Creative process - think small? - What is yours!

Happy Friday Everyone!

I was asked recently what my creative process is and I drew a big fat blank! I had never thought about it.  - please share your tips/process in the comment section below :-)

In a nutshell I think small - I know right?! We are suppose to think big! - I dream big, but as my Dad so wisely told me when I was WAY ahead of myself over a decade ago, is to take one step at a time. I/you can be so much more effective breaking things down into small manageable steps - Thanks so much Dad. I remind myself of this a lot :-)

I like it best when I wiggle into the creative side of work. (Really, I think it all has creative aspects :-) below are a few of the steps I take each day.

Exercise

I am not sure some of you would consider this part of a creative process, but for me, I need it.
I exercise pretty much every week day. If first thing in the morning, it wakes me up! OR, sometimes I will work out around the lunch hour to get me off the computer and out of my office. For me it clears out the cob webs. I will check emails on my phone while at the gym and trash a bunch that do not need my attention.

To do list

I keep a calendar of meetings, deadlines etc. and have a running to do list. Some think this isn't creative, but it saves me. I like to knock off my top 3 or so 'must do first' items each day (usually for graphic design clients) plus work on the social media for the day. Social media ranges from just an image post to the sites I am on, to writing/setting up blog posts. If time allows, I do pop in and comment/respond to people on social media through out the day.

Plate is clear

For some reason I have to clear off stuff before I can settle in and work on my current art collection. I prefer it to be quite - no people coming in my office. But I do listen to all kinds of talk radio & music. The music choices really vary: Fleetwood Mac 60's - 70's, Adel, and Baroque Classical music to name a few. Typically I am painting, setting up mocks, designing patterns and that kind of stuff in the afternoon, Break for dinner, and then usually back to it until about 10:00 pm. -- do it again tomorrow :-)

A Few Last Thoughts

Not every day is the same - but this is the schedule for most days of the month. I do have a standing date each week to have lunch with favorite son of mine and dinner with favorite daughter :-) We do family dinner night every Friday.

Don't feel you should be this scheduled. I personally like it and don't need to wait until "inspiration" hits me to paint etc. I schedule it and show up to do it. As ideas pop into my head through out the day, I jot them down in a notebook.

My office studio is typically cluttered. I used to fight it and pick up more often until I realized I am very visual. Out of site is literally out of mind! - These photos are from 2013 when I did a blog post on my studio/office - not much has changed other than some equipment updates - and the Christmas tree has been put away. Most of the art on the walls my adult kids did when they were in school.

 

 

Do we have similar approaches? Completely different? Can't wait to hear about you :-D