Monday, September 28, 2009

Overcoming Creative Blocks

Do you ever sit in front of your blank canvas (or other support) for hours, just staring at it because you aren't sure how to begin? Or, do you get "stuck" halfway through a project and sit back to ponder it? Many times I will sit and analyze my painting, trying to figure out what to do next, or how to start. There have been times when I have sat there for a couple of hours, just debating what I should do.

Let me share a little experience with you: My husband is getting his MBA and consequently spends hours on the computer working on large, complicated projects. There are times when he gets stuck and can't figure out how to move forward. One particular problem stumped him quite sufficiently so that he eventually decided to give up and work on it later. He left the computer and began doing something else. He was gone from the computer no more than 20 minutes when he stopped doing whatever he was distracting himself with and raced back to the computer. He had figured out how to solve his problem.

Often, our art is very similar to my husband's experience. If I get stumped, I will often leave my easel and engage myself in doing some other productive activity (not watching television or checking email). Usually, the answer to my problem will come to me within a short period of time.

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