Just a quick sketch today for illustration friday: the subject is ‘Caged’.
This was thrown together with leftover paint from another illustration and some marker doodling added on top. It’s not much, but it feels good to not stress out over an illustration.
I do like some of the textures in this, and had fun playing with the image before posting, turning it around and seeing what the difference to the feel of the drawing was. There was a very different feel each time, it’s like I got four different drawings for the price of one!
I get pretty claustrophobic so the word cage kinda makes me nervous, but when I think about it in terms of art and creativity it actually seems a freeing thing.
Sometimes, it’s just good to let go of the conscious decision making process and go with the confinement. Inspiration and intuition always seems to show up, at least in some small way, when this happens.
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Things that cage my creativity:
-perfectionism
-leaving my studio in a mess (always makes me feel stuck and hopeless)
-comparing my work with other people’s work
-tiredness
-my inner critic (makes Simon Cowell seem like Hello Kitty )
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What cages your creativity?
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Hi, Dave !
Thanks so much for the comment =)
Things that cage my creativity are.. that I’m no special, I don’t know where my ART is going, Why am I keep doing ART.. things like that..
I enjoyed reading your post and your illustration !
Thanks for posting this drawing, Dave — there’s something about the quality of the marker line that I really respond to.
What cages my creativity? Well, the monster that says I’m just *not* creative at all, that I’m hopeless. Never mind that *everyone* has the capacity for creativity — that doesn’t apply to me (says the monster).
It helps to have evidence around — a little drawing on my desk right now is enough to remind me that, yes, I did that. I made a thing.
Nothing cages me quicker than having a rigid plan or expectations for my art. As soon as I do that, creativity goes out the window. Kind of an interesting lesson to learn, for someone who has always been a planner. But I’m learning to go with the flow…
PS – I used the word “muse” in my blog post Saturday to describe a little bit of inspiration that struck on Friday. I think use of that word has come from reading your recent posts on muses!
Oh wow, I really like the different textures in this illustration.
What cages my creativity: lots of things, but “crazy high expectations” come to mind first.
I’m finding that what unlocks the cage is movement (with the body, but also moving by traveling).
Thanks for posting this!
Wonderful illustration, so free and loose! Great textures and layers.
What cages my creativity? Most of what you have already said.
Definately the messy studio.
And PHONE CALLS from people who think what you do doesn’t matter.
Work? That’s not really work, right?
Aren’t you just doodling for crying out loud?
Anything that breaks my flow cages my creativity. So basically, I cage my own creativity by ALLOWING others to break my flow.
This has been the best therapy session ever
Thank you all for the wonderful comments. Wow, so many great responses to the question of ‘What cages your creativity?’
@Regina I ask myself so many of those questions. the answers shift all the time for me. sometimes it’s so hard to see the value in our own art. I think your art is wonderful.
@Maryann Oh, the monsters, so loud–especially around creativity. I love your idea of keeping evidence around.
@Kat I’ve been wrestling with the rigidity/planning thing. I’m trying to give myself permission to be a lot looser and to fall short of the ridiculously high expectations I set for myself. So glad to hear the Muse talk is rubbing off
more of that to come.
@Sarah I so need to work on the body stuff. I’ve had periods where I do a lot of physical stuff and my creativity soars, it’s so easy to let it all slip though.
@Studio Lolo What a great klist–i identify with WAY too many of those. Especially the ‘It’s not really work” one. Ouch!
Thanks everyone for your great comments, you’ve given me so much to think about
Cheers