How to be creative. Tip of the week number 3

magny tjelta. http://www.jeanettenilssen.com Photo: Jeanette Nilssen

CREATIVITY TIP OF THE WEEK- How to get focused.

Sometimes we find we have no ideas, and other times we find that we have too many.  And having too many can be just as much of a problem as not having any at all.

In this article I will talk about why it is important to select a few good ideas at a time.

Focusing on a few ideas makes it possible to finish them, which will have a more positive impact on your art work.

When I started studying in college, every idea I had, exploded in my mind, into 100 more ideas. At first, this feels great. It feels wonderful to have them coming along. Everything is perfect, What starts as one lightning bolt from the sky and a big WOW, begins to grow, and more images and ideas appear. It make sense, it is so very exciting and it is so much fun, just like drinking a glass of Champagne.

magny tjelta. http://www.jeanettenilssen.com

But time after time, these many ideas of mine crashed into each other and I ended up with a complex mess. All of the good ideas were lost among all the other good ideas I didn’t know when to stop andjust choose a few ideas which can be much more powerful. I was wasting all the ideas and just digging myself into a hole. I was like a kid in candy store I couldn’t choose which ones I wanted. I then realized that I had to stop and just go true with one or two good ideas.

So what do I do to control it?

First I select a few of the ideas and make them into a project and work on just those selected ideas at the time. One or two ideas can be kept fresh and clear. We can follow them on a journey to somewhere exciting and new.

I know that I will be responsible for carrying many enormous ideas to fruition in my lifetime and often have several projects at the same time. But each project will focus on  just a few ideas. Trying to cope with too many ideas in one project just becomes a heavy burden.

 

magny tjelta. http://www.jeanettenilssen.com

Our single ideas are easy, we can follow them and we get to dance around with them. You don’t have to waste time figuring out where to go, you just start the journey and quickly finish it!  You know what to do with them. It is much better to relax and do one or two small ideas at a time and see them finished.

If you find you are stuck on a project maybe it is because you have too many ideas or don’t have any fixed idea of what you are trying to do.

Try these tips:

  • Have you thought about the ideas that you are trying to achieve in your project? If someone asked you, could you summarize it in just a few ideas.
  • Re-evaluate the projects you’re working on now. You can always redirect them if you want.
  • Write down the aim of your project and stick to what you have written down.
  • If your ideas change – record them and keep them for another project.
  • If a project is going slowly, see if you can split it into smaller, more focused projects.
  • Give yourself a small project with just one or two ideas and get it finishedin a week.

 

magny tjelta. http://www.jeanettenilssen.com

magny tjelta. http://www.jeanettenilssen.com artist magny tjelta. http-::www.jeanettenilssen.com . online classesAll photos by Jeanette Nilssen

In my next post I will tell you how I save my extra ideas and make them artistic and fun.

Share the magic of creativity.

And if you like my blog, please feel free to tell other creative people about it.

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19 thoughts on “How to be creative. Tip of the week number 3

  1. Very good advice. I always have too many ideas. I find that working even on just one doll at a time can cause a train wreck as I start seeing new ideas in my head and then start to second guess my original choices. When that gets in the way I am left with a doll that doesn’t have a journey.

  2. Great advice – I agree with you completely. I always have way more ideas than I have time for. I find I become more productive when I narrow my focus on one creative project or work in a series or set myself a challenge.

  3. Great suggestion Magny! I have the same problem too sometimes my mind is full of ideas there are so many things that I want to do that seems I don’t have enough time! lol I guess this is also a reason why I express my Art in many different ways. <3

  4. Awesome advice Magny! Having a lot of ideas swimming in my head cripples me and eventually not end up starting something. Lately, I focus on one to two ideas and work from there and take as much time as possible.

  5. Such good advice Magny! I only myself to do project at a time…funny there appears to be three on my table right now…keep the focus, right?!

    I love seeing your beautiful work, thank you for sharing!

  6. Thank you for sharing it with us, what I’d like to call it: your creativity journey. A very interesting insight of your art life. I’ve always learnt something from your lovely posts.

    Vivienne X

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