How to be more creative – do you ever wonder about that?
Do you ever sit with a blank canvas or paper wishing you could get started?
Or worse still, have you ever got started and been so ashamed of the results, you’ve ripped it up!
In my latest YouTube video, you will see one way I use to overcome this.
Before I get into the post about how to be more creative – I first want to show you the newest free printable design – see below.
Note – All pictures on here that are part of my blog posts will have my name on them – Gilly Maddison, along with this website name and the current year.
When you wonder how to be more creative, it is easy to feel intimidated by the talents of others.
We all watch YouTube videos about ‘mark making’ etc and it all looks so simple but when we try it, it isn’t.
At least not at first.
When people ask me how to be more creative, I often say, just get started!
But I know that is easier said than done – I’ve been there myself in the past.
Where do you start when your creativity is blocked by feeling like art is for other people?
You know, those people with talent and confidence.
I’m not a talented artist at all and for years I my creative flow was like glue stuck inside a gunked up bottle!
That’s probably why I became a Press and PR photographer working on newspapers and magazines.
I didn’t exactly ask myself how to be more creative but I had massive creative urges that had no outlet.
And I was very aware of that.
Then I discovered photography, learned all the traditional rules of composition and then went my own way.
And my creative urges suddenly burst out of the gunked up bottle.
Before digital photography took hold, I spent hours experimenting in the darkroom and creating art through my camera.
So I do know what it’s like to spend years wondering how to be more creative, before making a breakthrough.
Eventually, after being afraid to dabble in actual art mediums and make a mess, I did get over it.
And no, I didn’t find I had great talent with a paint brush but what I did find was, it was fun regardless of outcome.
In my latest YouTube video, I have let you see me using PanPastels to create a painting that I used to create last weeks free printable.
And you will see how easy it is to create like this! Anyone can do it.
I used this free printable to create a beautiful notebook cover and two pretty little necklaces.
But this time, I actually printed onto canvas through my Epson 8550.
Not every printer is going to print onto canvas.
So it is ESSENTIAL you check your printers capabilities before attempting to print on canvas.
My Epson 8550 does take media up to 300gsm but, it did jam when I tried to put it through the front feed.
It went through fine on the top rear feed (the one where it stands up straight).
But you MUST check before you try to print canvas.
Although I have been making journals, studio books and notebooks for years, I did stumble across a YouTube video that really taught me something.
The channel is called the Posh Paper Lady and this is the video I watched.
I really loved the way she created the inside and made it refillable.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have any note pads to hand so, I couldn’t actually do the inside of mine like she did hers.
But watch her video, it’s really helpful if you want to make cute handmade notebooks.
These sweet little pendants are very easy to make and I show you how in the YouTube video.
They also look really gorgeous with silver ball chains but I ran out!
So I used black cord necklaces.
These were cut from my design printed onto paper, not canvas.
In the video, to create the painting my free printable came from, I use a stacked set of beautiful PanPastels which are very richly pigmented.
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International Viewers Get Your PanPastels Here
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UK Viewers Get a Set Of Sponge Applicators Here.
For anyone wondering how to be be more creative, these PanPastels are a brilliant starting point.
They are so rich in colour and they blend nicely. It is easy to cover large areas quickly and I find the results very satisfying.
You do get very messy though because that is the nature of pastels, so wear thin rubber gloves.
They are very pricey as well – they were £60 when I bought mine but they are now £67 (around $52 I think) but, well worth it.
But if you don’t want to spend that kind of money (it took me ages to splash out!), you can try using the much more affordable stick pastels.
You can get a lovely set for around £15 – less if you go somewhere like the Range, the Works or B&M in the UK.
And I’m sure Hobby Lobby in the USA will have some reasonably priced pastel sets.
If you are someone who longs to make art but lacks the confidence to have a go, I hope you feel as if you could tackle a large sheet of paper now without trepidation!
Watch my video, you will see how easy it is to make a glorious colourful mess that you might love if you have a go.
If you have any questions or comments, you can find me on social media – links below.
The best place to ask questions is in the comments section of the YouTube video.
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See you again soon with another design – thanks for reading!