Play everyday: my "collage a day" sketchbook.

I believe that every effort you make toward your curiosities is a step closer to your truest voice. Sure, you want to do work you like but staying focused on play and curiosity means staying focused on learning. Little kids know this so well, they know that making a mess leads you into uncharted territory. But what makes it hard is that you have to take scrutiny and analysis completely out of the picture when you play. When you practice letting the intuitive-self lead you everyday, you practice how to trust yourself, regardless of you own opinions. We forget that the process is much more important than outcome. That’s probably why kids art usually feels so fresh, it’s all about the process.

Daily creative practice is also a reminder that every step you take leads you to learn something about yourself— something you didn’t know was there. For example, when I collage I usually have to force myself to paste the first few papers down. I can spend a lot of time just moving things around. It occurred to me at some point that to “get it down” is kind of the process of any art making. Making the choices and standing by those choices is what gets you there. It takes courage to stand by your choices and we need to recognize that aspect as well.

This brings me to the “letting go” part of it. I know I can get so caught up in a “this piece sucks” mentality. Every time I would post anything I would get so nervous, the inner critic would pipe up and tell me “think again”. I still get nervous posting but forcing myself to share with others has helped me feel like I’m putting myself out there in the world, and that seems key to growing as an artist.

Finally there is the fact that a journal is really a journey. You can look back and see your story in those pages. Whether you like it or not, you have a wonderful documentation of your process, another way to learn about yourself, just like re reading an old journal.

Here’s some tips I complied on doing a daily practice of play. 

This could be for anything, not just drawing or collage, what ever you're curious about.

-Set up some loose ground rules to start. Maybe it’s a time limit. I do 30 to 45 min. If you have only just a bit of free time, 10 min is fine. Don’t get caught up in the rules though. If you want to give it structure, go ahead but be open to adjust it. 

- I prefer one designated sketchbook for my daily practice but you can also use a folder to put every piece you do in, if you prefer. Don’t  let the book or organizing principle discourage you either. 

- It's all good. Stay focused on having fun, not if it’s good or bad etc. remember, that's the inner critic talkin'.

- Get inspiration from seeing what other have done. Tell yourself, if they can do it, I can do it my way. But be careful to not get caught in the spiral of worry about being as good as someone else. It’s normal to feel that way but just stay focused on the play. Look at what inspires you and start from there some days. Ask yourself details about what you like about the piece. Is it the colors, the textures, composition and so on. Find out why you love it and use that to launch you into a piece.

-Keep an ongoing list of your fascinations. I have a bunch of post it notes near my desk with things that I want to explore and lists of topics. It really helps me when I’m low on ideas. I just look up and pick something Sometimes I pick a specific theme and just keep going from there, making it a series of many pages.

- Sometimes I see something in my minds eye and just want to see how that might translate in a sketch so I keep a specific sketchbook to jot down idea. Most of the time I just pick a paper and start making the image I have in mind.

 - Have your materials handy. If you need to spend a lot of time setting things up that will bite into your time to create, just keep that in mind.

- Explore materials too. OK, so I just said to try and stick with materials you have set up but now I’m saying the opposite. Just try new stuff. Experimentation is the name of the game. Especially if you’re burned out and bored. That’s the best way to kick start things again.

-Try a few ways of working. Some days I just play with abstract color pallets and some days with more figurative things. When I play with color palettes I just pick a few colors I want to try to use that day. For me, It feels easier to just be abstract so on days I’m low on energy I try to stick with abstraction. Just consider how you feel each day energywise/mood wise. That will play a factor. 

- Be open to change you mind. For example, If you set your self up to do a collage and then see something else you like, just be open to switch directions. I often find myself doing that kind of thing.

- Time off. If you need a break just post a little do dad or just something that is quick. When I go away I just take my glue stick and scissors/exacto with me. I usually like to find my collage material when I get there. Be open to let it lead you when you travel as well.

- Feel good about it. For me it's like going to yoga class. At the end of the class my teacher always says “now thank yourself for giving yourself the time to practice today”. It’s always a good thing, you never feel bad that you worked out right?

Finally, here's a little quote I love-

“What we give our attention to matters”

-Sue Monk Kidd

Just spending a little time listening to your creative self matters.

Here are the first installment of my 220 page sketchbook. 

Pages 1-40. 

To see any of these pieces close up just go to my Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/carluccio7/

If you like the video on Instragram and you follow me you will automatically have a chance  to win a giveaway package of my stuff (value aprox. 100$).

or my facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/maria.carluccio.545

Incase this video does not come up in your browser here's a bunch of the pieces from the sketchbook.