The classic do it yourself projects

Step away from the screen to get down and dirty!

I don’t have to explain how much we rely on technology. You live in this era, you know.

 The fact that you are reading my blog shows that you are quite techno savvy.

Screens take the fun out of creativity. Anyone can click buttons. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a lot of fun.

Until a  time comes when the amount of options the internet provides confuses us and leave us with so much buttons to click that we don’t know which ones to click and soon we are blinded with all the options that we actually don’t know what to do or even where to start. Hello, mental block.

Sometimes the only way to connect with the inner artist is to step away from the screen .Find out what works, what doesn’t.

Figure it out, make it practical.

Actually doing something is a different kind of skill that got lost while we were so busy typing, instagraming and tweeting what we had for lunch.

For a previous project I needed to design a range of fitness gear.

 Then I needed to improve this and realized I know nothing about actually making clothes.

 Instead of designing the T-shirts I did some research on how to make actual cool shirts.

I learned that cutting up old t-shirts is a lot of fun, very rewarding and a way to change up your entire wardrobe without breaking the bank.

I added some of my own designs but I have to give YouTube major credit for teaching me how to master this skill.

I recommend you do something practical you like. If you are into fashion do something like this? Dont aim to high, start with the basics and then improve.

If you would like to get started and try out these cool shirt reconstructing’s here are some easy step by step videos (Sorry guys, this one is more for the girlies)

Dont wait until you know who you are to get started!

The only way to find yourself is to be yourself.

We live in an era where nothing but perfection is good enough. The straight A students are the only ones that seem to actually make it. In most cases this is true, survival of the fittest and all that.

But as artists we get a free pass, we get to decide who we want to be as we move along with our journey. We fall in to the trap of mental block because we apply the dynamic of the logical world to our work. We are artists and therefor entitled to think like artists. The only way to create your best work is through trial and error. Try everything, even if it sounds stupid, even if it’s a fail. Its okay, just get going.

As artist we will always evolve, our work will change because we will grow as people. That’s the beauty of our chose path.

We don’t have to be successful before we can start working.

In fact the only way to ever possibly be successful, is to actually start working. Take advantage of this and get going. Not tomorrow, today.

Just freaking start.

To read more interesting stuff about this theory check outaustinkleon.com/steal

Its all about the remix!

The Genealogy of Ideas

In order to fight mental block you need to at least know how your brain works and where ideas come from.

Well, the best description I have heard is that you are basically a mashup of everything you have ever experienced.

Now there are always two sides to a pancake.

The first, which might screw us over a bit, is genetics.

You have a little bit of your mom and a little bit of your dad. If you are sitting there thinking that your parents are about as creative as a jar of peanut butter and that your idea of being an artist is out the door, relax.

 There is some good news. The other side of the pancake.

Although we cannot change our genetics, we can choose how to influence and stimulate it.

So be careful.

Be careful what you read, what you listen to and what you watch. It will become you and eventually become your work.

 It’s simple, if you want to produce good work, make your surroundings great.

We are constantly influenced by sources outside of our idea of being creative.

So if you are experiencing mental block you have to routes to go:

1. Blame your parents (we kids just lurve to do that)

2. Improve what you surround yourself with. (If you have mental block, it’s obviously bad, chuck it and find something better)

Overcoming Mental Block!

As you probably gathered by now you probably picked up what my blog is about.But if you haven't been paying attention let me give it to you in a nutshell.
Mental Block and the problems and opportunities that comes along with it.
Lets face it, mental block is a huge issue for artists of all walks of life.Sometimes you just cant get those juices flowing.
I want to introduce to you the six thinking hats.
This technique is specially designed for fighting mental block.It can be used in the process of improving a project or work of art by analyzing it from all possible platforms.
What i really like about the six thinking hats is that it focuses on keeping you on track and reaching your creative goal.As artists we tend to lose track of the important things sometimes.
The six thinking hats requires you to think in six different ways.
Here is the seven hats and their respective meanings:
1.The white hat: The facts, just the facts. Basically what you know.
2. The yellow hat: Be a happy chappy. All the benefits of the product.
3. The black hat: Oh, negative Nancy. Why will this suck?
4.The red hat: Its all about the feelings. Intuition
5.The green hat: Wish tecnuiqy(mentioned in previous post) and worst idea technique
6.The blue hat: Check yourself before you wreck yourself. Am i reaching the goal?
 That is the six thinking hats in a nutshell, for a more detailed explanation for those who are a bit slow, check outwww.debonoforschools.com/asp/six_hats.asp
and for those who needs pictures here you go

Write while drunk, edit while sober

The Accidental Creative Geniuses.

Most artists experience mental block somewhere along the line of trying to cut it.

Once you understand creativity, you understand that is you the person that determines the level of creativity or lack thereof. It’s about opening yourself up to the influences of the world.

Making a decent living off art is the ideal goal for an aspiring artist. It is also said that it is accidental for a creative person to gain fame through their art. There are a lot of examples of some of the world’s most famous artists that got unknown fame overnight through some you tube video that went viral even though it was never supposed to be seen by anyone. Taking nothing away from these artists that made billions of their art”, I would like to share with you these creative geniuses that accidently put themselves on the map. https://www.google.co.za/url?

Sometimes the art is in not thinking too much.

Doing the first thing that pops up in your head.

 Creativity is random.

Spur of the moment ideas can be all you need to make the cut.

Artists that accidently made it often made use of the wish technique.

 Now that is exactly what it says

“I wish I could fly" or “I wish I was a billionaire".

If you want to create something, do it.

 Don’t think too much, just run with the idea.

You never know where you might end up.

To learn more about the wish technique check outhttps://www.kidpower.org/library/article/wishing-technique

Wish it, do it.

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Get your tat on!

Write the book you want to read

Hey guys, so seeing as this is my first blog post I thought that I would do something interesting that kind of tickles my fancy these days.

The not so big taboo, TATTOOS.

Now I am sure we have all seen some awful reality show about Americas worst tattoos, seriously making us doubt the intelligence of one of  the most advanced nations in the world. No that they have to get tattoos to make us doubt their  tell intelligence. If you haven’t, let me enlighten you, check out these appalling tattoos and please remember THINK BEFORE YOU INK.http://worst-tattoo-ever.tumblr.com/

Okay, so that is how to please not do it? Just don’t.

In Austin Kleon’s steal like an artists he talks about how to be creative. In one of the techniques he writes about, writing the book you want to read. It’s all about doing what you like, creating what you think will work.

People most successful in applying his theory is definitely those brave enough to tattoo their book on their body. Its art. Its cool.

It’s a very thought through process. The creative process for some, is a greatly thought through tattoo after doing tons of research, consulting with tattoo artist on how to better the design and asking loved ones what they think(not that they listen, they do whatever they want anyway) and rightfully so, it’s their story to write. Now I am not going to bore you with the history of tattoos but let me tell you it’s not as new as we think. Some of the first tattoos were found on mummies. If you want to know more about the history of tattoos check outhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_tattooing

Let’s try and commit more to our art like the brave souls with tattoos. I’m not saying get a full sleeve or get a tat, but write your own story, write what you would like to read. Don’t worry about what others say, just write your story.

If you need some inspiration for your tat check out these amazing art worksblogof.francescomugnai.com/.../55-of-the-craziest-and-most-amazing-tat...

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