How To Stay Creative All the Time

Everyone always asks me “how do you put out so much art” or “how do you stay so creative” 

The truth is… It's probably not what you think. 

We forget that creativity is not only limited to just artists and designers. Creativity transcends a lot of industries and mediums. Engineers, architects, Human resources people all have to come up with creative solutions to the problems at hand. A lot of scientists were creative in their thinking of theories and new advancements in science. 

Creativity is problem-solving at its roots. Those roots help us to both create and to get creative about what we want to do. Whether it's selling more prints or to figure out what to write in a blog post.

Creativity is the swiss army knife used not just for the arts 

While this article will help a lot of artistic creatives you may be able to take away something from this even if you aren't picking up gouache paints or the apple pencil.  

Get off of pinterest 

• Let's be honest with ourselves, how many times are you ready to sit down and draw/ design and the first thing you open is Pinterest? Hey don't worry I am guilty of this too.

• Getting inspired is not the same as putting pen to paper. A lot of times we think by looking for inspiration we are putting in the work. I don't know about you but sometimes it doesn't do much for me. Before this mindset shift, I would spend a lot of time just scrolling looking for the right art to inspire me and now I rarely go on mostly because I know what I'm looking for is not out there. What I'm looking for is within myself already.

• Nowadays if I need a reference I am looking for real pictures of animals, anatomy, and nature. I then add my own creative touch from there. Also allowing yourself to experiment with those references can lead to some amazing discoveries. 

• Ask any artist, poet or professional illustrator what their secret to creativity is and they will tell you to get off of the internet and get inspired in other ways.

Let the Mind Wander

• This is both a creativity hack and a ‘getting out of a creative rut’ hack.

• Letting your mind wander can be one of the best ways to get your creative mind brewing. This is called Divergent thinking. Divergent thinking is when we have an open-ended question with multiple right answers, it allows us to come up with multiple ways to solve the problem.

• Ways to activate Divergent thinking. 

  • Take a Walk with some music - This is my favorite creative tool (Other than Gratitude) when I get into a creative rut I take the pup out for a walk. Walking forces me to not look at anything and just be in my mind. Walking forces me to look at the finer details in the neighborhood and the surrounding spaces. 

Exercise? YES Excercise

• Some of my best ideas have come from a great gym session or a run on the treadmill. When we are not focused on the problem at hand and let the body do its own thing we simultaneously allow the body to release energy and in turn put in new thoughts and actions.

• Similar to walking, I am able to let go and let the environment guide my thinking. As a creative who also sells products I also get to notice what people are wearing to the gym, what’s on their water bottles, what kind of patches are on their hats, and how people like to express themselves. 

Make ugly things 

• This one may come as a shock to you but I made some pretty ugly things! While I may never show them to the world, they are my release in a world that wants only polished work.

• I get to release that need in a sketchbook that I use. When we let go of the need to always be polished and intentional we let our innermost thoughts take the wheel. It is there where small sparks of creativity find their way out. It is in these moments where we find our humanity because at the end of the day nobody's perfect and no one is as polished as Instagram makes it out to be. 

Read - Reading is what? ESSENTIAL - RUPAUL

Michael Beirut, Graphic designer, and professor at the Yale school of design said it best,

“ a good designer is a good reader”

But I hate reading Brayan!!! Boo hooo. Let's get real. Reading is essential, or whatever Ru Paul said.

I'm going to separate these into fiction and non-fiction 

Ways reading fiction helps you 

1. It allows you to paint mental images in your head 

2. It builds worlds for you to create on pen and paper. 

3. It shows you how authors build worlds and characters 

4. Connects you to feel things that you didn't know were there 

   Ways reading non-fiction helps you 

   1. Personal development wakes your mind better making your creative proactive better 

   2. Lots of books on productivity, mental health, habits, and experiences of your own.

   3. Biographies of other artists show you how they got to where they are and how you can move the needle in that direction. 

   4. Expand your knowledge of the world.

   5. Figure out issues you're passionate about and want to use your art to bright light to.

LETS RECAP

1. Get off of Pinterest and get inspired in other ways

2. Let the mind wander

3. Exercise

4. Make some ugly ass things

5. Reading is What? ESSENTIAL

Never forget to take it slow and make lots and lots of things

Peace love and YAMZ - BRAYAN