Creative Experiments (Part 1)

We begin a 5 part series on expanding your creative world. Daisy Yellow is a learning experiment for me. A bit of writing, photography, organization, documentation with an HTML chaser. It has pushed me to do discover new things, to experiment. The outcome of your experiments? Not important! Just enjoy trying new things, expanding your mind and playing. You might add them to your repetoire of creative endeavors, or not. Today we'll talk about different ways to approach creative experiments.

Creative experiments come in different flavors.
Which will you choose?

<organic vanilla bean> Use familiar materials in a familiar way in a new environment

This is an easy way to expand your horizons. Take your show on the road. If you usually draw mandalas at your breakfast table, experiment by drawing at a cafe. If you primarily photograph your children, try photographing trees or wrought iron gates or the orange-jasmine breakfast scones at your favorite cafe. If guitar is your passion, get some friends together to play at your house or a cafe.

<raspberry lime> Use new materials in a familiar way

You can build on something you already know how to do. If you enjoy painting flowers with watercolors, experiment by painting flowers with acrylics. Shoot a roll of black and white film rather than taking digital photographs this week. Sketch with sparkly Sakura gellyrolls rather than pencil. If you know how to make spinach quiche, try an espresso quiche (OK, I made that up to see if anyone is actually reading this).

<cinnamon peach swirl> Use familiar materials in a new way

Expand your knowledge, play with your art or craft materials. If you know how to do mono-printing or block printing with a rubber brayer, use a brayer to create abstract art or an art journal background. If you like to embroider, try embroidering on your art journal page.

<tangerine licorice> Explore a completely new art or craft

What sparks your curiosity? What would you try if failure was irrelevant, just to try it? If knitting is your passion, experiment by making a bracelet with FIMO polymer clay. If you design digital graphics, try pottery or learn to knit a scarf. If you usually play guitar, try painting with watercolors. For me, freestyle embroidery was intriguing yet out of my comfort zone. You can also pursue this idea by taking a class ~ you can find a course (web or live) in hand dying fiber, photography, photoshop, watercolor, ceramics, jewelry making, sewing, guitar, sculpturing recycled junk, making bread. If you blog or post on Flickr, share your experiences!

<marshmallow fudge> Use familiar materials to create something different

Adore your favorite medium but not expanding creatively? If you usually embroider from a pattern, discover doodle embroidery. If you always knit scarves, knit a vest. If you make wheat bread, try making mexican bolillos or soft pretzels.

My creative experiments include doodle embroidery, drawing mandalas, drawing on a watercolor background, texturing acrylics with fiber paste, stamping with bubble wrap, using a brayer to make plaid backgrounds and more. My children and I have discovered block printing, weaving paper, stamping with leaves, neocolors, making maps, and board games.

What are you into lately? What holds you back from trying something new? You might want to check out Perfectionism and Creativity. How will you experiment in the next two weeks? I'm working on three mandalas, a little at a time!

If you have the creative spark, I'm hoping that a little idea is flourishing, an idea to expand your creative world in the weeks and months ahead. Check out the entire series of creative experiments to earn creativity points based on experimentation you've done in 2009.

So what will you try next? I am going to work on taking photographs with my new camera, using just a fixed (prime) 50mm f/1.8 lens. No zoom. New world.

Comments

[Mz Monster]

i want to learn how to make fabric art dolls!! ooooh i might just try it :)

this was a very inspiring post, thank you!

<3

[Terri - Pringle Hill]

A LOT of food for thought (pardon the pun) in this post, Tammy! Why NOT shake things up a bit with experimentation?!?!

[Shell]

You always inspire me, Tammy. I love coming here. You have a fab weekend. I do like how you used the flavors for different things. I'm thinking what would a Mudslide or Chocolate Delight? As you can see I have chocolate on the brain.

[Alex]

just read part 4, so I had to start at the beginning ! great post! we have tried a few things already in the past couple of months.