In Wellington public library the otherday I came accross a recent book on creativity and such. It had some good ideas about exercising your brain for artists. Here are the rough notes I wrote into my book:

Right Brain

Go topsy turny

• Workupside down
• Turn an image 180 degrees
• Recreate using lines and shapes

Colour a word

• Write down a word representing a complex issue then translate it into a picture

Sing for spontaneity

• Sing out loud or repeat a ‘mantra’ of any kind

Imagine a photograph

• Choose a photo
• Identiy the primary shapes by outlining them with a marker.
• If you had to break it down to 4-5 shapes what would they be?
• Create a drawing or painting out of it

Left Brain

Be a critic

• The left brain is the inner critic
• Look at a piece of work by another artist. What are the strengths and weaknesses? What could be done to improve the message?
• Focus on techniques used and not just emotion

Applaud your supplys

• Start by looking at info on packaging then look up resources like manufactures websites and artists message boards.

Paint with words

• Chooses a painting and employ as many adjectives to it
• Have someone read what you have written and sketch it

Step it out

• List the steps you would take to re-create a famous work of art, whether the artist created it that way or not