4 ways to make your own creative space
If you have found me, chances are, you love to draw and/or illustrate. With so many art forms out there, one of the most amazing things about drawing is that it is accessible to everyone; you don’t need a kiln, crane, gigantic workspace or expensive paints and canvasses to get into drawing and make amazing things. All you need is a pencil, some paper... and creative space.
When I say ‘Creative Space’, I refer to the combination of physical and mental space we all need to make amazing things. Creative space plays a very important role in the creative process, though it's often one of the most overlooked ingredients.
Many of us may have inspiration galore and materials for days, yet somehow we are not finding the time or motivation to make what we would like to. Do you struggle to get started, or keep going with your creative pursuits? Chances are you are in need of some creative space. In this blog post, I’m going to share my top 4 favourite tips for making a creative space of your own.
A space of one’s own
When it comes to being creative, you’re going to have to ignore everything you learnt about sharing as a child, because what you need more than anything is a space that is entirely yours. Even if this space is a 1m2 piece table that no one is allowed to touch. Practically, almost anyone can find a 1m2 space within their home to make their own creative space. But to do so, we first need to introduce the idea that our creativity is allowed to take up space, literally. Many of us live in small spaces or share our homes and time with work, to do’s, partners and/or families. Making your own private creative space within a shared or tiny home may seem bold, luxurious, or simply not doable. Though trust me, it is, and it makes all the difference.
Just imagine having a little spot that is just yours and is always there, ready and waiting for you to create. A space that has nothing to do with work, admin, family or your partner. A space where you collect all the things that inspire you and shiny things that catch your eye. A space where you can relax into creativity and curiosity at the end of a hard day, or when you have a few spare hours because it is always ready and waiting. Imagine if your creativity and inspiration were a physical place you could visit. Well, that would be kind of amazing wouldn’t it! Don’t worry, you can tell your partner not to talk to you if you’re sitting in that spot, push notifications can be turned off, and the bedroom is a surprisingly great place to make a creative space too. So, now we know you can have a creative space of your own, where would you like your creative space to be?
2. Rituals are not just for witches
With daily life demanding everything from us all at the same time, it’s no surprise that many of us struggle to get into a creative mindset. To create we need to switch from an alert and multitasking mindset, into a relaxed, creative and focussed state. In short, we need to be present to create. So, with life chomping at our heels, how do we make the switch from being the alert multitester to being the creator? The answer is rituals.
Which rituals are great for getting into a creative mindset? Pretty much anything that relaxes the body and brain and makes you feel nice and grounded. This can be meditation, journaling, a nature walk or a nice relaxing yoga practice before you start. It can also be calmly preparing a snack you love and making a nice pot of loose leaf tea for yourself, organizing your creative space or even something as simple as lighting a candle and naming your intention at the beginning of your practice. Rituals are deeply personal and there are no rights or wrongs, the idea is that you take the time to do something that helps you relax and get comfortably present before you get started (or get started wondering why you can’t get into the flow :).
3. Make your wifi work for you
It’s time to talk about the big demanding elephant in the room: our smartphones. In an ideal world, all of us would just switch off our phones, sit down and lose ourselves in our creative space. But in reality, most of us find it hard enough to switch off our phones at weddings and funerals, let alone when we are drawing. So, if these devices are here to stay, how can we make them work for us, instead of against us?
Personally, I have never been able to focus very well in a completely quiet space. And as we get more and more used to input and interruptions from technology, a lot of you are joining me. In fact, I have always worked while listening to a podcast, music or even “watching” a documentary on my laptop while drawing. This is also a great way to get your focus away from any unwelcome inner dialogue about what you are making. It’s also a perfect way to find new inspiration and learn a few things while you are at it (though it's totally okay if you are not totally focused). Apps such as Spotify, Audible and Headspace offer many new ways to relax, learn and enjoy stories while creating. Your phone can in fact make your creative process even better, it just needs to be managed.
Here’s my personal guild:
• Do’s: podcasts, audiobooks, playlists and documentaries
• Say goodbye to: Emails, All push notifications (other than those from people that depend on you for care). Yep, that includes your boss, partner, apps and that group chat you can’t get out of, everyone can wait.
4. Community
Finding a creative community is an amazing way to stay motivated, supported and inspired. It broadens your creative space from being just you and where you work to a whole new creative community.
Although drawing and illustration are typically solo pursuits, nothing beats sharing inspiration, tips, and your interests with others. With Covid Lockdown these communities have gone more and more online. As we all know you can browse for inspiration on Pinterest and Doodle Addicts and find like-minded creatives to connect with. You can also follow individual artists on Instagram and get in touch with other creatives around the world. But when it comes to creating a supportive community, nothing beats coming together at a set time each week and sharing your process, inspiration and progress. This is exactly why I started to teach Drawing & Concept online; to make creative space and community available to everyone. I highly recommend finding a creative class to become a part of, preferably one that is interactive, so you can get to know other students and really create a new live community. Drawing classes are for all levels, so even if you have ample experience following classes is a great way to get even stronger and find a new creative community. Looking for a creative community? Check out our classes & workshops. Whatever you choose, I hope this article helped you to create a little more creative space for yourself :)