to a podcast on the necessity of art and beauty from a Catholic perspective where the discussion turned to Mary Magdalene and now it’s stuck in my head to call it “Before Magdala” or something like that. It’s just a working title but I do like the idea of calling in Magdala. Anywho, have you ever experienced a creative block and if so, what are some things you do to get out of it?

Old Art New Life

“Moon and Stars” mandala design

I have a lot of old artwork and designs neatly stacked in various places in my room. Some of it is stuff I did for myself, some was just practice and others is stuff left over from projects I’m no longer doing, like my designs for the linocut carvings I used to make.

I have a folder full of these designs that I was thumbing through the other day and I got to wondering if there was anything else I could do with them. My first thought was turning them into coloring sheets but then I got to thinking about inking them and making prints. The old work I had in mind are two of my favorite carving designs, a “Moon and Stars” mandala and a “Sun” mandala. Both at their original size are 12×12 so this would probably be a long term project for the future but I feel I need a couple of long term projects on my art to-do list to work on in between smaller projects. Plus it might be fun breathing new life into old work, which is new for me. I’ve seen other artists repurpose old work or just redo it. I’ve always been the kind that keeps moving forward but maybe there’s something to gain from taking an old design or work of art and seeing if you can make it better or come up with something more interesting. What are your thoughts on artists redoing or re-purposing old artwork? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. 🙂

“Sun” mandala design

“Moon and Stars” linocut carving.

“Sun” linocut carving

Creating For Self

For some time now I’ve had this bag of beads just sitting on my shelf collecting dust and taking up space. I can’t recall how I obtained this bag of beads, all I know is that it was there and so, I figured I should probably do something with them. Departing from my usual activities to unwind, (listening to music or watching Netflix), I took the bag of beads off the shelf, sat in the middle of my floor and spent the next five hours beading. I had nothing particular in mind but with a few internet searches and some color coordination, I pulled together a few designs that were to my liking. It was nice to just sit and create something without being concerned about profit or productivity. Oddly enough, my husband popped his head into my room, saw what I was making, thought they were cool and reflexively asked, “Are you selling those?” (He asks this whenever I make something.) “No. That hadn’t crossed my mind.” I replied. “You should.” he responded before disappearing back into the hall while closing the door behind him. I thought about for a minute, maybe I should but after finishing the six pieces I created, I realized that deep down I just wanted to create something for myself for a change, something that I had no intentions on selling. Creativity doesn’t always have to offered to the gods of profit.

Hand Drawn Love

Would you rather for someone to make you something or go out and buy you something?
That’s the thought that crossed my mind when I sat down to get ready to start on a new ACEO drawing when it occurred to me that my grandmother’s birthday was coming up and I forgot to get her a card. So instead of working on a new drawing I grabbed some walnut cream cardstock I had lying around and got to hashing out this simple birthday card. Ideas for the little illustrations I gathered from Pinterest but everything is completely hand drawn. It’s nothing too fancy or elaborate because, well, at 94 my grandmother can’t see too well. But I’m hoping she likes it.
Overall, the question still stands, if you had to choose, which would you prefer as a gift, something that someone took the time to make for you or something someone went out and bought for you?

Learn Your Craft

“When you go after Ciroc vodka and Phat Farm and all that sh*t, God walks out of the room. I have never in my life made music for money or fame…No way. God walks out of the room when you’re thinking about money. You could spend a million dollars on a piano part and it won’t make you a million dollars back. That’s just not how it works….You’ve got to respect the gift God gave you by learning your craft.”
~ Quincy Jones

Some words I found to be inspiring from an amazing music producer that I think can be applied to any creative craft.