MAKE ART FOR ART'S SAKE!
Sometimes it’s not the end product that matters, it’s the process. Simply enjoying the act of making and creating something, for the sake of, well, making and creating something! When you're a professional creative it's always about the end product or meeting a brief. And sometimes creating for creating's sake goes out the window. We all have bills to pay! But, there are so many benefits to it. So, when was the last time you created something simply for the fun of it?
THERE ARE NO RULES!
If you’ve read some of my other blog posts, you’ll know that over the last few months I’ve tried to be more proactive in the doing, rather than the thinking (THINKING vs DOING!). So with that in mind, I found some time to do some messing around and to create just for fun again. This time with no real rules or limitations. Just some paint pens, coloured markers, a blank page, and some free time to fill it with something.
WORDS!
So, what do you fill a blank page with? Where do you start? The possibilities are almost endless. Well, recently I’ve found myself drawn to lots of artists who use words in their art. So, I thought I’d have a go too. I started scribbling words and playing with layering text on top of text. Creating almost abstract images. Which then developed into trying to integrate some simple statements within them, as you can see from a few examples below.
Look, I know I’m not reinventing the wheel here but, as I said, this is all about creating and experimenting for the sake of making and creating. And, in doing so I’ve found that actually, I’ve had lots more ideas that could turn into more refined and solid projects in the future.
That’s the joy of creating! When you experiment ideas develop. And from this experimenting came some more experimenting. This time using a single statement. Inspired by a Chase Jarvis Podcast I recently listened to of the same name, around this very topic of making art for art’s sake.
I enjoyed this idea a little more. I think I needed some constraints in place. Otherwise, the blank page did seem a little daunting. It’s all about creating for fun at this point but as I said, by messing around and experimenting not only did I enjoy the process, which was the whole point. I think I have some new ideas from this concept to possibly expand on in the future.
THE BENEFITS OF MAKING ART FOR ART’S SAKE.
I know I’m biased because I work in the creative sector, but I do believe there are benefits for everyone to creating and making, simply for the sake of it. Whether you consider yourself creative or not:
IT'S FUN - It doesn’t have to be that serious. Creating can simply be great fun! Sometimes as adults we can forget that.
FOCUS - by creating for the sake of creating, you can focus your attention on something and, perhaps, find 5 minutes of calm in this crazy world where we’re constantly bombarded with so much information.
TRYING SOMETHING NEW - when there are no rules you’re free to try new things. Whether that’s a new way of working or maybe something you’ve never done before. Who knows you may find a new passion.
IMPROVE SKILLS - the more we do anything the more we tend to improve. When you create for the sake of it you can make mistakes and learn from them with much fewer or no consequences.
MAKE IT! SHOW IT!
As I’ve already said, I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel with any of this. It’s just a case of doing, and not thinking so much for me at the moment. Making something simply for the joy and pleasure of making something. I made some things, and it's been great fun, and now I’m showing them to you as you're part of this creative journey I’m on too.
It’s not easy to know what you want to say or create sometimes, so I’m enjoying all of the experiments with different mediums and techniques. I know it’s random but I guess that’s all part of the Creative Nowhere Land journey. So I’m sure the randomness will continue.
Thanks for reading this far, and for your continued support. If you want to keep up to date with the next random project I might be working on, then please consider signing up for the newsletter below. Until next time…