How to Begin a Creative Project
Often times, we don’t know where to begin when starting a creative project. We may get into the mistake of thinking that some grand idea should come to us before we start and then we’ll know exactly what to do. However, all we need to do is merely move, start doing something, and the pieces eventually come together. We may not know the artistic direction of the project but we just need to start with something.
While we may not know the direction we are going to go in, it’s helpful to get guidance by having an intended result in mind. Are you creating to make something fun, express an emotion, trying something experimental, or telling a story? Knowing the general purpose of why you intend to create something goes a long way into getting some direction while remaining fluid enough to not restrict or limit yourself creatively.
Often times, when we start moving, we come across moments of inspiration while we play around with new ideas. When we become inspired or “accidentally” come across a great idea, those are the moments in which we draw future inspiration and start to move farther forward. Sometimes ideas may come in large chunks at a time. Other times, we need to be patient and let life bring us the pieces slowly without forcing it to work.
It’s important to let the process happen organically and not force anything to happen. If ideas don’t flow easily, consider taking a break from the project for a while and work on something else. Although there are great projects that have been developed through hard work. It shouldn’t be an unnatural or forced product, or the finish work won’t be ideal.
The creative process works differently for everyone. Everyone has their own “method” in which they create. There isn’t a right way to create or to do things. We become accustomed to a certain style that works for us. Therefore, we develop our own unique style and the fingerprint of our personality is noticeable throughout our work. There is no right way to do things as long as you are moving forward.
All art mediums are different, but they all are intended for expression and release. Find the purpose of what you are trying to create and the ideas will come as you take that first step forward. If you find that at some point, like most artists do, that you become creatively blocked, there are actions you can take. Read Overcome Create Block and Lack of Inspiration for further related reading.
