The Creative Embargo

I want to make things, but sometimes my inspiration has other plans

This Always Happens

I indulge in a big, time-intensive, creative project, and immediately after finishing, I lose all motivation to do anything creative for at least a week or more.

This happened twice in the last month; once on a personal art project, and again on a rush design project for a client.

Each time, the result was the same. I intended to capitalize on my momentum after the creative endeavor, but instead, I found myself not wanting to do anything creative at all. I call this a creative embargo and it’s almost completely out of my control. My brain/soul/consciousness keeps me from getting off the proverbial couch.

Instead, I indulge in creativity in other ways by watching movies, youtube videos, going to art shows or museums, or scouring the ever-shrinking collection of art and design books at Barnes & Noble.

It’s not productive, but it helps. The way I see it, I’m refilling the tank for my next creative impulse, which is something I am learning to recognize about myself.

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Obligatory Black Friday Announcement

Head to DaveConrey.com anytime between 11/25 and 11/28 and receive 30% off your entire order. No codes, no minimum purchases, just a good deal.

I’ll be adding new work to the shop until then, and dropping some specials for the event, with some surprise visits from some classic designs.

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Batteries on Low

If social engagement is a spectrum, I believe I rank somewhere in the middle between extrovert and introvert, but I lean more toward intro if I’m being honest. Ask any introverts how they cope with social gatherings, and most will tell you that they don’t mind the engagement, but they’re quick to head to quieter, safer places so they can recharge their batteries.

That’s exactly how I feel about my creativity, and whenever I try to deny my mind’s need for decompression, I end up making things I’m not enthused about or proud of making.

However, endlessly watching YouTube videos doesn’t help me grow my art business, so here’s a list of things I’m going to do instead when I find myself in creative embargo mode.

• Organize the studio

• Go to the art store to stock up on materials

• Photograph work that I haven’t listed yet

• Upload that artwork onto my website

• Research new product offerings

• Reach out to creative friends for creative download sessions (masterminds)

• Get some sunshine

• Go to the gym

Those last two may not seem like things that help me grow my business, but what I’ve found is exercise and vitamin D from the sun are two things that help kickstart a new mindset.

When I started writing this newsletter, I knew what I wanted to write about, but the embargo was keeping me from putting words together. So I went to the gym to repeatedly pick up heavy things and put them back down again.

Now here I am in a coffee shop adjacent to the gym, drinking my chai rooibos latte, listening to Florence + The Machine, and I just banged out 500 words.

Does that mean I’m ready to go home and make my next masterpiece? Not likely, but it’s a process. The thing about learning all these things about myself is now I can plan around them, which is a topic for next time.

Cya next time,

Dave

PS - Not sure if you noticed, but I’ve been dropping new Asset Packs weekly, and now that Affinity has released version 2 of their software, I’m going to be adding some digital downloads specifically for Affinity users, starting Tuesday, but those are only reserved for Makers.