Cultivate an environment where your creativity can flourish

A creative’s version of a new years resolution

Jan 04, 2024

If I can suggest just one new years resolution it would be this: to cultivate an environment where your creativity can flourish. I use the word ‘cultivate’ because it isn’t something that is built overnight. It takes discipline and determination. Every person’s ideal creative environment will look different and will probably evolve over time, therefore it will take patience and lots of experimentation to find the ideal one that fits you. This is something that I have started to do last year and will be leaning into actively this year. I realise that it is a long term, life long project, but I think that it is worth it.

To make this endeavour less daunting I want to suggest breaking the project down into the following topics:

Physical space
Out and about
Mental space
Creativity triggers

Think through each topic and write down your thoughts, then figure out how you can implement it. (Although I wrote this from a visual artist’s perspective, the principles can be applied to most of the other creative fields.)

Your physical space

Whether you are working from a corner of the living room, an office or a big studio space, your direct environment will influence your desire to start creating. Being surrounded by art somehow nudges us to create. Having your art supplies at the ready is also a good idea.

One thing I need from my work space, is for it to be free from distractions. For me this means that the space needs to be clean and tidy. If I want to do my future self a favour, I will tidy and clean my workspace at the end of the day when my creativity and energy is already sapped. It takes some discipline to not leave it for the next morning, where I will just waste precious creative time on it. For some, a clean desk policy will do wonders, but I do realise that there are some artists who need to be surrounded by their art supplies like a child with too many soft toys at bed time. Try to figure out what works best for you and how you can consistently get your physical environment in that state without wasting precious creative time to get it there.

Out and about

How easy is it for you to start creating throughout your typical day? Try to get that hurdle as low as possible. One thing you can do for yourself is to have a small sketchbook and a marker tucked into your (jacket) pocket. You can then use this to make visual notes throughout the day. Leave a couple of pencils and a sketchbook in your car or handbag so that you can use it whenever you have some time to kill. (Resist the temptation to unlock your phone!) At home you can make sure that you have at least one portable set of art materials that you can move around the house to sketch with when the inspiration strikes.

Your mental space

When thinking of mental space, I sometimes think of musicians, backstage, before a concert. How they would warm up, psych each other up, jump up and down etc. to make sure that they are bringing all their energy to the stage. Being in an optimal mental space to create can be one of the hardest things to crack. Some might need to get a creative consultant or psychologist that they meet with on a regular basis. There are also some more basic, but by no means less important ways to support your mental space. Doing physical exercise, eating healthy and getting enough sleep will go a long way. I can’t tell you how much going on walks and hikes has helped me to come up with new ideas for my art. It is also a favourite time for me to think through and structure my substack posts.

The media that you consume also has an impact on your mental space. You might need to rethink your social media use and how that has been impacting your mental space and creativity. I have felt so much more grounded, sure of myself and creative since I stopped using instagram. The fact is, the media we consume has an effect on us. Be it books, movies, TV shows, social media or newspapers. The important thing is to take note of what you take in and the effect that that it has on you, then try to maximise those things that has a positive effect.

Creativity triggers

It’s very helpful to know what your creativity triggers are. Those things that make you want to start creating. It could be a book or a favourite podcast. Paging through one of your old sketchbooks. Maybe it is a favourite artist’s youtube channel or an inspiring Patreon. It could also be a specific music album, that just makes your fingers itch to pick up a brush. Make a list of these things that you know triggers that urge to create and continue to build the list as you discover new ones. The idea with these triggers is that you use it to kickstart a session on the days that you really need it. Almost like that cup of coffee that helps you to wake up in the morning. As soon as you feel that creative itch, be it two minutes into the book/video or five, you need to get up and get behind your easel as soon as possible.

Another thing that serves as a creativity trigger for me is to leave an open sketchbook with the last sketch I made on my desk easel to greet me in the morning. Somehow seeing the proof that I created something the previous day, sparks the urge in me to go at it again.

Colours also serve as creativity triggers for me. I will see a colour somewhere, be it on a cereal box or a magazine or whatever. (Where I come across said colour can sometimes be really random.) That colour would then scream at me to use it. So I open my sketchbook, grab that colour from my pencil case, and draw something with it. What I draw is beside the point, it can be as simple as my cup of tea or a jar of paintbrushes. What is important is that this trigger gets me into a creative flow, from which I can then move onto other more serious work.

Taking a visual note of this tree while on a walk in the forest.

Hopefully I am leaving you with some motivation, encouragement and ideas to cultivate an environment where your creativity can flourish. Do you perhaps have any other tips and tricks that have been working for you? Please let me know in the comments, I would love to hear what you do to fan that creative flame inside of you!