Tell me About your Creative Process

Posted by Pepe Newton on 3/05/10   |   Categorized as For Buyers,For Sellers

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The more creative, crafty people I meet, the more I am fascinated by how their minds work.  How do they come up with those amazing things?  For most of us the creative process starts with an idea (for me it usually pops by when there is no easy access to a suitable writing implement!!)… but where do you go from there?

I’m hoping to explore this idea a bit more by documenting a few projects from artists here on Handmade Spark.  If you’d like to tell us about how, when, where and in what flavor your creative juices flow leave a comment.  I’d love to hear from you!

A recent project of mine came as a holiday spin on one of my kids’ bag tags.
I played with a few ideas and really liked the gingerbread man (admittedly that was partly because it seemed easy, pah! Was I wrong about that!)

the handmade process

I got my tools and clay together but found the gingery brown colors of fimo that I had were too dark, so I molded and scrunched  until I had a suitable biscuit color.

handmade process


I got to work with my polymer clay and cutting tools. Once the basic shape was right I started to mix and match color schemes.  I preferred red and earthy tones.  So now I had to give my gingerbread men buttons and faces.

Handmade process

This was the point where I got to experiment – a lot.  I love this part, but it can also be very frustrating.  I wrecked at least half a dozen gingerbread men before deciding on how to make lovely buttons and eyes.

process

Then into the oven they went.
the handmade process
Thankfully they didn’t come out of the oven screaming like in the fairytale… I, however WAS screaming.  How could I have made their eyes black with a white pupil?!? They looked evil. Erk!  So off came the eyes and plain black ‘currants’ were re-baked and glued on.  Time consuming, fiddly and annoying – but a much better effect.

Finally I was happy, but the process wasn’t over.  A teacher once told me that the finishing of a piece can show you the difference between a hobby crafter and an artist.  So I sat down to sand and sand and sand and polish and polish.  And then the gingerbread men were done.  Popping them on the leather thong with the beads was the simplest part of the process but the most satisfying. So far I have sold 7 gingerbread man bag tags, I’m so glad people like them because I really had a ball making them.  Here’s the finished product. Next year I think I’ll try a robin.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33344748

I’m really looking forward to hearing your comments.  Please do let me know if would like to share your creative process in this blog…

  • http://www.etsy.com/shop/mistyridge Heather

    Thanks so much for the post. I love seeing others creative processes. I have a lot of trouble with this myself sometimes. I think that the thing that holds me back is the fear of wasting materials. For instance you mentioned how you “wrecked at least a half a dozen” before getting it right, well I get really hindered by the idea of “wrecking” something because my materials are so expensive. I wonder if anyone else has this experience and how they get past it.

  • http://samsstuff-samsstuff.blogspot.com samsstuff

    I generally start with a basic idea & build from there. I don’t often wreck pieces, but sometimes I have a ‘happy mistake’ that takes me in another direction. Thanks for posting, I love seeing how others create!

  • http://alionakj.1000markets.com Aliona

    My major hurdle in creating is having too many ideas at the same time. As I have two day jobs in addition to my jewelry business, I really don’t have time to waste on fruitless pursuites. My extensive inventory of beads, sheets of metal, wire, etc. etc. is also of no help. Sometimes, after substantial tornment, I will choose the fastest/easiest project to work on. Sometimes, I manage to choose a project that is the most appealing at the moment (for various reasons). Sometimes, I want to challenge myself and pick a project for a technique I have never used before. Truly, the creative process is a blessing and a curse; at the very least for me…

  • http://www.cdcrafts.com kausar iqbal

    Hello!
    oh dear my creativity started with mother who was so creative and very perfections.i will tell you a story once a sew a dress and my mother opened the whole project as the shape is not perfect.so i started making small gifts and homedecor items then started selling them in craft show .since my mother was a keen social worker and she taught me to live for other also.so i had started my club for less privilaged and poor ladies who are creative but need the modern designs,color schemes,trend and i guided them and make a big community where we work like family.this is a story of East World Market.now i design gemsjewelry,handpainted scarve,ties.
    thanks/regards

  • http://pepenewton.etsy.com Pepe Newton

    love hearing your comments!
    I will feature some of these in my next blog GREAT!

  • http://handmadespark.com/blog/how-do-you-create/ How do you Create? | Handmade Spark

    [...] writing my last article for Handmade Spark (Tell me About your Creative Process) I have been asking more and more people how they create and taking more time to document my own [...]

  • http://www.birffjdsddggdd.net Gregg Scovil

    Very well written information. It will be valuable to anybody who employess it, including yours truly :). Keep up the good work – for sure i will check out more posts.

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