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Maximize Your Space and Explore Online After an Art Hiatus
It’s emotionally intense to return to something you love after years away. A lot of you have experienced that or are experiencing it now.
A life gets in the way (and I mean that with love and gratitude) of art-making, and you have to figure out how reconnect with your creativity almost as if you are coming to it brand new. If you have taken an art hiatus or are returning to art-making after years away, explore these as first steps on your renewed journey. Enjoy!
Be Self-First! (It’s Not the Same as Selfish!)
It can be difficult to put yourself first, right? But I want you to remember what I am about to say when the opportunity to explore your art comes up and you don’t take it: You are a better person when you tend to your creativity.
It’s that well-spring of looking at things differently and seeing color and texture everywhere that make you special and unique. So please put your self first. It is not the same as selfish, and you are going to be in a better mood and have a better outlook when you do. And the people around you will love you even more for it. So put it on the schedule and keep it there!
Gravitate to What You Love
What is it about painting or drawing that has you excited (or excited again)? For me, it is always color that pulls me back in. I’ll go for days and then I’ll see shock of the most beautiful green or blue or pink that has me itching to put color in my hands through painting or drawing with colored pencils or oil pastels. If you love color the way I do, maybe your first step will be to soak up the color inspiration with Nancy Reyner’s Perfect Color Mixing video download. If you love color and want to soak it up, this resource is for you!
Take Up Space
Take space where you can get it but do let your art take up space. Whether it is a shelf, a closet, a room, a sliding bin under the bed or sofa that is easy to get to — whatever your art needs right now, give it a place of its own so you can go to it and jump into the creative flow without having to run around trying to collect stuff.
The space doesn’t have to be stationary. I have a big box and a toolbox that I keep everything art because my living space is small, but that works for me and could work for you if you are just starting out.
Just Look
When you just start a journey, you can take any direction you choose. But if that makes fire alarms of anxiety ring in your head, start here: just look. Look at art books, go to an art exhibition, browse an artist’s work online. Look up an artist you love and just browse their work. Nothing more!
If you want to do some extra credit, keep a sketchbook with you to record your thoughts or artistic impulses or pictures that come to mind. But creative time isn’t always busy hands. Busy minds and eyes that are drinking up the inspiration — that’s a part of it too!
Do Warm-Ups
Take time to warm up your hands, fingers, wrists and a whole body. Art isn’t necessarily a contact sport but you want to refamiliarize yourself with the movements that come along with pen strokes and daubs of a brush. This
This warm-up time can also mean play time! Mess around and make marks. Close your eyes, work with your non-dominant hand, or use a tool that you’ve never used before. After an art hiatus, all bets are off so that mean there are no rules–and your creativity can do whatever it wants! Let it!
What Makes Sense
When I jumped back into art, it made sense to me to start by exploring media — all the media I loved and some I had just heard about. To find out if I was a lover of pen and ink or if I needed a brush in my hand to feel fulfilled, I had to try them out first. If that makes sense to you, explore media anyway you can. Take a class, pull out any old art supplies you have, or just watch art instruction videos to see what appeals to you in a tactile way. Let your senses be your guide!
