Illustration by Ana Hinojosa.
Something that all creative minds experience at some point is a creative block. Yes, they are awful. Whenever I get one, I feel like I have to lie down on the floor and let a hundred art books fall on my face so that I can come up with an idea.
Getting out of a creative block is a game I play with myself, and you can play, too! What you have to do is look at something. It can be anything—scenery, an inanimate object, or even an individual. Once you’ve pinpointed your source of interest, I want you to describe it as best you can. It doesn’t have to be neat at all! You can use random words or sentences. Write in all caps if you think it will bring clarity—just make sure that you cover everything! For example, when I was in my friend’s car the other day, I wrote about how the car looked: old; its navy color faded, and its metal structure rusting. The rust on the car caught my attention so I went on to describe the rust: orange rust; when touched, gold specs would float transfixed in the air. The sun was setting so I was squinting, and my friend was wearing sunglasses. The windows were all open. Air was flowing over me, my ears ringing. My list grew longer, and eventually I had a detailed description.
After you’ve made your list, take it and create something! If it’s a poem or short essay, you already have the words—you just might have to make it more cohesive. If it’s an illustration, painting, or collage, you already have the color palette. The end result will be an art piece that shows the start and finish of how you process the world around you.
Our way of thinking can be expansive because we are young. I told my friend once that I think our infatuations shine red, yellow, and blue, because the colors between us and the world are primary. Colors, or new thoughts, can be born through us. We are primary. So let loose, stop fretting, and focus on the now. Create an artwork, or piece of writing, based solely on being present and send it along with your first name, last initial, age, and location to [email protected] with the subject line “Creative Prompt” by Monday, September 5 at 6 PM EST. I can’t wait to read or look at them with awe.
Last week, we asked you to honor a difficult situation in your life. Here’s what been plaguing you…