Taking your creative pursuits to the next level can be exciting to consider, but it might take a little time to plan and execute. No matter what your creative pursuits are, from launching a show in a theatre, to running an excellent blogazine, to perhaps producing even better music than you have been in an expertly crafted studio – sometimes you realize you’ve hit the wall and need to take your efforts further.
Where creativity is concerned, there’s often little to no upward limit to how skilled you can become. However, sometimes the means of applying that can become somewhat stagnant, depending on the tools or social setup you use to bring that effort into fruition.
Thankfully, there are many methods to improve your efforts and take you to a level you have only dreamed of. They are listed here in advice form:
Social Connections
While your creative ambitions are in no way reduced when crafted as a solo effort, sometimes connecting with people in your artistic field can help inform your work as never before. Bonding with people whose work you respect and whose opinion you are interested in can help you become inspired, and this collaborative effort (even in simple conversation) can do plenty for your overall attention to detail and interest in being the best artist possible.
They say that two heads are better than one. While relying on someone’s opinion solely as a form of comfort for your own art is often not the best path forward, taking the time to discuss ideas, introduce new efforts to one another, and to compliment or criticise a piece constructively can help you view your work or others from different angles. Remember that everyone learns their craft in different ways. Perhaps the structure of their learning was the same, but the specifics and small efforts of practice will always be different. This means consulting with someone could help you relearn the basics, or see simple techniques from a different angle.
Not only can the free idea exchange between you spur new ideas, but your social life might bloom as a result. After all, connecting with other creatives is not a job. It can be wonderful to share a passion with someone. It might be here that your best friendships are formed, or perhaps even love will bloom. The title of this article is ‘taking your creative puruits to the next level.’ Sometimes, the ‘next level’ needn’t be as lofty as becoming hugely respected and relevant in your field. It could simply be to enjoy the process more in every single manner. To us, it sounds like that’s worth your time.
Equipment
It might be that stepping up your creative game means stepping up the equipment you use to express yourself. This might be very simple. You may decide to switch from typing on a laptop to using a full typist keyboard with blue cherry MX switches. It might be that you decide to invest in a high number of canvases, especially those of a larger size than you’re used to working with.
However, some creative pursuits demand more. By heading to personal loan lenders appropriate for your financial situation, you may be able to fund part of a new studio, gain industry standard mixing equipment, or perhaps microphones that are sure to last decades. These options can really enhance the professionalism of your work, lending you that credibility you might need to make it as a professional.
‘The next level’ of a creative pursuit could be that you decide to make it in a professional setting, perhaps opening up your own freelance portfolio, tuition or to make it big with a prestigious reputation. A little startup investment like this can help you begin to monetize your skills. This will mean taking everything you’ve learned and utilizing it for your benefit, while also trying to learn twice as much on the way. The effort can be extremely worth it, but only if you go all in.
Locations
It could be that travel allows you to open up your creative pursuits and learn something new. This might mean touring with your talents around the world, and meeting people who really inspire your craft. You may decide to head to the milestones of human history as an artist to pay homage to the greats. For example, heading to the Sistine Chapel is surely at the top of the list of any painter looking to study the history of their craft.
It could just be that travel informs your art, helps you think outside the box, and gives you the mental space necessary to reflect and meditate on your past work, even the directions you’ll take from here on out. It is perhaps one of the most confident cures for writer’s block, artistic ennui, and motivation.
Knowledge
It’s important to realize that many creative disciplines can inform the other. For example, the timing and technical skill involved in playing an instrument could lend focus to the versatility of painting, and the act of pulling ideas from the ether to write may potentially benefit freeform musical composition. The artist’s mind is not one and the same from person to person, but inspiration, creative thinking, and the willingness to refine a project will be felt similarly throughout all those who hold those skills and emotions.
This means that reading the biographies of great artists, perhaps even better autobiographies, could help you relate to the challenges faced by those you idolize. It can help you relate to them, perhaps even generate ideas, and think outside of the box. A writer may gain great insight by reading the autobiography of a stand up comedian like Norm MacDonald, or a painter may gain an imense visual motif by learning the struggles of famous rock musicians. Knowledge informs, and is never constrained to just one category of utility. Becoming a lifelonger learner, or making this decision in the first place, can be tremendously useful.
With these tips, you’re sure to enjoy getting to the next stage of your artistic life.
