Tag Archives: mind

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August 21, 2016

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Creativity

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Getting Past the White Blank Paper

A common question I get is, “How do you get past staring at that blank white sheet of paper when you create?”

My answer, “I doodle on it until it’s no longer intimidating.”

The key to any creative project is getting started. You can start at the beginning, the middle or the end, as all elements will have a part in the final creative piece. It might take on a different form or launch you into a better direction or story, but all elements are part of the journey that develops the idea into something worth sharing.

I remember being mesmerized as a little kid watching Mary Poppins. She was wholesome, magical and very smart. When Jane and Michael struggled to clean up their room, she reminded them that, “A job begun is half done.” This statement proved to be true in life and helped me understand the three things necessary to move a creative idea through to completion.

  1. Start Anywhere and in Anyway.

IMG_3363Creatives tend to start with a doodled idea on the nearby napkin. I’ve yet to meet a great film director who doesn’t have doodles in the margins of his notebook. It’s a natural process for creatives to doodle out ideas and turn them into something greater than intended.

For some, clipping magazines for a vision board will kick their ideas off in a powerful way. Others create living reels, storyboards and mood reels. Another might shoot off lots of photos, stick them on the wall and arrange them to find a potential story. There is no wrong answer to spark ideas that can cross over to your next big thing.

  1. Improve Upon the Idea

Once the creativity has been started, the refining process kicks into gear. All first ideas lack luster and rarely fit the final work of art. The journey of creation requires rework 80% of the time to bring the art to life. Three steps will help the creative hone their ideas…

  • What If: Asking what if questions force the mind to consider multiple angles and perspectives on the art. By interrogating the idea for all possible vantage points, a richness of greater value is added to the work.
  • Examine & Re-examine: Focusing in on the craft and bringing the idea to a master level allows the creative to determine the best possible way to share the story or idea. Instead of retelling the age-old story of Sleeping Beauty, Disney diverged from its standards and told the story of Maleficent. Critical and creative thinking can help this process explore new avenues of possibilities.
  • Inspire with Imagery: Finding quotes, verses or images that spark emotions related to your idea will inspire and move the process forward. The creative always welcomes the possibility of sparking something new that polishes an idea or brings it into a unique and fascinating light.

  1. Add Magic

The sparkle or the ah-ha moment lifts the idea above scrutiny. That simple element of magic also transforms the art into something entertaining that must be talked about among friends. Whether it’s a unique moment in a story, the juxtaposition of two seemingly unrelated items, or an uncanny perspective that enlightens, the magic gives the art wings to transcend the culture to something better than its current state.

Get started in anyway you choose and then recreate to make your work better and better, until you finally find the magic element that will make your idea worth sharing by others. It doesn’t matter if your audience is a business team, little children or out of town relatives, everyone needs to be entertained enough to open their minds to your shared idea.

Copyright © 2016 by CJ Powers

 

 

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July 12, 2015

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Media & Society, Thoughts and Ideas

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10 Things to Know before Loving a Creative

Emotions Run Depp within CreativesI came across an article by Justin Gammill that helped me understand there are scores of documents proving that highly creative types think very differently than the average person. They’re hardwired aptitude for the arts generate amazing works that we benefit from. But for their lover, it’s important for them to understand the ten things that come with the creative’s unique mindset.

  1. Mind is Always Working

The creative mind runs at full speed all the time. It allows for spur-of-the-moment fun, but their lover sometimes finds it draining. Creatives also tend to bounce between projects throughout a day. Their lover can seldom keep up and soon realizes they will never be able to control or manipulate the creative into a clear schedule.

  1. Life Takes on Patterns

Creativity ebbs and flows, bringing emotional highs and lows to the creative in regular patterns. To some it might appear to be a manic behavior disorder, but its simply part of the creative process. Their lover must understand that their lows are temporary and bring about a new perspective for the creative, who then ramps up with more ideas.

  1. Need Down Time

While some people assume that many creatives are introverts based on their withdrawal periods, most just need to pull away to deal with their thoughts. The same holds true when chats become limited or quiet. The creative hasn’t lost interest in their lover, but instead is temporarily stuck in his head working through ideas.

  1. Hyper Focused

When hyper focused on a project, the creative can lose track of time and find sleep altered based on his workflow. This can be difficult and frustrating for the lover, as he is ignorant and irresponsible at one point, and brilliant and responsible at another. The lover must remember its part of how the creative is wired.

  1. Emotions Run Deep

Creative people feel everything on a deeper level. What seems like a small thing to the lover could be a much bigger deal for the creative to the point of feeling crushed. The lover must remember that it’s the same passion he uses to create art that expresses love.

  1. Think and Speak in Stories

It takes the creative a lot more words to express his experiences, instead of just saying what he wants to say. This storytelling process ascribes his humanity to what he shares, but can be hard to follow at times for the lover unless she reads between the lines.

  1. Wage Internal Battles

Creatives can take several hours to come up to speed and accomplish a task on one given day and jump out of bed for a project on another. It’s impossible for the lover to slow him down and she soon learns to be patient during the slow times, as surges of activity will quickly show up.

  1. Thrive on Intuition

Creatives rely on intuition over logic due to their intense emotions. They typically go with their gut and are right far more times than logical people care to admit. While lovers might be concerned about what appears to be impulsive tendencies, the creative is actually following his depth of experience and passion.

  1. Struggle with Confidence

Creating for a profession develops second-guessing in all creatives. While some lovers might be concerned about the creative’s need for acceptance, he is typically just seeking to understand the needs of his audience. This comes from the vulnerability of having to wear his heart on his sleeves for the sake of art. This in turn leads to questions about whether or not his work is ever good enough. The lover’s most important role in maintaining her relationship is being supportive of the creative – protecting his heart and ability to continue loving.

  1. Play

Creatives know how to let their inner child play. At times, the lover might think he’s being immature or impulsive, but he’s just being a child at heart. This is an innate part of the creative’s brain and thinking process. The lover has to remember the things that make the relationship fun and playful are the same things that might become frustrating during serious times.

Copyright © 2015 by CJ Powers
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March 9, 2015

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The Heart of an Artist

Artist DefinedThe Artist is a powerful creature who makes a difference in our lives. He creates for us beauty from ashes, the oil of joy for mourning and the garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness. He makes us laugh in spite of our dire circumstances and brings a tear to our eye when we need to be reminded of our humanity. The artist is a healer of our soul and one who inspires us to be our better selves.

I’m giving an inspirational talk tomorrow night to a group of business people on the topic of artistry. It’s my hope that those in the room who have mastered their craft or developed great business acumen will consider how they might bring heart into their workplace.

Revealing heart through one’s art is a risky venture, especially for those who have been abused in life. However, I can also tell you that being accepted for who you really are is far more valuable than being accepted for who you might pretend to be.

The opposite also rings true. To be rejected for who you pretend to be generates an unprecedented level of bitterness, while rejection based on who you actually are tears the heart, unless you’re confident in who you are – then it doesn’t matter.

The amount of power we find within ourselves when we fulfill who we were made to be is tremendous. It makes me wonder if those who fear the strong are the ones who program society with the hope of achieving some form of a safe haven, without any divergence. The fearful are rarely strong enough to be themselves and hide behind a cloak of societal pressures and political correctness.

It’s therefore the artist’s job to bring awareness to the masses in hopes that enlightenment might grip the heart, mind and soul of the downtrodden. To that end, all artists who choose motion pictures as their venue of choice must find new ways of expressing themselves to bring insight and hope to those around them.

Artistry isn’t black and white, but millions of colors. It takes on different forms and may even be misconstrued at times. I remember one person shared her feelings after reading one of my short stories. She was so spiritually touched that she suggested I become a pastor. A man told me after seeing one of my patriotic works that he’d vote for me if I ran for office. A teenager who felt empowered by one story suggested I become an advocate for women.

The great thing about art is that it opens minds to consider things of the heart. These people weren’t impressed by my stories and films, but by what already resided within their own heart. My art just helped them to see the one thing they held deep within themselves. It only took a spark to fan into flame their dormant passion.

The day will soon come when the people who watch or read my art will no longer suggest I become that thing stirring within their hearts, but instead will embrace their own passion to make the world a remarkable place. For its art that brings each of us to the place we need to be in order to make life-changing decisions that will touch our communities.

Copyright © 2015 by CJ Powers