What fills you up when your having a creative dry spell?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by IndieAdmin on August 17, 2007 at 3:11pm

Hi Christine, this is a great topic, I'm curious to hear what people have to say as well.

What always helps me is to get away from my desk/computer and do something else. It can as simple as heading out to the mall or maybe something more involved like a short vacation out of town.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Christine on August 17, 2007 at 3:25pm

I guess I should answer my own question. If just getting up and walking away from the task that seems to be giving me fits isn't enough or I just can't even get started first I try some yoga. I may just need to get my blood moving. If that's not doing it I go to my local Whole Foods and give myself a treat, something like fresh Raspberries and my favorite spring water. If that doesn't do it then I either window shop for books on Amazon or indiespiration (I just made that word up, like it?) on Etsy.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by humblebeads on August 17, 2007 at 4:23pm

when i'm feeling really drained of ideas, I grab a few of my favorite catalogs/design magazins, scisssors, glue stick and my notebook. I go through cutting out patterns and colors that catch my eye. After I have a pile, I start pairing things together and creating groups. They get glued into my book and then I start sketching and taking notes. New ideas are bound to pop up every time I do it.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Gwen Rogers on August 17, 2007 at 4:29pm

I like to get out and travel to a local yarn shop or local fabric shop. Even if I don't purchase, being around all of those colors and textures rejuvenates my creative spirit. If I can't get out at that particular moment, at least viewing yarns and fabrics online acts as a substitute. But truly, I like to get out there and feel everything!

Good topic!

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Travel Turtle on August 17, 2007 at 7:58pm

Great question. I have more dry spells than anything else, so I usually just try not to think of anything that would be considered "creative" for a little bit. I might watch a movie, go outside, read. I do tend to read a lot.

If I need to be creative because I'm on a time crunch, I will look at a list of ideas and things that I have saved in my online and paper "stuff I want to think about some other time" folders. I also look at art in my art book from college. Or I'll go to a bookstore and look at all the How-To books.

One thing that always works whenever I'm in a funk of any kind, is having a nice one on one talk session with a good friend, usually over coffee or tea.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by the bridal wishlist on August 17, 2007 at 8:13pm

i almost always take a trip to barnes and noble, target, or ikea. the visual details in these three places moves me.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by naomi searl on August 18, 2007 at 9:50am

Probably doing nothing at all related to creativity, like going on my early morning and evening walks, spending time in my flower beds, just looking through magazines, reading, watching movies, going for drives in the country, etc.
For me dry spells usually follow an intense time of creativity, so, I don't really panic any more over them, I rather see them as being necessary and healthy for my creativity.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Meredith Tilley on August 18, 2007 at 5:57pm

When I get in a design funk I clean my work area. I'l straighten up the desk, and put away all that stuff that tends to pile up on it, organize my supplies, file papers, etc. It never fails that I'll find beads and supplies I'd put away and forgot I'd bought, sketches that had gotten tossed in a pile and forgotten. Usually just handling the materials without any expectations will prompt some sort of creative response for me.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Katherine on July 4, 2008 at 9:41pm

I wholeheartedly agree with this one!!! It makes me so anxious to create, ,it is rediculous! Now, if it would just stay clean, maybe more would get done!

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sam on August 18, 2007 at 6:17pm

I go fabric shopping, or ribbon shopping, or bead shopping, or thrifting... new materials always help me to get new ideas. Or I head over to craftster, because there's always plenty of inspiration!

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Fabletoo on August 19, 2007 at 8:17pm

I always listen to music when I work as well as to NPR on the internet and This American Life - get some good ideas from there.

But the big inspiration for me is just outside my front door. Bangkok, Thailand - an unbelievable city where the weird and wonderful becomes normal when you've been here as long as I have. I get daily inspiration from this!

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by mzkitty on August 20, 2007 at 9:15pm

take the 100 theme challenge!

http://clubs.sheezyart.com/100_Theme_Challenge/

▶ Reply to This

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5