Creative Prompt #10: Make Lists

Some times when I feel less creative it is because I have too much clutter I am trying to keep straight in my head. One strategy that helps the mind stay organized and helps build creativity at the same time is creating lists. Writers do this a lot in their spare time. Graphic designers use many techniques including list creation in their brainstorming process.

Here are some tips for your list. If you have a strategy already in use please share.

Topic: I will create a list of ideas for your list.

Length: Some people say lists should always be at least 100 items (your brain starts to think on a more subconscious number when the lists are longer). I think that 5 is about the shortest list.

Now what: You can continue the lists. Pick a topic off of your list and make another list off of that. If you keep your lists they can serve as great resources later on.

1. Colors
2. Games
3. Holidays
4. Friends
5. Personality traits
6. Psychotic disorders
7. Super heroes
8. To do
9. Places
10. Books
11. Authors
12. Artists
13. Songs
14. Plays you have seen
15. People you would like to meet
16. People you would be nervous to meet
17. Pick a holiday and white words that go with that holiday
18. Make a how to list
19. Yoga poses
20. Creative ideas (you can then draw one later and use it as a creative prompt)
21. Art techniques you like
22. Drinks
23. Foods
24. Things you are thankful for
25. What makes you happy/sad/lonely
26. Emotions
27. Art Therapy projects
28. Blog post ideas/topics
29. Great tweets topics
30. Quotes (pick one word to stir your memory and look the actual quotes up later)
31. Items to upcycle

What lists topics have you used? I would love to see a shared list below.

New Years Resolution and 40 Art+ Creative Prompts to Help

Fun Abstracted Detail from My Lily Pads 

Happy New Year!!!!

If your New Year's Resolution is to be more creative? How about more thankful? Maybe it is to take some time to yourself and journal more.  My in-progress series of creativity prompts may be perfect to jump-start your creativity.

If your resolution is to eat healthier or $ave Money (on artwork) be sure to check out these links.

Click here to see all 40 Ar+ Creativity prompts. 

Why Creativity Prompts?

Laramie, Wyoming is growing on me but these winters are always shockingly brutal.  Laramie is one of the coldest places on the planet (ok maybe the US) and the town is known for it's bad wind and bad winters.  This being said I figured I would start by sharing some creative prompts that don't require traveling outside your home (though if you so choose I suppose you could).

These 40 creative prompts are designed the get your creative juices flowing by allowing you to detach from your daily routine whether it is writing, making art, staying at home with children or working. Changing how you think by applying rules and guidelines is beneficial for our creativity and drive.

Of course feel free to alter these prompts to fit your needs, but don’t be afraid to stick to the rules and experiment outside of your comfort zone. Rules can inspire great work.  Enjoy!!

What are some creative thinking techniques that you use??? Be sure to share.  They might even show up in my list.

Art Inspired by My Art on My Body

I am stoked to announce that I am getting my first professional large tattoo!!! It's a Sleeve!

Felicia Follum Art+ and Jason Jeffers Tattoo

 
 There are several reasons for wanting to get inked. Most of the elements in the piece will be symbolic of experiences, people, values, stories, or my life in general. Not only will there be personal meanings (which I will talk about more in future posts about my tattoo) to the work but I am excited to simply have a beautiful piece of artwork on my body.

Eye Inspiration for my back

Though my tattoo is not an exact replica of my artwork this first section is certainly based on my art. If you have been following my recent artwork you can probably already see how my Lily Pad art is represented on my sleeve. I also have a lizard eye from my Eden watercolor painting on the back of my shoulder that I am hoping to add some scales to. 

Each element from the first session also has some personal meaning but that is for future blog posts. For now I just wanted to show off my new tattoo and share the influences from my artwork and the artwork of Jason Jeffers from Extreme Point in Cheyenne.

I will continue to share more about my reasons behind my tattoo, both personal and my love of beautiful artwork.

Stoked to get the next section of outline. 

Who out there has tattoos? Sleeves? See my Body Art and Tattoo Pinterest board for more images.

I would love to see your body art in the comments. 

Creative Block Breaker: #8 Travel Journal

My husband and I after our Yellowstone trip

As artist we have all had "creative blocks" or days when we are just not motivated to work on what we "should" be working on.  When these days arise it can be nice to have a change of pace.

These 40 Art+ Creativity prompts are designed the help you break past the creative block by allowing you to change up your daily routine whether it is writing, making art, staying at home with children or working.

Yellowstone Canyon

As the world becomes more globalized people seem to be traveling more and more which means you have probably taken some sort of trip or vacation in the not-to-distant past or you plan to soon. Traveling offers the perfect opportunity to change your daily routine and practice creativity.

Why not create a travel journal? Creative prompt #8 is to create a travel journal or travel art book.

This coming summer I will be traveling to India with the University of Wyoming Art Department. I told the professor that I plan to create a journal for the trip and decided to start journal ahead of time. He suggested create a before, a during, and an after journal. I think this is a grand idea and am excited to get going on this new endeavor.

Read more about and see photos from the Yellowstone trip

See my book arts
See my water lily prints (india-ish related)
Past travels

#26Acts of Random Kindness

26 Acts of Random Kindness

When tragic events occur it is natural to want to help while simultaneously not knowing how. These 26 acts of kindness may not directly help the victims but they are certainly ways for you to make a difference in your own community. Below is a possible random act of kindness for each of the 26 people in the Newtown shooting.

Adopt a Family project

You can read more about the origins of the #26Acts and #26RandomActsofKindness movements on NPR.org.

1. Pay for the person behind you in the drive through or at a toll booth

2. Take a neighbor out to a move

3. Make supper for an elderly or sick neighbor

4. Adopt a family for the holidays

5. Give someone a hug

Five Last Minute Ideas for the 2012 Holiday Countdown

Here are my final five ideas for this years Holiday Countdown. These five gift, craft, and decorative ideas are sure to brighten your home and could serve as last minute gift ideas. I hope you have enjoyed this Advent countdown.

21. Upcycled Bows made from an old magazine. I made these from varying numbers of magazine strips formed into infinity signs and glued together. I then rolled a center strip. They are all different. Here are the directions I found on Pinterest

This Aint your Grandmother's Christmas Music Countdown

I absolutely love music and some of my favorite bands have some excellent Christmas songs...I hope you enjoy...Though I grew up in a Lutheran church (and still consider myself a "Church Camp Lutheran" not all of these songs are your grandma's hymns (or Sphen and Olie's hymns for that matter) from the LBW (yes, that is Lutheran humor for you. If you understood those references please let me know in the comments).

16. August Burns Red's "Carol of the Bells"