Exposure and Experience: 5 tips to be a better creator.

Okay… I’ll be honest with you, I wasn’t very good at creative pursuits 5 years ago. I loved painting and dancing but I wasn’t creative. It took me a while, but I feel that I’ve gotten better, not only technically but also in expressing creatively. While these are mostly related to the visual arts, particularly painting, I believe many of these tips can be applied to any expressive or creative art form, be it performing or even technological innovation.  

1. Physical Exposure is the Key
   Prior to 5 years ago, I had only physically been to a gallery once – to see a Salvador Dali exhibition. Now, I take time out to visit the state gallery whenever an interesting exhibition comes up and I’m always keeping an eye out for interesting paintings that can be found in hallways and foyers. Just as regular reading helps you write better, so too does exposing yourself to a large volume of art help you become a better artist. Viewing the individual brush strokes in Vincent Van Gogh’s works or the meticulous detail in Hokusai’s prints allows us to translate that observation into knowledge that we can utilise in our own creations. This physical experience of art serves to bring forth inspiration and I urge you to seek out paintings whenever you can. Great places to check out besides the fancy galleries are local art and craft markets, museums, libraries, foyers and even thrift stores! Go on and have a look.
2. Change Genres and Styles                                                                               We all have genres and styles that we are drawn, it is unique to us and our interests tend to be a wonderful insight into our personalities. When it comes to ideas, however, branching beyond the comfort zone may prove more fruitful than you would imagine. If you find yourself getting stuck in the same loop of “creativity”, try viewing the matter through a different method or style. If you’re a realistic painter, try some manga-style designs or clear your mind with bizarre and dynamic shapes of abstract art. Compile a Pinterest board of artwork that you love but cannot replicate in your preferred style or delve into the history books for hidden styles. This tip can also be applied to other creative forms such as music or photography, where experience in different aspects of the art form improve you overall.
3. Drastic Differences in Subjects and Mediums                                          Just like the point above, change is the major factor here. There is a huge variety of challenges and exercises present in the online art community, and a lot of them involve forcing oneself to explore in artistic media or subject matter. The immense popularity of the Inktober challenge is a testament to this. As a watercolourist myself, it took a great deal of internal struggle to begin painting in oils – they were so terrifying – and I haven’t looked back since! You never know what medium suits you best if you’ve only used one or two. I personally, look for a decent low-cost set of the new medium and just try it out, keep it stress-free and let the medium guide you. Month long challenges like Inktober and sketchbook challenges like the 100 Heads Challenge, that are always popping up on YouTube, are a great way to get a collective interest in the medium or subject as well as keeping you motivated. Posting to social media (if you’re comfortable of course!) is an amazing tool to keep you on track, see loads of other people’s works and get feedback on new mediums.  
4. Explore Other Forms of Creation                                                                  This may sound strange but I’ve found that knitting has helped me to be more patient with my paintings. Creation tends to be holistic, whether you intend for it to be so. A great example of this was a conversation I had recently, in which I was getting ready to making something using my sewing machine. As I was getting the pieces and parts measured and cut, someone pointed out to me that this was not the first time she had heard of an engineer being proficient in sewing. It was noted that because engineers can see the way individual parts fit together to make a whole item, that skill can be translated into other aspects of life, like sewing for example. Similarly, using creative skills in other applications can help you improve your artwork. Perhaps gardening and landscaping pursuits make your floral paintings expressive or your interest in dance or sports allow you to gain a better understanding of human anatomy. Look around you and find where your creative spark is utilised and identify the factors that are at play there.
5. Engage in Creation – even if you think you’ve failed! It is very easy to get demoralised, especially in this age where social media is so prominent, and there can be times when you looks at your creations and wonder where did that creative spark go? The secret is to realise that inspiration does not tend to work like a light bulb that is switched on and off when necessary, and you may feel like you have wasted so much time waiting for inspiration to strike. Instead, view your creative endeavours as a skill that is to be developed and practised over days, months or even years to attain the best possible performance. Sometimes, all you need is a little bit of warm up sketches or a loose painting to reignite that spark and creating as often as possible is the best way to keep it aflame. Creativity is a process, a habit and once perfected is an incredible tool. Try a daily challenge or even have your social media followers hold you accountable for progress, but whatever you decide to do, keep at it! If it didn’t turn out the way you wanted the first time, remember that failure is the greatest teacher and keep creating.