If you’re feeling stuck and not sure what to create, or looking for ideas. I provide 5 simple steps to start creating today!

This is a video from the Mixed Media Insider Membership. I’m taking some time off this summer. For the first time since starting my business! So I’ll be sharing some content from the membership or remixing older videos. But they are great lessons on playing!

I encourage you to let go of feeling like you have to have something finished. What if you just played, like you did, when you were a child?

So let’s take some time today to rest in our creative time. To let go of perfection and just have fun.

I hope this sparks ideas for you and you enjoy the process. Have a great Sunday and always know that you are loved!

1. 1 lg sheet of paper ( mixed media paper, packing paper, cut open brown bag). There are a lot of papers you can use. Just get it as large as you can. Mine was Canson mixed media paper 18×24.

2. Make scribble marks with movement with soft pastels (Soho urban artist soft pastels) or crayons

3. Markers in 3 colors – choose a shape to make (I chose a square). Posca markers (Posca marker broad tip)

4. Make splatters with paint, marker, or whatever you want

5. Lg. brush (large flat brush set) with black paint. Make large sweeping marks. I used a 2″ chip brush with black (Liquitex gesso black) watered-down gesso

You can use other things, but limit it to only 4.

Be playful, but don’t cover every little bit of space. Leave some white space.

I did not gesso my paper, but you could if you want.

Make this a fast exercise. Don’t overthink it.

To make the book:

You can leave it as a book or cut them up and put in an ongoing journal. It’s up to you

Then you are ready to look at these little starting marks as something else. There are so many ways that you can use these.

The main focus is for you to see things differently. To discover what you like and what you don’t. To not be afraid to let go and experiment. And to not have a finished project in mind. The only way we grow as an artist and find the push and joy to keep creating is to play.

Have fun with this exercise, I can’t wait to see what you create!