Category: collage

How to foster creativity when stressed or under pressure

blond woman looking stressed and under pressure

Do stress and deadline pressures have your creativity freezing up? Let me share six tips that fostered my creativity and got me back to my studio to start painting and having fun again. I hope that will work for you too.

The dilemma of the creative process (for me) is that I impose pressure on myself to make impressive, or at least good, artwork. I worry my paintings must be meaningful and pleasing, and if they aren’t, then self-doubt, fear and discouragement paralyze me from working. This self-reposed pressure was putting a lot of stress on my creativity and keeping me from painting. I needed to adjust my thinking and art practice to break this negative cycle and get me back to the joy of making art.

botanical collage paintings by Kathy Ferguson Art

In many ways, the COVID quarantine has been a positive experience for me. When the virus rates escalated in New York City almost overnight, there was speculation that Manhattan would close its borders and travel outside the borough would be restricted. The thought of getting trapped in a city had me fleeing that very day to Florida with nary an art supply in my suitcase. With no upcoming shows or commissions to finish, and few supplies to work with, I decided to let my self-imposed pressure go and just play around with the limited materials I had available (acrylics and junk mail).

I started small, making simple 6″ x 6″ painted collages. Working on up to 12 paintings at a time, I skipped around between them when I got stuck. I let myself step back and make work that didn’t need to be good. And you know what happened? My creativity came back. I was excited to go to my studio every day and see what would happen next. After finishing forty-two of these “Tidbits” paintings, I was ready to move on to something more substantial.

 

Mounting blue and white collage works on cradled wood panels

Are you feeling stressed or just unmotivated?

First, take a minute to decide how you are really feeling? Are you stressed because your kids are constantly interrupting your workflow, and you have a gallery exhibit coming up that you’re not close to ready for it? Or is it that you are feeling uninspired and lacking in motivation? For these who just need some inspiration, read my advice 7 tips I use to foster creativity when feeling unmotivated to get you up and running again.  The rest of you, keep reading.

6 tips to spark creativity when pressure is weighing you down

So the next time you’re stressed or under pressure, try these other ideas to spark your inspiration and creativity.

Stop forcing creativity

First, stop trying to “make yourself” come up with something creative. Instead of telling yourself, “I must make something great now,” instead let yourself “play around with some ideas.” You need to feel in a safe space of non-judgment and expectation to be open creatively.

Take a break from the problem

Step away for the problem and let your sub-conscience work while you go for a walk, bake a cake, or fold the laundry. The less these activities use your mind, the more available it will be to create new solutions.

illustration of blond girl making a smoothie

Focus on a single idea

While doing one of these activities, do a little brainstorming on a single idea. Go deep and think of every good, bad, and weird idea that you can. Don’t critique these ideas; you are going for quantity. Give your thoughts some space to roam and let creativity work its magic. Breaking it down into small steps will help you chip away at the problem.

Go get inspiration on Pinterest

Are you still stuck? Try looking at other people’s work. I’m not suggesting copying them, but sometimes seeing what others have done will trigger new ideas or approaches to your problem.  

Reach out to another artistic business owner

You don’t have to go it alone. Why not collaborate with another? You can pick their brain or work together. The process of talking through ideas can stimulate new thoughts and take you in a new direction.

Creativity takes time

If all else fails, perhaps you just need time. Give yourself time to mull on it. Studies show that the brain continues working while you’re asleep. A good night’s sleep will do you good. I often wake up the morning after with the answer just waiting for me.

Get more great creativity tips by signing up for my monthly newsletter HERE.

 

 

Do you miss going to galleries and museums?

Stratum mixed media collage NCS National Collage Society

Not to worry. You can take these gallery tours from your couch. Many venues are putting up online shows free to the public to enjoy. I currently have work in the following two online art exhibitions.

National Collage Society’s 23rd Annual Small Format Exhibition

This year marks the 23rd anniversary of the National Collage Society Small Format Exhibit. This Postcard Exhibit is an invitational exhibition comprised of small format 4″ x 6″ postcard-sized collages. The Society defines collage is any artwork created with another layer glued onto the surface.

Click the link to Visit Nat’l Collage Society Exhibit

 

Long Island City Artists’ Spring National Collage Exhibition

One hundred eight of our artists are represented here, in LiC-A’s first online Members’ Exhibition.  Our regular exhibition venues, including the Plaxall Gallery in Long Island City, are shut down temporarily due to the current health situation. So we are using our website to provide a public space in which both artists and visitors can share in the appreciation of these incredibly exceptional and diverse talents of Queens artists.

Click the link to Visit LiC-A Spring Exhibit

Ocean Tidbit Kathy Ferguson collage mixed media
Ocean Tidbit, 1 of 9, 6″ x 6″, mixed media

 

Just a pigment of my imagination

Botanical hide and seek, cold wax CWM mixed media painting, 10" x 10", white checkboard pattern over colorful background
It’s weird how some paintings come into being.  The artwork below is one such painting. It came about through three unrelated experiments into a single, colorful work of art.

One:  I offload my leftover paints onto sheets of paper instead of throwing them out. Sometimes, I can use these paints in my collage work. This particular paper was a total mess, and I couldn’t think of any way to use it.

Two:  I needed to do a transfer test to judge paper translucency. I used this messy paper for the background paper. Now it was doubly a mess.

Three: I’ve wanted to experiment with cold-wax medium. It’s different from encaustic wax, which must be used in a melted form, as it stays usable at room temperature. I needed an acrylic background to experiment on, so I grabbed this paper again.

After using masking tape to create a grid pattern, I filled in every other square with white tinted CWM. Next, I practiced removing and drawing into it. Suddenly, from all the chaos I saw order and interest. I’m as surprised as you are!

Moral of the story: Don’t throw away your failed paintings and experiments.  You might find the perfect use for them one day!

Checking in on you. Are you safe and healthy?

I am writing to check-in and see how everyone is faring in their remote corners of the globe, and hoping that you are safe and well.

I’m currently sheltering in Florida with my hubby, where I’m fortunate to be able to walk and bike outside. I fill my days with art-making, cooking, reading, and enjoying game nights with friends and family (via Zoom).

As the situation has me unable to truly focus, I’m making a little bit of everything. In my studio, I have half-finished oil paintings, acrylic doodles, watercolor sketches, and cold-wax experiments. While they patiently wait for me to get back to them, I am happy to share at least one completed effort here.

There is a lot of disparity of quarantine experiences across the world, and I am genuinely grateful that we are one of the lucky families in these uncertain times. Those of you are doing essential services, you are the true heroes. You have not gone unnoticed, and we cannot thank you enough for your courage and commitment to others. Thank you.

Developing final art from a digital sketch

landscape water iPad procreateThis spring, I used my iPad, and the app Procreate to develop some painting ideas for a commissioned beach-themed artwork. Painting digitally is helpful because you can work with the client to try out different ideas without actually applying paint to canvas.  You can easily go back and remove the changes with just a click of a button.  In this sketch, using the client’s comments, I lightened and softened the large areas on the right.  Then I add more tan and reduced the darker areas. I thought you might like to see how the final painting turned out. To the left is the revised digital sketch.

The final painting “Nantucket Summer” is now happily hanging in my client’s home on Nantucket Island.

 

How does commissioning a painting work?

Have you ever wondered what is involved when commissioning a painting?  Let me take you through the steps of how it works with me.

Step 1: It starts with a simple conversation about what the client is looking for in a painting. This includes the subject matter, size of work, color scheme, and general style and mood.  I like for the clients to look through my current and past artwork to see if there are any particular paintings or color schemes that appeal to them. Price is also discussed.

I visit the location the painting is going to be in, notice the other artwork hanging near it, plus the color of furnishings in the room.  While I don’t believe good art has to match the sofa, there’s no reason it shouldn’t if that’s important to the client.

Step 2:  I show the client several thumbnail sketches of composition ideas to pick from.  These simple visuals help the client discover if they like a dynamic or more soothing mood to their painting.  We discuss and revise the composition as needed

Step 3: I work up a couple of different color schemes using the composition they picked. We discuss them and I take notes on changes to incorporate into the final painting.

By this point, we’ve determined a concept, composition, and color scheme.  Hopefully, everyone is comfortable with the direction of the painting.  This is when I ask them to sign a contract and make a 50% non-refundable deposit.

In the pictures below, the client liked a previously sold painting of mine but wanted one that was bigger and a different color scheme which included an array of pinks.  I used Photoshop to mock up a couple versions to narrow down just how MUCH pink they wanted.

 

Less pink version
A less pink version
Pink version
A very pink version

Step 4:  About 70% of the way through, I’ll send an update with the image to the client inviting them to review and make comments and suggestions.  At this point, it’s still easy to edit and make adjustments. I do this again at the 95% completion point to let them make any final changes.Step 5: When the painting fully completed, I sign, photograph, and varnish it.  Once dry, it is shipped to its new home with the final invoice.

Communication is key. I encourage it throughout the entire process.  I choose to communicate via email because it gives the client time to review and live with the work without being put on the spot for an immediate response. I’ve also used FaceTime so we could view the painting in real time while making adjustments.

You’re never too old to play

Collage papers

I’ve been thinking about the importance of play in art.

I feel pulled in many different ways on a daily basis. There’s so much to get done – writing and organizing social media posts, updating my websites, applying for exhibitions and grants, nevermind painting. And what about family, bills, exercise, and a balanced life?

I noticed one of the first things to go in my art practice was the action of play, as in anything I do simply for the joy of doing rather than a means to an end. It rarely feels like ‘play’ when I’m trying to create a successful piece. I worry about messing up when time is so valuable, and I want the final product to be great. Yet I know that failure is a good thing.  Some of my best works have come from creating something new when things didn’t work out.

I needed to get out of my studio and away from distractions to truly immerse myself in ‘playtime”.  So last week I took a collage and paper-making class with Suzanne Siegel and Jane Davies.  I set a goal NOT make a finished piece of art.  The idea was to try as many new techniques as possible and to start a lot of work without trying to complete any of them.  It was a success, and I’ve come home with piles of messy, weird, and uniquely printed papers and painting starts. Will I continue working on them?  Perhaps a few, but mainly the purpose was to explore and have fun. Now I just have to bring that into my daily art practice.

What have you done recently for yourself that qualifies as ‘playtime’?

The importance of community

Communities final

What a great response I got last month for showing how I created the painting Women’s March (yes, I finally named it).  I thought I would give you another peek at the process of creating a recent painting titled Communities.  My concept was to illustrate the importance of the communities in our lives.
 
All of us are part of not one, but many communities. These communities might include our workmates, church group, country of origin, weekend soccer team, or book club friends. We often share common interests, goals, or beliefs. No one person has the same community as another, yet we each rely on and are strengthened by our bonds with our communities. Imagine what could be accomplished if we brought all our communities together to work for a common goal that benefitted all?

communities wip1

Step 1:  I started by incorporating some of the poured acrylic work that I’ve been exploring for the last six months.  I poured a half a dozen puddles of paint with a few drops of silicone mixed in onto a large canvas.  I tipped or spread (using a cake spatula) these poured paint mixtures.  When dry, I carved out ring and circle shapes by painting over these puddles with an acidic, olive color.

communities wip2Step 2:  I printed coordinating papers using my Gelli Plate.  I stamped and stenciled patterns on some of them and then cut out more ring and circle shapes.  I collaged them onto the canvas.

Step 3:  I added the large white areas by using a squeeze bottle of titanium white paint with Floetrol (a paint additive that helps paint flow more easily), creating these looping circles and large white areas.  I eliminated the orange ring as it was too distracting.

Communities final

 

Step 4:  The painting lacked a full range of values, and the shapes just seemed to float on the canvas.  So I added a darker green color to provide contrast and give the artwork a bit of weight at the bottom.

Step 5:  Needing more edginess, I flipped the painting 180º putting the most substantial area at the top.  This change created tension because the top elements now feel as though they might succumb to gravity at any moment.  I repeated the dark green color in other areas for balance and movement.  I added a very subtle dot pattern to the plain green background to break up this open space, then signed it.  C’est fini!

My six “not so easy” steps to making a painting

thumbnail sketch

I thought it would be fun to show you a step-by-step process of how I created one of my new artworks that will be hanging in my upcoming the show.

Step 1:  I usually start with an idea. In this case, it was illustrating the 3 R’s – reading, writing, and arithmetic.  Next, I start by drawing some little thumbnails (small, loose pencil sketches around 3″ x 3″ each), and picked one to use as a compositional reference. 

I liked this sketch because I wanted to make a painting with lots of open space. I’m working on adding more neutral areas in my work to give the viewers’ eyes places to rest among the chaos!
Step 1: Thumbnail sketch

Step 2:  Beginning with three R’s,  I added grids of rectangles, collaged in papers from my old textbook “Applied Mechanics for Engineers”, and scribbled on some formulas to the canvas for the math part.  The reading and writing parts were represented by font alphabets.

The concept was to place most of the activity at the top third of the canvas, leaving the bottom two-thirds much calmer.  As I started blocking in the major areas of color, I already knew that I wasn’t comfortable with all that open space. I felt the whole thing looked too simplistic. 

It was time to rethink my design.
Step 2: Block in shapes

Step 3:  First, I turned the painting 90˚ counter-clockwise and divided the large empty space into thirds.  I gave the top and bottom sections a light background and the middle section a darker background. 
Step 3: Fill in the empty space

Step 4:  I added organic shapes to soften the hard geometric lines gridding the painting and fill all that empty space.  I reversed the values of the “blobs” every time they crossed from one gridded section to another.  I accidentally created a shape that spelled “Hi” in the upper right corner. It was distracting, so I revamped it.

I gave up on the whole three R’s concept and just let the painting guide me to what it needed. 
Step 4: Paint the “blobs”

Step 5: And then I stopped.  It wasn’t done but I was unsure what else it needed.  So I just stared at it and stared at it. For three weeks!

Step 6: Finally, I got the idea to add some dots to give the painting some interesting movement and the focal point it was missing.  I turned the painting 90˚ again, painted a zillion dots, and finally, the painting was finished.  

I usually have a name in mind before I start a painting, but this one has eluded me.  Does anyone have a good idea for a title for this 3′ x 3′ painting?

  

Step 5: Stare! Step 6: Add dots and finish