Getting Through Creative Blocks
Creative Constipation is the best way I know how to describe it. I have so many ideas and creative energy inside that wants to get out, but I can’t seem to be able to move it or get into any kind of flow/rhythm. Working on paintings when I feel this way only results in me feeling lost and frustrated. When painting, I don’t seem to know how to focus on one thing (idea) at a time, and there’s is very little I’m happy with…if anything. Nothing seems to work.
It’s never any fun spending a day in the studio painting and when leaving you feel like you’ve accomplished nothing or even that you’ve ruined what you already had. It all seems so uncomfortable and useless and I’m not able to get anything accomplished during any painting sessions. Why?
Why Is This Happening?
It might be because my Grandma recently passed away (we were very close). Or it might be because I’ve been focused on getting this website up and running plus starting this journal practice. Or maybe just because it’s summer, lol. Or it could be a combination of all of the above. Regardless of the reason, what do I do about it? How do I get passed it?
What I did?
So instead of spending my time going around and around in circles adding layer after layer of paint and not getting anywhere I decided to try something different.
Keeping things simple has really been appealing to me recently. Because of this I thought going back to basics might help, so I started experimenting with line sketching and I think I'm onto something.
Working in sketch books and on my tablet takes away the pressure of finishing a painting. It keeps things fluid and way less precious allowing me to move on to the next one if it’s not working.
By removing the complication of colour and value, essentially, (only dealing with two colours and two values) has simplified the process considerably (I’ve always struggled with colour). The simplicity of the process is allowing me to focus on shapes, texture and composition.
The Result
It’s amazing to me how many new ideas are emerging! By limiting my colours and values simplifies things tremendously and is allowing me to focus on finding colours that I really enjoy seeing next to each other.
By using large bold shapes enables me to be able to change the colours quickly and more easily if I don’t like them. I generally gravitate towards the more transparent colours but I’m really enjoying the calmness the solid opaque colours are providing.
It also feels really good to feel like I’m accomplishing something during a painting session. Because the compositions, shapes and colours are so direct and simplified the paintings are coming together so much quicker! I’m finding so much enjoyment out of this new process I’m even considering starting a minimalist series using this technique!
I’m discovering…
…that line drawings are a great way to explore shape, form, and composition using simple lines.
I’m loving…
…the bold look and the meditative process. It’s a straight forward process and doesn’t require as much analyzing compared to how I generally work.
