Getting in the mood to be creative can be easy or troublesome. Whether it's squeezing in a good amount of time in an already busy and tiring day or setting out all of the materials and tools...well it can be almost off putting.
Clients that come to the studio seem very resistant to leave and when I ask if they have done much at home...it's not quite a routinely as they wished. It's an absolute honour that they love coming but the I more unpick and listen, the more I realise there are three main issues that are stopping them; the confidence to have a go on their own, setting themselves time each week and creating an environment in which to get creative.
When I got back into drawing and painting back in 2013, living in a small two up, two down house, the dining room table was my creative environment. I would often create this space when my husband was either at the footy or watching footy on the TV and my son was in bed. I had one of those wheely IKEA trolleys that would contain all of my graphite pencils, paint brushes, pots, acrylic paints, small canvases, paper and sketchbooks. Each time I would cover the table and wheel out my resources, taking about ten minutes to set up. It was a cosy space as the table was under the stairs. It was my little space to give me time to be creative and play about with the paint.
When we moved to our current house, the box room became the art studio. IKEA was my best friend again, purchasing furniture, storage and shelving to give each item a home. What a difference! No more wheeling out resources and I could leave everything where it was. It was a place that had good light, warmth, space and a sense of calm.
Then the tuition started. The box room was great for one or two clients but as the business grew, the space was clearly too small. One reason that we moved to our current house was to have a garage, a room my hubby has always wanted, so when he said about converting it to an art studio, I was surprised. The garage-come-art- studio is set up to allow room and space to be be independent to gather resources and give a calming atmosphere to be creative. I have to say it is one of my favourite rooms in the house. However I still get humorous comments that I took the garage off the hubby.
Think about your creative space. Is this an area that causing you problems when you're trying to be creative? When you are setting up your creative space, whether it's on the dining room table, in a shed, in a corner of a room or in a spare room, these are the things to think about:
Organise the media and materials so they are easy to access. Don't go buying more than you need, over cluttering the space. This isn't going to create a calming atmosphere to work in.
If you are using a space that you use for daily activities e.g. eating a meal, then make sure you protect the surfaces, such as the table or floor, so you don't damage them from paint, spills etc.
Think about the surface you want to work on. Do you need a table, an easel, the floor, a wall....what way do you want to work?
If you are sitting, make sure your chair is comfy. You could be here for some time...make sure you're back is supported.
Look at the lighting in the room. Do you have daylight radiating through the windows to help you see what you are creating or do you need decent artificial lighting? I often use daylight lamps when working in the evenings and winter to help me see what I am drawing and painting.
Will adding music, candles and house plants help with creating a calming atmosphere? I have all these as well as crystals on my shelf. It makes the energy of the space so pleasant and inviting.
Your space might be out and about, rather than a room. Have a functional big to hold all of your materials that you need.
Have boundaries. If you are working in a space being creative, then say to household members that you don't want to be disturbed. Block out time each day, week or month that you will be creating and move that phone out of the way so it isn't distracting you.
If your household love creating too, create a space and time for you all to get creative together.
Let me know how you get on creating your own creative environment.
