I have a question for all you creative types.....

[Needleroozer]

I have been sitting in front of a blank canvas all day. This new board hasn't helped, lol, but my question is, what do you do when you don't know what to do? And this question can be answered even if you don't do art- I know it is said for writers that you should just write anything, even if it is "I don't know what to write."
Do I assume it is the same for drawing and painting?
Thoughts and ideas?

[PariSarah]

I have a list. A long list. Of things I'd like to do someday. When I'm stuck, I go through that list.

Even if I don't end up doing something on that list, it usually sparks my interest in just doing something.

[~Rachel~]

Have you checked out the Everyday Matters Challenges? (http://www.karenwinters.com/kblog/edm-challenge-list/) There are a list of 154 challenges you can start with to get you going. She updates them weekly.

You could also browse Flickr for inspiration or troll the art blogs :)

I think the key is to draw ANYTHING... so long as you draw something each day, eventually the 'artist's block' will go away :)

[Pster]

I think you just get up and change what you are doing. Maybe get out of the house - read - do something different to get your mind off of not being able to do what you were focusing on doing. (does that make sense?)

Can't force it. The inspiration or idea of what to paint will just come to you - and you will know it when you are ready.

just my thoughts....

So what kind of paintings do you do? Is it more than a hobby?

[~Rachel~]

I should add there is a yahoo group, a flickr group and a superblog for the EDM group ;)

[Needleroozer]

So what kind of paintings do you do? Is it more than a hobby?

I want it to be more than a hobby, but right now, I am still on a huge learning curve. I paint as part of my collage work, I have been painting fabric, and gatorboard, canvas, plywood, handmade papers, etc. Whatever I can get my hands on! I do watercolor, acrylic, and oil paintsticks. I would describe myself as a mixed media/textiles artist. My goal is to make enough money from this to send my kids to (very expensive) summer music camps.

Rachel, I have heard of that challenge, but haven't visited her site yet. Thanks for the recommendation- I gotta run up and pull the meatballs out of the oven and feed people, and then I think I will check it out!

Thanks for the suggestions so far, keep them coming!

[~Rachel~]

Sounds good LB... I just started making myself draw DAILY this year. I let the talent lapse too long for my comfort :)
I'll mosey along to your blog and look...

[Needleroozer]

Rachel,
I love the drawing of the cardinal you did! One of my fave birds.
Very inspiring. Thanks for the contribution!

[~Rachel~]

The cardinal is one of my favourites too :) The birds were fun, I just sat in front of the feeder and drew. THAT is a great way to get inspired :) Squirrels are very frustrating though :D They scare the birds away and move too much!

[~Rachel~]

and I really like the frog collage...

[WTMCassandra]

. . . but then again, that may be why it took me almost 40 years to start doing something artistic in the first place!

Here's hoping you've conquered that blank canvas.

Blessings,
WTMCassandra

P.S. I added to your "reputation." That's kind of a fun feature.

[Needleroozer]

. . . but then again, that may be why it took me almost 40 years to start doing something artistic in the first place!

See, that is how I have been, too. That is why I decided to *be* an artist this year, instead of the *wanna-be artist* who never did anything.

And yes, I did conquer the canvas- big swirls of a rich navy blue and bright apple green, so far.

Something else I did tonight that helped was to work on an UFO to get me started- a piece I already had going that I knew what I had to do to work on. That got the juices (paint) flowing.

[Needleroozer]

and I really like the frog collage...

Thanks Rachel, so do I! It came out rather well for a first time effort, I thought.

[Staci in MO]

I don't really think of myself as the outdoors type, but nothing sparks my creativity like being outside. Even if it's just sitting in my yard, the ideas seem to come easier that way.

[Needleroozer]

I don't really think of myself as the outdoors type, but nothing sparks my creativity like being outside. Even if it's just sitting in my yard, the ideas seem to come easier that way.

That is a great idea. There are so many inspiring smells, sights, and sounds in my beautiful yards.

One thing I am tickled about is that my new easel is portable, and I will be able to paint "plein aire" (hope I spelled that correctly) this spring.