Overcoming Creative Block

One of the biggest fears that we face as creatives is not being able to create better work than the last piece we were proud of, or not being able to create any work ever again at all. This fear that prevents us from creating new work feeds from the notion that we are not creating anything new. It’s a vicious cycle. It's paralyzing. And it can bring our creativity to a halt or even put an end to our careers. The good news is that creative block can be managed, and there are some proven techniques that I've used myself and I can assure you that they work.

The main cause of creative block is having high standards. Starting any project with the expectation that it will be the best work that you have ever produced sets you out on the wrong foot. If you approach your work with an experimental spirit, thinking of it as just trying out new techniques or as just letting the child inside you play freely, great things could happen.

Admittedly, if you are feeling uninspired you wouldn't even know where to start this experimentation process. And, even though some people say that procrastination is great for creativity, I am someone who prefers to take action.

So, here are a few exercises that I've used to get my creative juices flowing:

• Freecreating: ok, I may have just made this word up but I borrowed this concept from writers. I am part of a poetry club, and the lovely and uber-talented poet Erin Bolens taught us this technique.

  For writers, if you set the timer for 10 minutes and just write whatever comes to mind (it could even start with "I am forced to write for 10 minutes, this sucks!") after a few minutes of rambling your brain will start forming interesting ideas. It may perfectly be that you don't write your new novel in those 10 minutes, but there is always a chance of getting interesting lines that can feed your next writings. I do this almost every day and I'm really proud of some of the things I've written using contents from my freewrites.

  For the rest of creatives, just taking out your tools and creating freely for a set amount of time without restrictions can spark some inspiration in your mind. Take your camera and start photographing corners of your home, take out your paints and brushes and just make random strokes on the canvas, take your pencils and draw the contents of your kitchen cabinets, open your wardrobe and accessorize your clothes with bedsheets, towels or items from your bathroom cabinets, style your hair using empty cans or old headphones. The possibilities are endless. Just be playful and non-judgemental with yourself.

• Try someone else's technique: Is there an artist in your field or any other field that you have always admired and thought their work was fascinating? Is there an artist that has a technique that you find dull? Emulate their technique. I'm not saying "copy it", even if there is a whole book on how to copy other people's work. I say, improve it. Make it yours. Tear it apart. Try to bring new techniques into your practice.

  This project of mine came to life after years of experimenting with a technique that I learned from another artist and that I found fascinating.

• Use prompts: this is another technique that I learned from Erin Bolens. I've seen many exercises online for all sorts of creative disciplines inspired by this technique. Choose a random topic or look for online prompts (it can be any prompt for any discipline, just adapt it to your craft). Someone who does this brilliantly is Carl Burkitt. He offers on his twitter feed prompts for writers and poets, but some of them I've even found interesting to create photography projects from.

  For instance, on April 13, 2020, his daily prompt was "The trifle was surprisingly tasty". It is easy to take this line and start writing from it, but what do you do if you work in a different discipline? Well, if you are a photographer, how can you convey "surprisingly tasty" in an image. The same goes for painting or illustration.

  If you are a makeup artist or a hairstylist or a fashion designer or a stylist, imagine that the brief is "A Surprisingly Tasty Trifle". How would you develop this concept? Which colours would you mix? Which textures would you use?

• Limit your tools: this technique has been very effective for me as my style has developed over the years. We are so used to creating new work with the tools that we have, that we can arrange our work setups with our eyes closed. No matter how complex they are. I have a fail-proof 2-light setup that I use in the majority of my portraits.

  But, what if one of my lights failed? Or what if my whole kit was lost and I only had my camera to shoot? Would I be able to work? This technique forces you to experiment and try to create new work under very limited conditions.

  If you are an illustrator, painter, designer or a make-up artist, try using only one brush and one colour. Would you be able to create something with those limitations? For stylists or fashion designers, give yourself the challenge to work with only one colour or one texture. What could you create?

  For writers, choose one word and repeat it in every line, or every stanza, or every paragraph. Where would that take you?

These are just a few techniques that have worked for me whenever I've been on a creative dry spell. Do you have any others that work for you? Let me know in the comments below.

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How Can Your Business Contribute To A Better World

We easily forget that the availability of information and technology that we enjoy today is a very recent phenomenon. Up until not so long ago, the information that we received from news outlets or educational sources was thoroughly filtered to meet the needs of those in power. Information is power, and if you want to control the people you must only let them know what you want them to know, or not let them know anything at all for that matter. An uneducated population is an easily controllable group. This has always been the strategy of regimes and religions throughout history.

A few months ago, I read somewhere (I just can’t remember where, excuse the absence of a proper bibliographical reference) that if you took a person who died in the 10th century and woke them up in the 15th century, they probably wouldn't notice much change in their surroundings. But, in comparison, if you took someone who died in the 15th century and woke them up in the 21st century they'd probably think that they woke up in a different planet.

That prompted me to think how far back in recent time could I go for someone who died back then and was woken up today to feel that they didn't recognize the world around them. And it immediately occurred to me that, in recent times, the farthest back that I could go would be just before the mobile and the internet revolution. Someone who died in 1990 and woke up today would feel like they were in a sci-fi movie.

The internet has become the nightmare of those in power who want to be able to control the people as they wish. There is so much information out there that almost no one has an excuse today for not knowing what is going on in the rest of the world. That is why the need to control its access or to produce information chaos is imperative for those who want to remain in power: Kim Jon Un in North Korea, Xi Jinping in China, Vladimir Putin in Russia, UKIP with Brexit in the UK, Yoweri Museveni in Uganda or Donald Trump in the United States, to name a few examples.

In this day and age, the most powerful tool that we have is knowledge and our most powerful weapon is our voice. The more we know about our communities, about our heritage, about local and international news, and about our history, the more we can avoid repeating the mistakes that our societies made to help put these people in power. And the more we use our voice, by expressing our opinions, by calling out those who attempt against human rights, or by voting, the more we contribute to make this a better world.

The times we are living require a less passive approach to solving the issues in the world today. Over the last 5 years, I have continuously asked myself how can I contribute to make this a better world? Not only as a person but as a business as well. I strongly believe that it is incoherent to be longing for a better world in our personal lives but then going to work and supporting the opposite of what we believe in. Our businesses, especially for freelancers, are an extension of ourselves and therefore should follow our personal ethos.

That is one of the reasons that my blog is so important for me because apart from sharing everything that I learn in my journey as a creative business owner, I also try to call attention to the issues that matter the most to me. Running a business that doesn’t contribute to making this world better doesn’t make sense anymore. It should be as mandatory as paying taxes.

Photo credits: image by Facundo Bustamante.

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I Wish I Had Known... About Pattern Making!

This is the fifteenth post in my series of monthly posts where I speak with people in the creative industries and ask them questions about the things that "I Wish I Had Known" when I started out as a creative myself.

I had the immense pleasure of meeting Neil J. Christopher, Pattern Cutter and co-owner of ARN Mercantile, a small company with great ideals that makes workwear combining British Heritage with Japanese technical skills and quality. Neil and I spoke about what makes a good Pattern Maker and how to successfully mix technology with manual skills within the craft:

1. What is the role of a Pattern Maker?

The main role is to interpret the ideas, ideals and vision of the designer, taking from the flat image and building a 3D garment, but also advancing the concept of what you are doing, offering advice on structure, movement and fabrics needed to build a better garment.

2. Which skills does a Pattern Maker need to have?

The ability to see in 3D is a key skill, but also fabric knowledge, construction and production. If you can sew that is a wonderful thing, but on a basic level, maths help, as does skill with a pencil. Clean lines save time and effort later on.

3. Is there a difference between a Pattern Maker and a Pattern Cutter, or are they interchangeable names?

In basic terms, they do get confused, but a Pattern Cutter cuts cloth to build garments in a factory, where a Pattern Maker makes the pattern they will work from, but a knowledge of what is needed for both jobs helps. If you can cut cloth and build garments it helps you to understand how the production works and will make you a better Maker. A Cutter can and do make patterns but that is a question of ownership

4. Why do we need patterns?

They are the building blocks of garments. To be able to make anything we need the pattern to make it from, but there is also an ownership issue and to fully have control over what you make and to keep it 'yours' is to own the pattern.

5. How are patterns made?

I cut the card by hand but some use computer-based cutting which would only become a 'hard' pattern in the factory, which is the basic answer, but the more build focused answer is with a lot of practice and understanding of the finished product.

6. There are in the market many software packages aimed at Pattern Making, but there is still a percentage of Pattern Makers who prefer to do it by hand. Are they just being old-fashioned or is it still more reliable to do it by hand?

There are many different software packages out there to build patterns but they suffer from the age of the core processes used to establish them. Many do use them and in fact, if you are making basic mass-market products they are the most cost-effective way to go. But, if you wish to build something that speaks to you and is yours, a hand-made card pattern is the best way to get your ideals out there. I am very bias on this but I have worked on many different kinds of 'software' and even helped build them and I feel you can not replace the hands of a good Maker within the process.

7. Do you think that technology has helped Pattern Making in any way, for instance, with fabric optimisation?

For layout, the cutting of cloth, yes very much so. It has simplified that part and increased fabric usage. I would always say that nothing beats the computer for that, but for shape and construction, we still have a fair way to go.

8. Can a designer make and cut their own patterns?

A few do, to begin with, but it's a skill where the basics can be simple to learn but as you grow and build a more complex garment you would need to have a skill set of hands working on that. With the basic skills, you can better help a skilled Maker to achieve your needed shapes. I would highly recommend anyone who was thinking of going into design to spend the time to understand patterns.

9. What about sizing? Why don’t we still have a standardised sizing in the industry?

Simple answer: too many markets. The clothing business can no longer focus on one market and with that comes a huge set of block patterns and sizes options. Even within one market, we are not all the same shape. Sizes have to reflect the needs of the customer; block patterns must also focus the producer to make for body type, not just size.

10. There is also some controversy with laser cutting. A lot of people criticise laser cutting because of its perfection. Do you think it diminishes the garment?

I have just seen some laser cutting and been given the option to program and cut with it. Yes, there have been issues with it, but mainly due to how it's been programmed to be used. It was not originally set up for cloth and the engineers who set it up did not intend its use in this field. In time and with care it will be a great benefit to the industry but right now it's still in a learning curve.

11. Is Pattern Making something that you study or that you learn as an apprentice?

Both, if you are lucky and find someone who is willing to teach you then an apprenticeship is a wonderful way to learn by doing. Some colleges do offer a short course, but it is normally part of a bigger design lead program. In the US and the EU it's a course in its own right, but here in the UK we tend to show the basics and hope that that will do and that you pick up more by working on it. I was lucky enough to work with a skilled Maker when I was young and then learnt more as time past, but you will always learn from other Cutter/Makers as there is little formal training outside of the bespoke business. As a Maker we find our own way around 'issues' and sharing that with your peers is a great way to improve.

12. Do Pattern Making students need to learn about the history of fashion?

I do believe they should at least look into it but within context. I have a huge collection of vintage patterns and pattern books yet some students I know have no interest in it. Most problems that you will ever have with Pattern Making are problems that others have also had, solved and, if you are lucky, shared their results.

Thanks so much, Neil, for taking a few minutes from your busy travelling schedule to speak with me about the important and often overlooked role of the Pattern Maker! This is everything that I Wish I Had Known!

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If you haven't read the previous posts of this series, you can check the whole series here. I hope you liked this new post and stay tuned for a different creative each month!

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