20 journaling prompts to spark Your creative Exploration
By now, most artists are aware of the lasting benefit of incorporating journaling into our everyday mindset practices. But, there are also many valuable benefits to incorporating journaling into the development of your creative process. Trust me; I know how this sounds. Another artist is talking about journaling...barf. But there is a good reason why so many artists have embraced writing as part of their process.
When I started using journaling to help develop my process deeper, I was a little intimidated and unsure how it could help me develop my paintings and collages. But incorporating journaling into my creative process allowed me to connect what inspires me to what ends up on the canvas. Let me explain; before I incorporated writing into the development of my art, I would paint for the sake of "getting it all out on the canvas." Even when creating a series, I would put so much pressure on my painting because I hadn't developed my thinking deep enough around my inspiration before taking it to the canvas. I thought I could do it as I went, expanding on the go.
Let me be clear; there is nothing wrong with this approach. Many wonderful and uber-creative people don't use journaling as a means to develop their paintings.
That said, journaling has helped me figure out what I want to say in my work before putting the ideas onto the canvas. I'll tell you some of the most significant ways journaling has improved my art:
Journaling has helped me develop a one-off idea into a series of paintings.
Journaling has helped me develop my voice by recording the words, feelings, and subjects I repeatedly use to describe my inspiration. (this is also great for marketing, by the way).
Journaling has helped me understand why I create my art.
Journaling helped me become more intention-focused instead of result-focused.
Journaling has helped me pair down the steps of my process and discover precisely what is necessary and what I'm overthinking.
Journaling has helped me realize that wherever I am at in my practice, my mind got me there first, which sets the tone for my creative approach.
Journaling has helped my creativity grow because writing is a form of creativity. And creativity is a numbers game; the more you create—the more you create.
Journaling has helped me discover the patterns in my creativity, the repetitive markers in my thoughts and inspirations.
Journaling has enabled me to take more chances in my art because I've already flushed out all the fears on the page, and there is nothing left to do but create.
As you've probably guessed, I'm a big fan of putting pen to paper, which brings me to my next point. Do all your journaling by hand! I KNOW, I KNOW...you just shut down. But LISTEN UP! *Princeton University and The University of California researched this. They found that we write significantly fewer words to get our point across when we handwrite, but we also retain more information when writing with a pen instead of typing on a keyboard.
Plus, I will argue ( and I will win because the proof is visibly yummy) that handwritten pages in your sketchbook and journal are very inspiring; there is just something so romantic and poetic about color and words colliding on paper.
So, to inspire you to start writing about your process, or continue to deepen your writing with some juicy ideas, here are twenty prompts to help develop your intuition and strategize your thinking to connect your own creative dots.
Describe how you can make peace with your inner critic.
Describe your optimal place to create the work you feel most connected to; develop a plan to make that space now.
How do you show confidence in your work? How can you be more confident?
Describe the artist you want to be. Describe the character in your mind. Where do you create? What do you wear? Describe your artist avatar down to every detail; are they different from you? If so, in what ways?
What do you believe holds you back the most in your creative endeavors?
What sets your creative fires burning?
While creating, what were the things that popped up that made you feel the most distracted? How can you eliminate that during your creative time?
Are there any times that trigger perfectionism or procrastination? Why do you think your feel triggered during those specific times?
What do you intend to achieve when you create your art/
Who is your art for?
Can you see yourself in your art? If so, how? If not, why?
How can you allow yourself to make mistakes and work through them?
I am growing towards...
I am reaching for...
I am inviting in...
I'm opening up to...
Where are you when you feel the most creatively energized? Why?
What five words describe your art?
What five words describe what your art needs?
What five words are essential to include in an imaginary advertisement for your gallery show?
Just trust me, try it! If you write a solid journal entry exploring each of these twenty prompts, you will have valuable insights into your creative process, vision, and practice. If you do that, and you're still struggling, shoot me an email. I'd love to help you figure out why and what we can do together to get you on the path to deepening your practice.
*The Pen Is Mightier Than The Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand Over Laptop Note Taking
