Artist's Toolkit with Stephen Fowler
I asked Stephen to share a few of his creative tips with us ahead of the class.....
- Keep a scrap book. Collect images, drawings, scraps, and anything that inspires you. This becomes a resource you can return to for ideas and starting points for new projects.
2. Stay open minded and persistent. Creative solutions come from trying repeatedly, taking risks, and experimenting without fear.
3. Trust your intuition. When you struggle with part of your practice, rely on instinct rather than overthinking. Your intuition draws on all your past experiences and learning.
4. Use a sketchbook that feels un precious. A sketchbook doesn’t need to be a fancy hardbound book. You can make your own using any papers—sugar paper, wrapping paper, photocopy paper, anything. This makes it a freer, less intimidating space to work. Choose a format that works for you, some people prefer ring bound folders with plastic sleeves so they can insert drawings easily and keep everything together.
5. Creative crossroads. When you reach a creative crossroads, choose the path you haven’t taken before. You already know the outcome of familiar choices, so take the untraveled route. Even if the result isn’t perfect, you’ll learn something new—and those lessons can fuel future projects.