Showing posts with label creativity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label creativity. Show all posts

Thursday 25 March 2021

The #CreativeLife 2021 - could boredom help your creativity?

Today I am not going to say anything except that this was an interesting concept for me, and I am going to share it with you.

Enjoy!

💚Linzé 💚


This image will be better understood if you look at the YouTube video. Also subscribe to Adam's channel for more inspirational videos like this one.


Friday 3 April 2020

A-to-Z Challenge: Day 3 - C

Covid-19 Lockdown by Linzé Brandon

This is not a post to tell you what to do or what to avoid. Nope, this is a post to tell you what I have been doing (and plan to do) during this period where we are in #LockdownSA. South Africa went into a nationwide lockdown at midnight on 26 March.
Linzé's #inktober52
on Instagram
Even though I work from home most of the time, I do need the equipment of a test facility to do my work. But on the Monday preceding the lockdown, the lab management decided to close down business until the official lockdown period is over. While I still work a few hours every day, I have also started to focus more on my art projects. So far I have done 11 small gouache paintings, four art journal entries (mostly mixed media) and completed at least one #inktober52 ink drawing.
I have done an online sketchbook workshop and am busy reading a non-fiction book. This may sound like a lot but remember I am home 24/7. My husband is also working from home for at least four hours every day and we cannot go out as we would normally do if we get bored. So it is art for me and photography (editing) for him.
For 21 days you might ask? Yes, we have loads to do from a creative perspective and also a few things at home that needs attention. I would say that 21 days will not be enough for this household!
Stay safe and read another post in the #AtoZChallenge!
Until tomorrow,
💜 Linzé

Thursday 2 April 2020

A to Z Challenge: Day 2 - B

BFF and my creative partner by Linzé

Today I want to share a portrait I recently painted of my best friend, Vanessa Wright. I have drawn portraits before, but never painted one.
I am busy experimenting with gouache paint on gouache paper. So why not paint my best friend?
Fortunately for me, she liked it!

Vanessa Wright


Sunday 29 March 2020

A-to-Z Blog Challenge 2020 Theme reveal

April is almost here and this year I am taking part again in the blog challenge. I have guest posts and books and art and art journaling to share with you. There are still a few spots left if you are looking to feature a new book or would like share your creative journey with me and my readers. The schedule is updated and posted to my Twitter profile if you are looking for some free promo.
Remember your name, last name, title or theme has to suit the letter of the alphabet, so make sure I still have a date/letter available to suit your creative post.

I hope to see you soon here on the Broomstick!

💜 Linzé

Thursday 16 January 2020

Art Journal 2020: Balance

#JournalArt2020, Linzé Brandon's art journal, graphic of art journal, balance, work life balance, mixed media
Art Journal about work life balance in 2020 (mixed media)

  I have always thought that art journaling would take too long, and that would make me lose interest. Late last year I watched loads of YouTube video clips, and read even more blogs on the subject before deciding to try my hand at it.
  After trying one entry (above) I am hooked 😍. Since I had no idea how it was going to turn out, I only took a picture of the end result. There are many more art journal entries coming this year, and for those I have/will take many more pictures in case you want to see how I did it.
  I decided to spare you the pain of listening to my voice, so no video clips, only text and many pictures to tell you how I did mine.
  Thursdays will be for art journal sharing on the Broomstick. Want to share your own efforts? Please do so on Twitter (#JournalArt2020), since I would love to see how your art journal develops in 2020.

💜 Linzé

Wednesday 27 September 2017

When the Muse strikes or the sh*t hits the fan


Kick the muse to the curb
Many creatives will tell you to kick the muse to the curb and just get on with it. And they would be right. Waiting for that spark, that bright light bulb to appear overhead before getting to work on the novel, or that painting only creates a whole new level of frustration. So no, don't wait for Madam Fickle and her gang of muses to show up before creating your next project.
When the Muse strikes or the shit hits the fan (depending on your point of view)
One day she will pitch up. Ask any writer, artist, musician or photographer. That bitch just likes to have a laugh at our expense. And often at the most inconvenient times or places. When you are buck naked in the shower. Driving on the highway, or having dinner with friends. Or, her absolute favourite, in the middle of the night when you had a long hard day and really need to sleep. Don't you just hate that?
Aside from her trying her best to catch you unaware, it does make sense if you think about it. You are relaxed, or your mind is occupied with other things and thus at its most susceptible to input - from the muse or wherever those creative ideas originate. Our problem is mostly that we go, aha! And then a few minutes later WTF? Where did that idea go? It was the most brilliant thing ever! But it's gone. A few minutes have passed, and whatever that thought was, it is no more. Like it never even existed.
It doesn't matter if you think you are going to remember that plot, or that harmony, or that incredible tint of rose gold that played over the buildings next to the road. You will not be the first creative to lose that awesome idea. Nor will it be the last idea you ever lose either.
Ever repeated it to yourself over and over, thinking that you will remember? Only to realise a few hours later that you have completely forgotten about it. No clue. Gone forever.
Our minds are so busy trying to deal with the information overload that we are exposed to every day - to say nothing of the distractions of social media and other interruptions - that our brains just let go of that idea because its attention was needed somewhere else. But it doesn't have to be that way.
So what to do when the Muse does pitch up with a bag full of ideas? Those inspirational moments do come, not often, but they do come. And they come big. And bold. And sometimes brilliantly. And the only way to deal with them is to be ready.
Ready? Grab the pen...
Here are some pointers for that inspirational moment:
1. If that awesome idea comes in the shower, it can be tough since pockets were not part of the original design of the human body. So make up a song and sing it aloud, over and over. Shower faster and then write it down. Not only did you think it, but you also heard it, you memorised it. But do yourself a favour, write it down before the towel distracts you.
2. Being troubled in the middle of the night when dreams come with that new idea for a novel? Keep a notebook and pen next to your bed. Don't wait. Don't think it will still be there come morning because it won't. Sit up. Switch on the light. Write it down straight away. You will sleep better when you do.
3. Getting struck by Madam Muse while driving can be a big problem. Don't write anything with a pen or on your mobile phone while driving. Ever! But if the muse has a hankering to pester you with ideas while you are operating a vehicle, get a voice recorder that records with the push of a button. I know your smartphone probably has an app for it, but it will require way too many taps and clicks before you can say, hello. Nope, get a one-push button, old-fashioned voice recorder. Push the button, say the words and its done. Safety first!
4. Eating out? Partying with friends? Use your smartphone to quickly type the words to remind you of the idea. It will only take a few seconds, and then it's done. If people notice, tell them the truth: you got an idea for a new book. Don't tell them the idea it is too early. You need to work on it first, to flesh it out to a full-blown plot. The most important thing is to get it down immediately! With people talking and laughing, the distractions are huge and the risk of you forgetting is unimaginably high.
Then I told her...
The weirdest place I got 'inspired'? In church of all places. It freaked me out, but fortunately, it only happened once. I think now I am voluntarily 'blocked' when attending a service.
The most inconvenient time? Just as I was making my way to bed. I was exhausted, when I got this tap on the shoulder...'want to have this idea?'
My first thought was, now? Seriously?
On second thought, I reached for a pen and scribbled a few words. Then I looked up (I am sure there was a smirk on my face) and told the bitch to fuck off so I could get some sleep.
What happens after the light goes out?
Personally, I am a pen and notebook kind of ideas writer, but I have used my phone when the pen and notebook were out of reach. Scribbles that have been thought through when I could sit down and think about them.
I have rehashed some ideas. I mostly went on to repackage most of those ideas. I even ditched a few of them in lieu of a secondary plot when working through the original idea.
Others just got trashed without another thought. For now. Who knows where those ideas could sneak their way into a future story?
Seventeen published books and more than 600 blog posts later, writing ideas down when inspiration does come definitely works for me.
Never wait for that moment of inspiration to come, you will wait for a long time, and then nothing gets done in the meantime. However, when Madam Fickle and the Muses do make an appearance, be ready for her offerings. Capture that moment, that idea, as soon as possible. Maybe it will be your big break, or maybe it won't. But unless you capture it, you may never have the opportunity to find out where it can go.

Originally posted on Medium.com


Tuesday 4 April 2017

Live in Balance: A to Z Challenge - C is for...

C is for Colour

We all need a little colour in our lives whether it be literally, or metaphorically. Today I am focusing on the literal meaning of the word. I am sometimes teased because my favourite colour is black. My engineering friends and colleagues (including Francois) constantly tell me that black is not a colour. Well, technically I suppose they are correct since black does not feature in any colour of light. Note: if you mix all the colours of the rainbow (in lightwaves) you get white, but no combination will ever give you black.
When mixing paints you do get black, but let's not argue that point.
Today I want you to explore your favourite colours in an art entry in your journal. I have done mine with the video clips you find below.

Before you watch (and dig in) a few pointers:

  1. Wear an old t-shirt to protect your clothes. Most water-based paints will set permanently once dry and ruin your clothes. A lesson I learned once when I dropped a paintbrush covered in black paint on my favourite denim-blue tennis shoes. I went out and bought the eye-blindingly bright pink housecoat you see me wearing in the video clips (now I paint with those shoes!). It works, what more can I say.
  2. You are most welcome to copy my designs for your journal or use your own. Keep it simple, something you can draw and paint in a matter of minutes.
  3. If you want to use another medium or design that takes longer to be ready, allocate the space in your journal to glue it in later when it's ready.
  4. Use the link here, to find your colour (or its closest match) and pen your thoughts about that. Remember to explore your emotions about the colour, as well as your experience of doing the art project for today's prompt.
Hints and tips:
  • Put down a layer of plastic on your work surface to protect it from the paint. I used a plastic bag that I cut open. 
  • Put newspaper on top of the plastic. It will absorb any excess moisture and prevent your artwork from unwanted bleeding across the paper.
  • Try to use only the text part of the paper. Any pictures will create odd colours or shading of your design.
  • Measure your journal's page size and cut the paper rectangles the same size or smaller. This way you know the end result will fit.
  • Remove any jewellery from your hands. Paint sticks to everything and will dry quickly because of your body's heat. If your wedding ring has no gemstones, grooves or uneven surfaces like engravings, it may not be a problem, but the smallest crevice will be very hard to clean once the paint is dry.
  • I put my hair in a ponytail because I have accidentally painted the ends a time or two and then the paint gets transferred to my face or glasses. But that's just me.
  • Lastly, enjoy the art project!

Watch the short YouTube Videos!

My favourite colours, what they mean, and my thoughts on that

Black

According to the website, it is a colour of mystery and secrecy. While I would like to think that I am mysterious and secretive, the closest I ever get to that are the mystery novels I love to read. Deep down I don't think I want to be mysterious.
Perhaps because I am an introvert who is happy to be on my own or left alone to do my own thing. Took me years to figure that part out. Only when I got to know other writers, did I begin to understand this part of myself. Interesting thing to discover in your early thirties, I can tell you.
But knowing this also allowed me to more easily accept this part of myself. Understanding it has been a journey, but I feel that understanding this part of me, helps me define my path to happiness.

Purple

This is the colour of creativity. My mother used to tell me that it is the only colour where you can wear any shades of it together without clashing with yourself. I am no fashionista and have no interest in dressing fashionably (if I do, it is pure luck), so I don't know if that is true. What I do know is that creativity is something I am still learning about every day.
After reading The Artist's Way, it opened even more doors in my mind. While I love my art projects, I have not experimented much simply because of my (mistaken) notion that painting (irrespective of the medium) was the only true expression of visual art, excluding sculpting.
Logically, I know that is not true, but until recently painting was all I did. I liked it, but it didn't grab me by the throat to drag me to the blank canvas. Only once I started experimenting with pastels and pencil do I feel as if I have truly found my art. I have a lot still to learn, but learning is easier for me if I have a passion for the subject.
It was the same for my engineering studies until I discovered electromagnetism in my third year. But that is something to explore at another time.

Jade

The closest colour to jade (or teal) on the website is turquoise. According to the website, it is the colour of balance because it sits right in the middle of the rainbow (mix of blue and green).
Sheesh, was I surprised when I read that the first time. There is no way I can convince myself that my choice of jade as a favourite, can have anything to do with my Live in Balance motto for this year. I have always loved this colour (it is also one of the few colours that both my mother and I liked equally), so the meaning cited on this website was pure coincidence, but not an unwelcome explanation!

When I think about my three favourite colours and their meanings, I am quite happy with the combination. Of course, there are negative connotations too, but I prefer to focus on the positive. I am striving for happiness after all!


👉 What have you learned today about your favourite colour(s)?

Wednesday 16 September 2015

35 Day Blog Challenge - Day 4: That creativity thing: myth, magic or something else entirely

I will not give myself out as an expert on creativity, but this subject is close to my heart (it is my blog theme for this year). It describes the essence of what we as writers aim to achieve: a creative life. Creativity comes in many forms, but for a writer the words are our paint brushes and the computer screens our blank canvasses.


If you are fortunate enough, to be able to either write/paint/design or do some other creative activity full-time, count your blessings. On the other hand, if your daily slog is as non-creative as mine, the time I spend writing becomes that much more of a blessing. Like the quiet of a country garden after hours of listening to the grind of heavy equipment.
I don’t need particular quiet, or a specific kind of music to be playing while I am writing. In fact I do prefer some background noise, as it helps me to focus and think. Some people prefer music, others want complete silence around them, but I think we all want the same thing from our inner self – a chance to the creativity flow.
For some it comes easier than for others, but in that I have a firm belief: the more you practice, the easier it will become. You have to keep your hand in, in a matter of speaking. While I love writing, I also like to paint and sketch. I take a break once a year from writing, but never from doing something creative. It is then that I dig out my pencils and paint brushes. For the first few days I feel rusty and stiff, as if I have never held a piece of graphite in my hand. Then the door springs open as the skills return and the lines or brush strokes flow as if I had never stopped. Yes, I do prioritize my creative activities, but time does not allow me to do much more than write at any given time.


Is living a creative life a myth? I don’t think so. Neither does it require a magic wand to make it happen. I feel that a creative life is a deliberate choice, whether as a paying job or as a serious after-hours activity. Writing for me it is not a hobby, because I make sacrifices to write. I have hobbies, but I only indulge in those when I have time or an opportunity with other people to enjoy them.

See you tomorrow!

If you want to see what the other participants are blogging about, you can find their blogs here. Why not pop on over and leave a comment?


Thursday 5 February 2015

Guest Post: Creativity by Johanna K. Pitcairn

Linzé: It is my pleasure to welcome Johanna to my blog today. She is the first guest blogger for the year. Welcome, Johanna! 
Johanna: First and foremost, thanks for the opportunity to be featured on your blog. Every indie author needs all the support they can get, and I’m very grateful for all the support I’ve received and am receiving. 
 I love these two quotes about creativity: 
“Make visible what, without you, might perhaps never have been.” Robert Bresson
And 
“An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail.” Edwin Land. 
So being creative means you gotta jump in the ravine, not knowing whether your chute is gonna work. But maybe you’ll find an invisible bungee cord on the way, or a bouncy mushroom. Safely, you will land in a foreign territory populated by tiny elves whose specialty is to bake really huge pumpkin pies. You don’t like pumpkin pie, but the elf leader insists you must have a bite, or you’ll choke on your own air within fifteen seconds. You eat a piece, and immediately, the world becomes this fairytale scenery, with a huge castle and tons of servants, and you wearing a very expensive outfit, and sitting on a throne made of candy canes. And you hear this little voice that keeps asking: “Dad, what’s for breakfast?”
Take an idea and fly with it. Make it not ten, but a million times bigger. And if you crash, at least you’ll know the idea didn’t work. Self-doubt is the biggest enemy of creativity. A creative mind takes risks, and has fun in the process. You look at things in a different way, and break established patterns. 
I’ll finish with this beautiful quote from Steve Jobs: “Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things.” 

So be creative, and pass it on. I heard creativity was contagious.

Linzé: Look out for Johanna's book feature tomorrow. True creativity in action!


Thursday 2 October 2014

Creative Journaling - The Beginning

by Linzé

Welcome to my new weekly series on Creative Journaling!

Do you know how long people have been keeping journals? I have been keeping a journal from a young age, and while those have long since been relegated to ashes, I continue to keep up the practice as an adult.
But the journals we keep today are not exactly the same style as those from long ago. Modern day journals are more about personal thoughts and experiences, whereas those from the earliest days were not. They did include personal observations, but about the world around them, transactions people engaged in, and of the world during their travels. Their observations had been directed outside of themselves, if you will.
Today, or since the Renaissance to be more precise, our journal entries have been directed more inwardly. Of course, the world and its problems and joys impact on us, but our observations are no longer about being a pure observer. These historical journals have taught researchers a lot about that time.
So what will our journals today tell future generations about the people we are today?

So what makes creative journaling different from keeping the kind of journal we are all used to?
You know the kind where you pen your gripes and pains and frustrations with the world at large. Or slap yourself on the back for a job well done. You know that thing that you hide from everyone, because it has all your innermost thoughts and secrets, that are meant for your eyes only.
The answer is simple: nothing. There is no difference.
Whatever your reason for keeping a journal, whether it be for yourself, your children, or anyone who wishes to learn about your life experiences, the creative journal will not change that.
It enhances the experience for you as the writer, and your reader, if you are so inclined.
Creative journaling adds a visual dimension to the traditional journal. You might ask what the difference is to the doodling that have filled your journal pages in the past.
In the creative journal, those doodles are not time wasters, they become part of your entry of that day.
Artists have been using their skills to create their entries in a pure visual way, as it is the way they best express themselves.
Whether it be a pencil drawing of a person they met that day, or a watercolour miniture of a particularly beautiful sunset that touched them, the visual artist is the prime example of keeping a creative journal
To my mind, however, there can be so much more to either the artists’ way or the traditional way of keeping a journal.

I invite you to take this journey with me. A journey where we explore my take on keeping a creative journal.

A journal that can be used (and explored) by artists, crafters, writers and ordinary people alike.

Oh, by the way - if you subscribe to my mailing list you will get the practical handbook, that accompanies the Creative Journaling for Everyone book, for free when it is available in December. The handbook will not be made available otherwise.

Theme reveal: My A-to-Z blog challenge 2024

  It's been a while since I have taken part in the blog challenge. The problem is always coming up with new ideas so it isn't boring...