Sunday, September 14, 2014

The Blank Canvas Blog Hop: How I Deal with a Blank Book Page...


Hi, It's Monday, September 15th, and it's Day 8 of the BLANK CANVAS BLOG HOP! I'm Virginia Simpson-Magruder and I am a jewelry, collage, and altered book artist and I'm here to share with you my tips for conquering the BLANK CANVAS! 

Up until a couple of seconds ago (this part was written Sunday morning) --- this post was my BLANK CANVAS. I've been sitting and staring at this screen for 15 minutes, and cleaning out my inbox for 20 minutes! All the while thinking about what I'm going to write about, letting all my thoughts mull around in the back of my mind, including my anxiety about possibly failing. 

So spelled out, this is usually how it goes before I get enough "juice", "umpfff", "spark", "mojo" to start a creative project: 
  1. I think about the general subject matter or get an inkling of desire (to paint, to draw, to start and altered book, to write)....
  2. I do something else (clean dishes, do laundry, call my mother, lay on a blanket under the tree, make some coffee)...
  3. I berate myself and think I'm going to fail...
  4. I pray for the divine energy to intervene...
  5. I finally sit down (or stand up) in front of the "intended" project or art piece and...JUMP IN!
Can you relate???I bet some of you can!

Here are a few things I try to remember:
  1. Don't punish or berate myself, or be critical of my procrastination: It's part of the creative process!
  2. Give myself permission to wander around, go for a walk, put things away in my studio: It's part of the creative process!
  3. Don't be afraid of making "bad" art, "ugly" art, "not good enough" art: It's part of the creative process!
  4. Keep my intention to create in the back of my mind as I participate in my "non-making art" activities: It's part of the creative process!
The most important thing in approaching your BLANK CANVAS is to get into your right brain mode of thinking. The right brain is where creativity lives (versus the left brain which is where our analytical thought processes live) -- and one of the ways to get into that mode is to play with color, images, textures, words.  

MY TWO FAVORITE TECHNIQUES FOR OVERCOMING BLANK CANVAS PARALYSIS

I do one of two things to get warmed up and get the juices flowing. I start working in a SMALL or TINY book or journal. In the flip through below I show one of my altered journals, "Tiny Green Book". It is filled to the brim with images, color, and ephemera. I didn't think hard about what this book would contain except to select images, paper, ribbons, and text that have to do with the color green. Working in a small book or journal gives you the opportunity to complete a page easily without much thought. Focusing on a color and all its different shades and tones also stimulates the right brain. And as i am working in my studio -- if I come across an image or papers that i think will fit in it -- I'll stuff them in between the pages to glue in later. After working in a journal like this for 10 for 15 minutes I'm often ready to jump into a BLANK CANVAS.

To see my Tiny Green Journal Flip through Video go here.

 Another technique I use and suggest to my altered book students is to have one altered book that is devoted solely to Playing or Experimenting with color, media, and techniques. Play with color, play with magazine images, play with art media, play with ribbons, play with glitter. Again, try not to think about what the end product is going to be. These play books often end up being my favorite altered books and journals. The more you fall into the color, shapes, textures -- the more you'll be accessing your right brain and you can follow that flow right into your BLANK CANVAS.


GIVEAWAY: Before you go -- be sure to participate in my Blank Canvas Blog Hop giveaway. If you go to my Wild Spirit Pendants' Facebook Fan Page and "Like Us", and then join my Kentucky Girl Designs e-newsletter list (click on the blue button in column to the right), you will have a chance to win my Wild Spirit Jaguar Pendant:

 

This hand-soldered collage pendant celebrates the Wild Spirit of Jaguar. Wear this pendant to reinforce the creative passion within you!

Have fun with these BLANK CANVAS tips and come visit me at Kentucky Girl Designs for more and a list of my workshops and upcoming e-courses.

Earlier Participants!
1. Sept 8   Karen Friedland 
2. Tuesday Sept 9   Lezette Markham
3. Wednesday Sept 10 Cynthia Patton
4. Thursday Sept 11 Jennyann Carthern
5. Friday "Frenzy" Sept 12  Kiala Givehand
6. Saturday Sept 13 Jan Blount
7. Sunday Sept 14 Effy Wild
8. Monday Sept 15 Virginia Simpson-Magruder
9. Tuesday Sept 16 Dariana Cruz
10. Wednesday Sept 17 Susan Miller
11. Thursday Sept 18 Grace Howes go here
12. Friday Sept 19 Tori Deaux
13. Saturday Sept 20 Kiala Givehand go here
14. Sunday Sept 21 Martin Arkenstone go here!
15. Monday Sept 22 Nicole Piar
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21 comments:

  1. OracleGaiaSeptember 15, 2014 at 7:03 AM

    Thanks for sharing these tips with us. I love the mini journal. You sure do like green! I liked your FB page (I truly do like it xD) and signed up to your newsletter. I love these blog hops, because they give us the chance to meet artists we may otherwise never have discovered. Oh and that pendant is absolutely stunning! I just adore anything feline and this certainly fits the bill. Hugs from Spain, Fiona

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    1. VirginiaSeptember 15, 2014 at 2:27 PM

      Thanks so much for your comments, Fiona! I agree with you -- now that my portion has gone live I'm going around and visiting all of my fellow participants and seeing what they are doing!
      Yes, I am big on green and a big/little cat girl! Let me know when your blog goes live and I'll come visit!

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    2. OracleGaiaSeptember 16, 2014 at 3:44 AM

      It went live yesterday! I'm currently doing the WordPress Blogging 101 course as I am absolutely new to it all - I have never had a blog in my life, but I felt it was time to change that. During the next 30 days I will be set various tasks to help me learn how to blog and about the site too. Thank you so much for your interest. Hugs, Fiona :)

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    3. VirginiaSeptember 17, 2014 at 12:01 PM

      That's great! I'll be by to visit!

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    4. OracleGaiaSeptember 19, 2014 at 12:51 AM

      I'd better get up to date with the writing then! I've been a bit busy lately, but it's no excuse. Thanks again for the support - Hugs xox

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  2. AnonymousSeptember 15, 2014 at 8:36 AM

    I loved looking at the teenie green journal video! Did you know that the human eye discerns more shades of green than any other color? I think I need to go & start myself a tiny journal with a theme right away! Thanx, Virginia.

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    1. VirginiaSeptember 15, 2014 at 2:30 PM

      Karen, Good -- I'd like to see a whole grouping of them from you! I did a red and a blue one a few years ago -- maybe you guys will inspire me to do some more! And I did not know that about Green that's so cool! Thanks for visiting!

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  3. Tori DeauxSeptember 15, 2014 at 10:46 AM

    "Don't be afraid of making "bad" art, "ugly" art, "not good enough" art: It's part of the creative process!" <-- love that! And I'm glad you linked through to the video, it's not only fun, it really shows some of your tips in action :)

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    1. VirginiaSeptember 15, 2014 at 2:32 PM

      Tori -- It's something I definitely had to take on, wrestle to the floor, and bounce back up from. Ya know? Wish I could have figured it out to embed -- but it's good to see that people followed the link anyway! Thanks for stopping by!

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  4. janblountSeptember 15, 2014 at 11:07 AM

    Virginia....I love your teeny tiny green journal and love the idea of creating my own version of this. Especially love the idea of using this as a warm up to get the juices flowing. Great reminders too. And Karen that is an interesting bit of trivia regarding the color green. When I am put on the spot to pick a favorite color I usually choose green.

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    1. VirginiaSeptember 15, 2014 at 2:36 PM

      Thanks Jan -- will swing back around to your post now that I'm done with mine! I did see that wonderful canvas bag you are offering when I went to grab a pic for my FB post on your assigned day! If anybody reads this -- hop over to Jan's site to see her post: http://bit.ly/1wmx1p9

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  5. Kiala GivehandSeptember 15, 2014 at 11:08 AM

    Great ideas for conquering the blank page. I just adore that tiny journal -- and the idea of having a theme as a way to sustain a creative practice. Thanks for this Virginia.

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    1. VirginiaSeptember 15, 2014 at 2:44 PM

      Kiala -- You are so welcome and thanks for all of your coaching help!

      Blank Canvas Blog Hop readers be sure to visit Kiala on September 20th!

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  6. GraceSeptember 15, 2014 at 3:34 PM

    Oh my gosh I can so relate to the beginning angst you wrote about in trying to conquer the blank canvas. I am a stickler for finding household chores to do when I know I should be in the studio and when things are rolling along I don't even see all the house stuff. Thanks for this insight into your creative process.

    Btw....I didn't realize until I saw the video that the green journal was a really so small. How delightful!

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    1. VirginiaSeptember 17, 2014 at 12:33 PM

      I think it's around 3x3! Thanx for stopping by Grace!

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  7. Trista @ Trista Ree CreatesSeptember 17, 2014 at 12:23 PM

    Thank you for the great tips and inspiration. I have enjoyed looking at the green journal as well as other fun snippets on your blog.

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    1. VirginiaSeptember 17, 2014 at 12:37 PM

      Thanks Trista! I'll be uploading more journal flips in the next few weeks -- go can visit my You Tube Channel and subscribe http://bit.ly/1BN88FX

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  8. ghostkittenSeptember 17, 2014 at 11:43 PM

    I love the little tiny books you make to help "break the ice" Sometime I will do a quick intuitive watercolor painting as a way to warm up too. Love this. I also like that you have a secial place for experimenting so sweet.

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    1. VirginiaSeptember 18, 2014 at 5:03 PM

      Thanks for dropping by Nicolita! My kitties are also sending purrs your way too!

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  9. KrissyBSeptember 29, 2014 at 10:35 AM

    Hi, Virginia -- I'm looking forward to your upcoming e-courses that you mentioned in your post! I can't wait! Do you have a target date in mind for your first on-line class?

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    1. VirginiaOctober 1, 2014 at 2:53 PM

      Hi Krissy! I'm shooting for the first course to debut January 2015 then followed bu 3 others over the next 4 months. (Keep your fingers crossed!) I've added you to my email list.-- but if you want to get on my newsletter go to my website http://bit.ly/1vycwG1 to subscribe so you are in the info loop! Thanks so much for your interest!

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