☆ My Creative Process [Summer of Greatest Hits]

Tweet

I hope you are enjoying my Greatest Hits series! This is because I am taking January off + I am currently reading a book, sleeping on the couch, swimming at the pool, or painting in the studio....

These are the posts that have inspired, helped, motivated + encouraged my readers. How do I know this?

Because you told me. In emails, comments or links.


Enjoy....

☆ ☆ ☆

Catching Mermaids

Creativity + the process of creating is a very personal experience. 

And I don't believe there is one right way to create. 

Your process will be different to mine, and different again to the next persons. 

When I believed that I wasn't good enough to be an artist, I was fascinated to read about artist's + their creative process.

I was hoping that one of their stories would trigger a creative response in me. That theirs would be the way, that would allow me to tap into my creativity once again.

What I didn't realise until much later, was that my creative process, would be so individualised to me, that in reading others stories, although there were super inspiring, they wouldn't help me to unlock my creativity. 

They did however keep sparking something inside me that would eventually grow into LilliBean Designs. And it helped me realise that:

Inspiration is every where, and can strike at anytime.

My muses are absolutely my three girls. Their imagination sparks mine all the time. But there are other inspirations, books are another huge inspiration for me, music lyrics, a pattern on the wall from the tree outside, fashion magazines, kids books, manga, a half over heard conversation, a shape of a leaf.

Anything is open to interpretation. 

Princess + the Pea

To capture these wisps of creativity, I have learnt to keep notebooks laying around the house, in my purse, in the car....

{My name is Kirstin + I have a stationary addiction}

But it means that I will never again have an awesome idea, but forget about it in the rush of life.

So, when Bean said off hand one day, 'mama, I am going to get my fishing rod + catch a mermaid.' I wrote it down + the painting above was born.

Most of the time I have an image in my head that I want to paint. I can't see all the details, but the figure, the surround, the general placement of items. Like the 'Princess + the Pea' painting I did earlier this year. This painting I knew from the very start how it would look.

But it took years before I had the confidence or the skill to attempt this painting! 

There are times when I play in my art journal, that I haven't a clue what I am going to create. I just jump in + play. 

Like everyone, I have periods of down time, when I am feeling uninspired, feeling blocked or needing to recharge.

I have learnt to give myself permission to have a break. To sit on the couch + read a good book. To watch a movie. Or watch six seasons of Supernatural back to back. 

Sometimes though, the block is stubborn + I need to actively re-inspire myself. 

In the end, my creative process is different for each painting.

But the one thing that is common to every single painting?

Showing up.

Coming into the studio every day, opening up a fresh page + laying down some paint.

What about you? What is key in your creative processes? I would love to hear your stories.

Tweet