I cannot be creative if I am too stressed or not in the right emotional state. In today’s world, many people experience stress but still manage to be creative, and I’m no exception – even when I’m stressed. So what do I do to deal with it? Or rather, what do I try to do?
I call it “poor man’s Cognitive Behavioral Therapy” because it works pretty much like CBT. At least that is my understanding as a layman who has read a summary of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy once. That means don’t take this as a definitive source or professional advice.
Anyway, here’s how it works: When you’re emotionally upset, tell yourself how you want to feel in the present moment. For example, if you’re stressed and tired and don’t feel like working on your drawing, you’d say: “I am relaxed and awake and in the mood to work on my drawing”. Repeat this several times. Try to avoid negative words like “not” (for example, use “relaxed” instead of “not stressed”).
These are positive affirmations that can help challenge and overcome self-sabotaging and negative thoughts. Repeating them often and believing in them can lead to positive changes. I’ve included below some scientific research showing that this practice can improve your creative problem-solving, even under stress, and increase your overall creativity.
How To Do Positive Affirmations
Identify the problem that is bothering you.
Say the complete opposite of it without using negative words like “not”.
Repeat it as often as possible throughout the day and whenever the problem arises.
That’s it.
It may or may not help you as much as it helped me. But it is worth a try. As a tip, try to believe it. Only if your mind believes it will it come true.
A Few Of My Go-To Self-Affirmations
I’m having fun – In situations where I’m struggling to work on something that isn’t fun.
I can do it – When I doubt myself. I say it every time I meditate (I do autogenic training)
I am calm and relaxed – In stressful situations. Often needed in public places because of my anxiety.
I’m a pro – I got it from “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield. Just so I take myself more seriously when I create things.
It’s the fixed mindset – from the book ‘Growth Mindset’ by Carol Dweck. I use it when I try to avoid things, procrastinate or have self-doubt.
I’m fit and awake – When I’m tired and still want to focus on something.
I am a patient person – When I lose my patience.
This effort is pleasant – When I am doing something really hard. Should release some dopamine after a while, according to a podcast by Andrew Huberman.
Mistakes are OK – When I’m drawing crap again.
More To Read
If you enjoyed this topic, you might find these related posts helpful:
How Self-Efficacy Can Help You Succeed! – Explore how believing in your abilities can boost your confidence and drive, leading to greater success in your creative endeavors.
Play the Role of Your Future Self – Learn how envisioning your future self can guide your current decisions and actions, helping you stay motivated and focused on your goals.
Both posts offer valuable insights to enhance your creative journey and personal growth.
Sources
David R. de Buisonjé, Simone M. Ritter, Suze de Bruin, J. Marie-Louise ter Horst & Arne Meeldijk (2017) Facilitating Creative Idea Selection: The Combined Effects of Self-Affirmation, Promotion Focus and Positive Affect, Creativity Research Journal, 29:2, 174-181, DOI: 10.1080/10400419.2017.1303308
M. Dutcher, Janine (2018). Improving Performance on a Creativity Task via Self-Affirmation. Carnegie Mellon University. Thesis. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6686096.v1
Creswell JD, Dutcher JM, Klein WMP, Harris PR, Levine JM (2013) Self-Affirmation Improves Problem-Solving under Stress. PLOS ONE 8(5): e62593. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062593
I have updated all of my Creative Work Problems Comics Posts on this blog!
I uploaded them for a while to Instagram and my blog as solo posts. When I did them, I mostly just posted the comic itself, and rarely some more information about it. Well, now I’ve updated them all and added additional help and knowledge for almost every topic. I’ve also updated the name of the post so that it’s no longer named after the comic. Each topic is now more easily identifiable by the title of the post. You can now search the hell out of this site if you are looking for a topic you need help with.
I have listed below every post I have made with these comics in it. So if you’re interested in more information about a topic you see at the bottom of the list, don’t hesitate to go there.
I’m a note-taking addict. A few years ago, my notebooks were filled with notes for myself and my work as an illustrator and comic artist. Note-taking is something we all do, but often not in the right way. We write down our thoughts and ideas, but sometimes we don’t look at them again. A few years ago, when I was filling these notebooks, I would sometimes skim through my notes, but I often didn’t find what I wanted or found things I could have used earlier. So I’ve changed the way I use and work with my notes. Now I can actually use all my notes and they give me new insights and ideas for my creative work almost every day.
In this blog post, I’m going to talk about how you, as an artist or designer, can use your notes effectively to help you in your creative work. How not to forget your notes, how to use them effectively, and how you can increase your creativity and productivity just by using notes.
The Perfect Way to Capture and Use Notes
Plot twist: There is no perfect way to capture and use notes. But you should try different methods to see what works for you. So if you have been taking notes the same way forever, try to experiment and find a better way to take and use notes. I recommend doing everything digitally. There’s the “Zettelkasten”-method, but you need a lot of drawers to use them effectively. Who has room for that? Our space these days is digital! So do it digitally! Of course, you can write your notes on paper, but I recommend that you transfer them to something digital later to be able to use them effectively. I’ll show you how I capture and work with my notes later in this article.
Note-Taking Apps
There are a lot of note-taking apps out there. Choosing which one to use is up to you. Watch some videos about them, try them out, and then choose the one you like best. Everyone is different and likes different things.
I’ve tried a few and I like using Obsidian. I also use Notion, but not for note-taking. What I like about Obsidian is that it keeps all the notes it generates as an isolated file on my laptop. That way, if Obsidian ever disappears, I’ll still have all my notes and I can just import them and use them in another program. Here’s a short list of note-taking apps:
So you have your app and your old notes ready to work with. Now what? Well, before we start, we need a system for taking and organizing notes. This system can help you find and use your notes more efficiently. Here are some things you could do, but don’t have to.
Use a consistent format
Use a consistent format when taking notes or they will quickly become a mess. Examples include having a header and footer. In some apps, you can use a template so that all your notes have the same format. Things in your header and footer can be Tags, note types, aliases, authors, sources, “see also”, etc.
Use tags or keywords
Assign relevant tags or keywords to your notes. This can be particularly useful for searching and grouping related notes. I use tags as a separate file. So a tag like “drawing” is a separate note that takes me to drawing stuff and even more notes related to it.
Index and number your notes
For comprehensive notes, create an index and a numbering system. This will help you navigate through your files and speed up your workflow in your note-taking system. I use a variation of “Johnny Decimal” for numbering: Check it out!
Review your note-taking system
Every now and then it is good to review your system. How can it be improved? What is missing? For example, I had a lot of trouble with the indexes in my note-taking system. So I changed them to the numbering system mentioned above. Now it’s much easier to find things when I’m not using the search function.
Backup!
Always have a backup of your notes! Even if it is “in the cloud”. Apps and servers can die, you know.
What to Do With Your Notes
There are lots of things you can do with your notes, and a lot more stuff out there on this subject. If you want to know more: Search and you will find it. It’s too much for a single post. Anyway, here are some things you can (and shouldn’t) use your notes for:
1. Remember forgotten thoughts and ideas
Go back through your old notes to find ideas you have forgotten. Sometimes a quick note from months or years ago can give you a great idea for your next creative project.
2. Use your note-taking system as a second brain
Your notes are a second brain where you can store helpful information related to your work in art and design. This can come in handy when you need help with something technical or want to improve your skills. When I am making a story, I like to look at all the notes I have on storytelling. So I go into my app and search for “story” or go to the “storytelling” tag. A bunch of notes come up and I pick the ones I like and read them. Then I use those notes to create my story. The same goes for any other skill I need to use. You don’t have to use it every time, but sometimes it’s good to see what else there is to the thing you’re making.
3. Boost your creativity: Find new insights
By taking detailed notes, you may discover new connections between old ideas and thoughts. Your connected notes work like your brain. An idea is usually a mixture of two thoughts. By tagging and connecting your notes, you may discover new insights and create new ideas. Reviewing your notes regularly may uncover interesting connections between ideas that seemed unrelated. So when taking notes, try to find tags and connections as you write them down.
4. Try to use atomic notes
An atomic note is a single piece of information. This makes it easier to organize and connect your notes in a meaningful way, creating a network of interconnected ideas. Atomic notes can be linked together to form a knowledge structure that helps you think, learn, and create more effectively. You don’t have to use these types of notes all the time, but they’re really powerful for creating new insights.
5. Use evergreen notes
Everygreen notes are pretty much the opposite of atomic notes. These notes are designed to be permanent and timeless, containing information or insights that remain relevant and valuable over a long period of time. I use them for information and thoughts that I use on a regular basis. For example: I have an evergreen note for every project I’m currently working on. It contains everything I need to know and remember about the project.
6. Plan your projects
Your notes can help you better plan and track your creative projects. For each project, I use different notes for research, goals, timelines, and other things. I make connections to existing notes and use those connections to generate new ideas. In Obsidian, with their canvas feature, you can have a visual guide and overview of your entire project.
7. Use visuals in your note-taking system
Try adding drawings, mood boards, or pictures to your notes. They can help you visualize the mood, themes and look of your creative work. Combining them with your old notes from years ago can help you come up with even better creative ideas and designs. Here also with the Obsidian canvas feature, you can visualize your written notes in conjunction with your visual notes. Perfect for us artists and designers.
8. Delete useless notes
If you are not sure if you can use a note that you really like, keep it. It might help you in the future. But as soon as you realize it doesn’t fit anywhere, delete it. It will only clutter your files and your mind. Only make and keep notes on things you might need and can use in the future.
9. Do not use your note-taking system to “work”
Note-taking can be addictive. It is so satisfying to organize and work with your notes. But don’t use it to procrastinate or “work”. Set up your system and use it when you need it. Don’t work all day to find better ideas and connect thoughts. It will feel like work, but it’s not. If you use your notes when you really need them, it will help you in your creative work and can improve your creativity and workflow.
How I Use My Notes
How I use my notes could be a whole new post in this blog. If you are interested, send me an email. Here’s the short version:
I usually write thoughts and ideas on sticky notes and scraps of paper throughout the week and then enter them into Obsidian at the start of each week. I work with a pseudo “Zettelkasten”. Yes, you can use the above ‘Zettelkasten’ method in a digital environment. But I only use the parts of the system that I like. You could actually write whole books just from atomic notes using this system. So check it out if this is something you want to do.
For each note, I tag it as a fleeting, literature, or permanent note. I will add a todo to these tags to remember what I need to work on. A finished permanent note should be an atomic note in my system. I link these notes with other notes to create new insights. Evergreen notes are used when I need something regularly. These contain lots of links to other notes.
All my notes are in one folder. Yes, just one folder. But I have indexes or maps of content that act as tags and “simulate” a folder. Why this? So I can use a note in different folders without moving or copying it. It also helps with connecting thoughts and ideas. And I really like that!
My Note-Taking System in Obsidian
Conclusion
Your notes aren’t just old records; they’re like active sources of inspiration, knowledge and ideas. By regularly reviewing and using your notes, you can get the most out of them. Think of your notes as powerful tools for your creative journey. This will help your creativity grow and your skills improve.
If you would like to hear me talk more about this, drop me an email.
Whether it’s comics, drawings, or something else, sometimes we just can’t come up with any good ideas. Our mind is empty. It seems that only the bad ones are left in our heads. But it is important, especially in our creative work, that we can generate as many good ideas as possible because the variety of them is what we need to make good things. Without many different (good) ideas, there will be no good creative work. And this is where we sometimes struggle.
So how do we do that? We have to distinguish between two things: Belief in the process and techniques for generating ideas.
Belief in the Process
Belief in the process is critical to idea generation. Because sometimes we don’t do the right thing to get the right ideas. We sit around and wonder why this creative thing just doesn’t get better. Why does THE idea never come? We have to believe in the process and this is divided into several areas.
Area 1: Trust in Bad Ideas
We have to remember that not every idea we generate is good. We dig and dig and just come up with nothing good. But there may be one good ones among hundreds of bad ones. It doesn’t matter how many there are. The important thing is that we know we just have to keep working on possible ideas so that eventually the good ones we need will come. And they exist. You know they are somewhere because you have had them in the past. Believe in it! Deep under all that crap is something we can use. So let’s keep digging!
Area 2: Belief in Working on Bad Ideas
Depending on the creative work you do, the process of turning bad ideas into something is important. For example, in drawing, sometimes the ideas come only when you start drawing. The same can happen with any creative work. If you make crap, at some point the thought of how to make something good out of the bad will come. Sometimes, even if you make a mistake, a good idea can come out of it. It’s very similar to when we have a hundred bad ideas in our heads. But if we work on it and use our hands (or feet, if you can work creatively with them), those good ones will come by themselves. So: Work on your thing! Don’t wait for a good idea, start working on it and it will come.
Area 3: Believing in Breaks
In addition, the creative process sometimes allows us to take a break. This is important because when we’re not working on our projects, an idea can suddenly come to us. So when things aren’t going well, it helps to just work on something else or take a break. Take a short walk outside, which has helped famous scientists to solve problems. Or get the idea in the shower. Over the years I have learned what is really important when taking these breaks: think about the problem every now and then. If you go for a walk without thinking about your project, you may never get an idea. But thinking too much is not good either, so it is important to find a middle ground.
When things aren’t going well, it’s important to remember these areas and not lose your head. Believe in the process! Believe in yourself! It helps you overcome anxiety and the pressure to come up with the perfect idea.
Techniques and Methods for Idea Generation
While it helps to believe in the process and keep working (or walking/showering) accordingly, good techniques for generating ideas are of course important. So here’s a list of my favorites and a few others. I distinguish between techniques where you don’t have an idea yet and techniques where you already have some.
Techniques and Methods Without Ideas
Brainstorming
Just about the best-known technique. And one of my favorites. You don’t have to brainstorm in words! You can sketch, paint, make whatever in a tiny size, and do variations to brainstorm. This will trigger area 2 from before because you are already thinking about ideas and making them. And don’t be afraid to make stupid ideas! Even the worst ones go on this list!
Mind Mapping / Clustering
So I’ve been reading Writing the Natural Way by Gabriele Rico and came across a technique called “Clustering”. It’s similar to mind mapping but you write down the associations of the word you use. So if you need ideas for a topic about trees, for example, you write down the first thing that comes to mind about the word “tree”. For me it is “green”, “leaves”, “book”, “reading”, “free time”, “walking” … etc. Sometimes these associations give you pretty good ideas that even have a deeper meaning. For example, a few months ago I did a comic called “Catch an Eye“. I asked my partner to give me a word and I’d make a comic out of it. She said “eye” and I used the clustering method to get a concept for the story.
Real-Life Experiences
Sometimes we forget that we are living in real life to draw ideas from. So if you have a project that could have some connection to your past, search it for good ideas! Sometimes these are the best because they add a personal touch to your project. The second thing is to go to places in real life where you can experience something similar to your project. For example: If you have to do something related to the Middle Ages, go to a history museum.
Word Ideas
If you can get ideas for your creative project from a few words, you could use random word generators on the Internet to get some. You can even combine them. Sometimes when I draw a creature or character, I use some random words to get ideas of what they might look like. You could even point blindly at a book or newspaper to get those words.
Techniques and Methods with Existing Ideas
SO TAME Method
I used this in a Creative Work Problems comic. If you already have some thoughts, concepts, etc, you can use them to get other ideas. Sometimes the bad one just needs a different form to become good. The SO TAME method is a mnemonic for this:
S – Slice it up
O – Do the Opposite
T – Take something away
A – Add something
M – Mix it
E – Exaggerate it
Pretty much take your thoughts, concepts, ideas etc., and do one or more of these things to it. Sometimes you will come up with some very unique concepts. I use it myself almost every day.
Two into One
Sometimes two things should be one idea. To me, that is what an idea essentially is: A mixture of two thoughts. So if you need a good idea, try to combine two things. Do you need a warrior character design? Why not mix a warrior with a baby and make a big baby warrior? Because warriors are “dumb” and so are newborn babies. Voila, we have a nice idea. Maybe this has already been done, I do not know. You can do this with anything that exists.
The “What if…” Method
Let’s say you have a story. But this story is pretty boring and you have no idea how to make it better. Well, there is a method called “What if …”. This method asks a question about an idea you already have. It lets you think differently and add things that you would never have thought of without it.
So let’s do this quickly: We have a story. Say a whale wants to find his true love. A whale that just swims around might work, but … what if … the whale lives in the sky? Now we have a nice setting that makes the story more interesting. And we go on … what if … the whale falls in love with a cloud that looks like a whale?
Well, now we have a bad idea. But remember! You need stupid ideas to get to the good ideas. So just go with the “what if” method and you will find the good stuff. You don’t have to keep everything. Maybe with this method, we’ll find a cool story about the whale finding love, but it’s not going to happen in the sky.
SCAMPER Method
I stumbled upon this method while researching this blog post. I haven’t used it yet, but it sounds promising. It is similar to my SO TAME method. This SCAMPER method allows you to think outside the box. The acronym stands for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify/Magnify/Minimize, Put to Other Use, Eliminate, and Rearrange/Reverse. The method involves applying these seven strategies to existing ideas to create new ones.
Substitute involves replacing elements in the idea with alternatives. Combine suggests combining two or more ideas. Adapting involves modifying existing ideas to fit new contexts. Modify/Magnify/Minimize involves changing the size or scale of an element. Put to other uses suggests using a concept in a different context. Eliminating involves removing an element or simplifying an idea. Rearrange/Reverse involves changing the order or direction of elements.
Conclusion
Whether it’s a comic idea, drawing ideas, or what else you could do creatively, generating good ideas can be daunting, but it is essential for success in any creative field. Believing in the process is crucial because it helps you overcome the fear of failure and the pressure to develop a good idea. You must understand that generating these ideas is a journey, not a destination, and you must be patient with yourself.
In addition, you can use several techniques and methods. Brainstorming, Mind Mapping / Clustering, and SCAMPER are just a few examples of the many tools available to help you develop new and good ideas. The key is to experiment with different techniques and find what works best for you.
Ultimately, coming up with good ideas requires a combination of creativity, persistence, and hard work. By believing in the process and using effective techniques and methods, you can generate a wealth of new and exciting ideas that will help you achieve your goals and create good stuff for others to enjoy! Now keep on making!
There are various names for this phenomenon — writer’s block, creative block, or art block. I made a list a while back with some suggestions if you have this problem. Today I’ll show you a different approach with an exercise.
This exercise includes a) different steps you do in a relaxed body position, b) mental imagery exercises, and c) a visualization of your art block.
It can also help you solve daily creative problems in your work. For example, if you get stuck on a project and don’t know what to do. That’s why I will test and do this exercise myself too.
I have adapted this exercise so you can do it alone, as it is usually done with a therapist who guides you. This means that I will change this exercise over time with feedback.
What Can Help With Art Block?
There is evidence that vivid daydreaming helps with a creative block. That’s why we do an exercise that enhances this.
We all know when we go for a walk with a problem in our mind, we find the solution before we even come back from the walk. In this sense, daydreaming can help us when we have this issue.
But how can we deliberately start this daydreaming? Of course, we can encourage it by doing nothing and letting our thoughts run free. By doing something other than our creative work and thus letting daydreaming take its course. Or just do something else, like Kness did when she had art block. Or we can apply this solution with an exercise, which encourages daydreaming. As a result, it helps with our creative block.
One part of the exercise is a series of mental imagery exercises that form the basis of the Creative Imagination Scale. I’ll give you this part of the exercise in short, there is a link below for more details.
The Concept of The Mental Imagery Exercise
There are 10 parts to the exercise. Here’s an overview of these parts (the actionable and adapted exercise is further below).
Arm Heaviness
Think about how your arms are getting heavier.
Hand Levitation
Think about how your arms are getting lighter.
Finger Anesthesia
Imagine your fingers going numb.
Water “Hallucination”
Imagine drinking cool refreshing water.
Olfactory-Gustatory “Hallucination”
Think about how you perceive the taste and smell of an orange.
Music “Hallucination”
Listen to music in your mind that you heard the other day.
Temperature “Hallucination”
Imagine your arms getting warm.
Time Distortion
Try to slow down time with your thoughts.
Age Regression
Imagine going back in time, e.g. childhood.
Mind-Body Relaxation
Try to relax your mind and body.
The Problem With This Exercise
And what’s the problem? A therapist should guide you through this whole exercise, while you are in a relaxed state. It is quite difficult to do with no therapist around. Hence, we’re going to change it up a bit and do it ourselves!
Go through the mental imagery exercise before you start it, preferably writing it down, and try to imagine how you do every point of this. Look for personal examples such as point 8 “Time Distortion”. When is the moment in time you will imagine? Then try to remember these points as best as you can.
If you do the exercise and forget a few things, don’t worry! It’s not a problem at all. If you do the exercise over and over again, you will memorize everything and incorporate the forgotten things.
The Exercise Against Art Block
Remember this exercise and then let’s do this!
Sit in a dark room with your eyes closed and focus on relaxing your body and mind.
Now describe to yourself the contents of your ongoing thoughts and fantasies.
Do the mental image exercises as mentioned. No more than 1.5 minutes for each exercise.
Arm Heaviness
Hand Levitation
Finger Anesthesia
Water “Hallucination”
Olfactory-Gustatory “Hallucination”
Music “Hallucination”
Temperature “Hallucination”
Time Distortion
Age Regression
Mind-Body Relaxation
Now visualize or otherwise experience the elements of your current creative work. Imagine your creative block. What do you want to work on right now? What are the problems and solutions to this? How do you move on?
Come back to reality. Stretch your limbs. Breathe deeply. Open your eyes.
Repeat this daily for two weeks or more. You can do this as a ritual before doing (or trying to do) any creative work.
Conclusion
While there are many ways to tackle a creative block, I am trying to give you a new, evidence-based approach. I have adapted this exercise for you to do on your own, so we need more evidence to see if it works without help. If you have someone to help you, you could use the real exercise down at the sources.
Because this is a work in progress and I’ll continue to adjust the exercise after feedback. So, if you do the exercise for a while, it would be super nice if you could send me your feedback! I will adapt and improve the exercise so that it is even more applicable and can help you.
Singer, J. L., & Barrios, M. V. (2009). Writer’s block and blocked writers: Using natural imagery to enhance creativity. In S. B. Kaufman & J. C. Kaufman (Eds.), The psychology of creative writing (pp. 225–246). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511627101.016
Barber, T. X., & Wilson, S. C. (1978). The Barber Suggestibility Scale and the Creative Imagination Scale: Experimental and clinical applications. The American journal of clinical hypnosis, 21(2-3), 84–108. https://doi.org/10.1080/00029157.1978.10403966
