Studio Tips and Creativity Boosters

How to make sure your space (small or large) is ready for you when you are.

I’ve been lucky enough to have an art space to call my own since May of 2012. At that time, my husband and took a leap and rented a studio in a co-op and rearranged our schedule for me to go there on a weekly basis. Before then, I had a variety of setups in our home, ranging from a tiny 2 x 2 coffee table to a whole spare room. I encourage you to make a dedicated creative space- in other words- if you have to keep clearing everything up off the kitchen table to eat dinner, the setup can be a barrier to your creativity. If it IS and MUST BE the kitchen table- how about a cart where you things are stored efficiently next to the table. Making setup and cleanup as easy as possible. Whatever the space you have or can carve out, these tips will help you make the most of your creative time and space.

Construction shot and current shot of my studio at my home in southern Iowa

Keep it Cleaned up

Nothing kills creativity faster than having a bunch of “chores” to do in your studio before you can create. We’ve all been there- you have an idea, ready to start making- but your space is cluttered, nothing is put away, you can’t find your materials, and on and on. Every night (I usually work in the evening/night) after I am done working, I spend 5-10 minutes cleaning everything up and putting things back in their place. Brushes cleaned, rags hung up, trash in the trash can and so on. Seems rudimentary, but if you can’t even find a space to set your sketch book down, it’s going to be hard to get to work! Speaking from experience- if I get lost in cleaning up, I tend to lose steam on my creative idea.

Keep your materials out where you can see them

I find it really helps spark ideas if I can see my materials. Now, this follows the first tip, because while I think you should have them out, I think they should be organized to be visually pleasing and also clear of the spot where you need to sit and work. For example: keep your brushes and paints in a container or cart where they are visible and easy to access. If you don’t have a lot of floor space, use storage that is clear plastic so you can see through them. I keep my canvases stacked safely where I can easily see what I have and their sizes. Keep your pencils and sketch book at the ready, and prioritize materials you use the most by making them the easiest to access. Having to move things around to get to what you want can kill that precious creative energy, not to mention waste time. It doesn’t have to be expensive- hit up the thrift store because let’s be honest, most of the stuff is going to get paint on it anyways, right? Most of my organizational materials and studio furniture is free or repurposed- I like the look of the old wooden boxes for storage, and I love things with wheels on them! Paint carts are my friend, and I can move them to where I need them at the moment. (The carts pictured- I think they are both from Ikea, but I have seen similar ones at Target and Michael’s.)

Make your space as functional as you can

Think of a carpenter’s workshop, where all the tools are hung nicely, ready to be grabbed. Take some time to look at each area of your space, and consider what you use it for most often. If you can, hang tools specific to that task around where you can grab them quickly and easily (and just as easily put them back when you’re done). This will make your time in your space more efficient because you won’t be looking for tools, and you won’t have to spend time dealing with clutter.

Make it comfortable and fill it with things that inspire you

Do you have to slump over your table because your chair is the wrong height? Is you space just too hot or too cold? Does it feel sterilized and controlled, or warm and welcoming? Consider these questions, and make adjustments- even slight adjustments can really make a difference. Add a rug to protect the floor and make it feel more welcoming, find a new stool that doesn’t hurt your back, move your table so the fan can blow on you without blowing your materials around, and so on. Then, add some inspiration: photos, ideas, images, notes, whatever inspires you.

The goal is to feel like you’re able to be transported- if even for a short time. Easy to jump in, get to work with inspiration and materials at your fingertips.

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