Creative campfire

Often we creatives think we should work alone. We grew up learning about original thinkers who worked in relative isolation. There is another side to this story.

Scientists realized creativity developed before or with language when primitive humans began to gather in collectives that shared their experiences, often around a fire. This even started before learning how to start fires. These people would find naturally caused blazes, carry a spark, as in a burning branch, and create a fire to cook from, after learning cooked food was better by happening on animals which had been crisped. If you are interested in learning more about this, I recently read The Origins of Creativity by Edward O. Wilson.

Also, after reading the biography, Leonardo Da Vinci by Walter Isaacson, I gathered some other insights about creative genius. Leonardo often created work when in a studio setting with a variety of different artists. His notebooks appear to be individual works, but much of his painting was done in a group setting. Often, other artists worked on his pieces and on some he lay the framework for others to add color then occasionally added some of his own brushwork. The master left much of his work unfinished and never delivered some commissions.

Both these books are informative. Reading about the process of others is intriguing. Leonardo is one of the most celebrated and admired creatives of all time, and tracing creativity back to its beginnings is rewarding.

When hoping to take creative work to a higher level, critique groups, clubs, associations, workshops, and even online organizations can help a person improve. Sharing creations with a variety of people, if only an audience teaches how to gain interest in what is produced.

So find a place to create communally and share. It will improve creative skills immensely.

As a prompt, take a finished or current project, allow others to comment on it and see if it leads to ideas for improvement or further works.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit to Haphazard Creative. It is always my hope to inspire or encourage the creative journey. There is a follow button, or come back often. Be careful and remember smiles light lives.

The secret of sales

The title may not sound like it involves creativity, but as I stated elsewhere, creativity is a part of all we do. Also, I am going to relate it to your creative products so please continue.

This is not from a book, though I read many books, this is out of my head and my experience, as is everything I post here.

If you have created something, you put your heart and soul into, make sure you value it. Look at it, touch it, get to know it, not just as the creator, but someone who appreciates it as something beautiful, something of worth. Fall in love with that thing, but not so much you cannot part with it if you are selling it.

Present it in the very best way possible, let your love for the object guide you, or if it is writing, do what you can to accent the text in ways that will make a person want it. With a textual description make it as inviting as if you were there talking to the buyer. If you are selling, your love and enthusiasm are what will invite someone to take it. They will want your experience, your feelings, your passion.

If you are selling person to person, it is also essential that you take time to make yourself most presentable, because as much as you are selling love for the object, you are making an impression as someone to score it from. The more they value you, the more they will be willing to pay.

Then there is the person to whom you are potentially selling, you must at that time make them the most important person in your world. You have to love them, not like romantically, just love that flows out positively.

If you are not personally involved with the object and the person it will come across that this is just another thing and they are just a stranger you have to talk to today.

I could go on with this, but this should prime your brain. Sales are not hard, you just have to involve your heart in the game.

For a prompt describe something you have created with enough love that someone would go out of their way to buy it from you.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit here. I certainly appreciate you reading. There is a follow button, or you may come back. Sorry, I have been a while getting up a post, sometimes life intervenes. Take care and be safe.

Creative block

Creative block is sometimes experienced, and at these times, often hard to overcome. It can postpone productive work for long periods. There are ways to avoid it. These may not be clear in the midst of the experience, but perhaps some preparation will assist.

There are times when time is set aside for creation, and it gets postponed or interrupted by some of life’s happenings and emergencies. Other times procrastination sets in. These things arise inevitably. Such is the beginning of a habit that becomes ingrained. An hour is put off because of some urgent event, then a day, then a week, then months pass. This cycle must be stopped early. The voluntary action it begins with becomes a mental habit that is hard to defeat.

Whenever there is an urge to work creatively, it should be heeded as soon as is possible to arrange. If some time has passed and avoidance is an entrenched mental habit the only way to break out is to face the blank page, canvas, surface, media and stay with it until work begins. This takes patience and dedication because there will be resistance. The mind, the hands, the body will try to escape, the impulse to leave and do something other will be overwhelming, but to become a functioning creative again there must be a beginning, a will to bring something new into the world. At this point, the output may not be desirable, but with renewed practice, expertise will return.

It is the mind that creates the roadblocks after it is encouraged by poor time management and prioritization. Creative time must be guarded and planned just as appointments and events, though there should always be leeway for spontaneous creation. Sometimes it is a matter of not wanting to work because of discomfort with the product or simple resistance. When these problems present, getting busy despite the critical inner voice is necessary.

Block can be overcome, it can be disarmed and sent packing, but it takes an act of will and determination to go on without compromise. Nothing great is ever created without putting in the time with the tools. It is unavoidable.

Maybe this will help with the struggle. The monster is real, but it is usually of the creative’s making. What is in mind cannot be realized without hours of dedication to working.

As a prompt, look around the current environment and select an item, tell its story, either in truth or make up a tale. If an artist, tell the story in some medium.

Thank you for visiting Haphazard Creative. There is a follow button, or come back often. I know a bit about the beast under discussion. Should there be questions or thoughts, please leave a comment or fill out the contact form. Take care and be safe.

Poetic form – Acrostic

2017-09-01 Do Art Now

Artwork created Friday, September 1, 2017

Most of us have done acrostic puzzles, but some may not realize it is also a poetic form. Often it is used to write about a person, event, or thing. The letters are written vertically down the page, each becoming the first letter of the respective line. Often the letters are capitalized at the beginning of each line. The lines are written out to create a poem.

The line: Do art now, will be the starter of this example.

Do Art Now!

Do you have any idea,
Original thought to lead you?

Are you stumbling in creative darkness?
Remember you have power in this place
That is unlimited by time or space.

Never underestimate your talents, gifts,
Over a lifetime you have employed them
With results, some might never imagine.

This could be continued, but an acrostic typically ends when one runs out of letters. Name acrostics are often done for special occasions, like birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, promotions, and to celebrate relationships.

Give it a try. The form is actually rather simple to complete. The lines do not have to have enjambment, which is where one continues into the next, some might stand alone.

Thank you for visiting Haphazard Creative. There is a follow button which may be used to ensure posts are never missed, or there is the option of returning often. May inspiration and encouragement abound in all life’s moments. Stay safe and take care.

Affirmation

You are a gift from the hand of the Creator…
Be aware of your importance…

In all places, times, persons, there has never been another exactly like you. You are a wonder and treasure. You have gifts, talents, thoughts, ideas, expressions, and emotions that are entirely remarkable. There is a purpose to your existence.

You are a perfect manifestation of the love of God. You have power and worth. Your ability to create is unlimited. You are a blessing. You have no neediness or wantingness, for all abundance continually accrues toward you.

You are beautiful for you are a creature made in God’s own image. You are an eternal being of love. Your actions and words are right and good. You have no reason to fear.

Love flows from you into the world, changing lives. You inspire others to reach for their higher selves. They see their greatness reflected in your eyes and your actions toward them.

Every day you become more. You are always growing into the person you want to be. You are aware and awake to whom you are. God inhabits your world and you personally. With this unity, you can do miracles.

You are sure of your competence and of God. The light and love of the Savior infuse you. You are vastly talented, supremely creative because that is who you are.

You may notice this is from one of my prompts that I shared. Originally written in the first person it was also set in color.

I hope you will think of how precious you are and how great influence you may have on the world through the use of your creative talents.

Thank you so much for visiting Haphazard Creative, please use the follow button or come back often. You are welcome to leave your comments and share something you created here. Spend your days as much as possible, creating what will move the world. Take care.