10 Ways to Be Creative When You’re Not Artistic
So you want to create something artistic but don’t consider yourself an artist? Everyone has a hidden artistic side and many ways to be creative even it you don’t consider yourself artistic.
Even if you have never taken a formal art class or had any technical training in color theory, paint mixing, photography aperture, or threading a bobbin, there are ways to express yourself in creative ways.
As a self-proclaimed multi-passionate maker of arts and crafts, I continue to discover new ways to express myself creatively. I don’t consider myself a master at any particular art. I just love to create.
It’s messy and sometimes less than mediocre, but it’s mine.
10 ways to be creative for the non-artists
Perhaps you don’t feel you have an artistic bone in your body. Let’s explore some ways to create something regardless.
1) Make time to be creative.
Life is busy, but creativity for me is self-care. I feel better after I’ve created. Even if it’s a mess! It is therapeutic and meditative to create.
2) Don’t compare yourself.
The old adage: Comparison is the thief of joy, is true. Even the most confident and masterful get imposter syndrome. We have to find ways to overcome that by remembering that everyone has different levels of ability. Create for you. Your only competition is you from yesterday.
3) Take a class.
Whether you do so in person – which is so much fun to do with friends, by the way – or you take a class online, there is literally something for everyone on any level. I love taking classes from artists online, especially when it is a specific technique or new art skill I want to learn.
Purchasing a class from an independent course creator has provided so much positive experience for me and you are supporting an entrepreneur. One of my favorites has been Amanda Evanston Art, and I’m currently enrolled in Everything Art Wanderlust
You can also utilize a service such as Skillshare, an online education platform that will open up an entire world of possibilities.
With access to thousands of online courses in areas like design, illustration, and writing, Skillshare, allows you to explore new creative pursuits or hone existing skills. Sign up for Skillshare today and start unleashing your creativity. I encourage you to check it out to explore more creativity.
They are offering a free month of premium membership for my readers. Just use click the banner above or click this Skillshare link to check it out.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.
4) Take photos everyday.
We all carry a better quality camera in our pocket everyday than I used 15 years ago in my job. Building a habit of capturing memories or small details within our day can be inspiring for creativity. I do this in a number of ways. One is an app I have used daily since 2018 called 1 second everyday.
More about that on another blog post here: Tips for Using the 1 Second Everyday App
I also have a guide for documenting your every day with photos.
Grab it here:
5) Purchase a new pen.
There is something about writing with a fresh pen (or pencil or other writing implement) that inspires me to write. When I write or journal freely, it gets my creativity sparked in a new way.
Some of my current favorite pens for journaling:
Uni-Ball AIR .07 Roller Ball –This pen in .07 makes a great dark black line and writes over any surface. Plus it is waterproof. It makes me so happy to write and doodle with this pen!
Pentel EnerGel .05 Needle Point – It is smooth and fine for writing and glides nicely across any paper.
Lamy Al-Star Fountain Pen – Writing with my aluminum fountain pen is luxurious and special. I have 3 different sized Lamy’s from extra fine to medium. I’ve had these for about 7 years and I still love them and use them daily.
Uni-Ball Signo 207 – You will never go wrong with these pens. I almost aways have one in my purse.
6) Paint something abstract.
If you want to create art in some way, don’t worry about making something recognizable, like a flower, face, or landscape. Instead just pick 3-4 colors of paint and put them on canvas or paper and let your imagination run wild.
7) Play with play-doh or modeling clay.
You might even want to go back to your childhood with Silly Putty. Just get your hands moving with a dimensional and malleable medium. One of the most fun creative art workshops I’ve taken is making pottery.
8) Art journal.
This is one of the most low pressure, non artistic ways I know to get creative. Grab an inexpensive notebook or mixed media paper and do something everyday inside. Write, paint, glue, tear, layer, draw. Let this be a place to experiment with what you have on hand. I utilize every kind of art supply, bits of paper, junk mail, journaling my thoughts, and color combos in art journals.
Check out this blog post about Art Journaling for Beginners if you are looking for ways to start.
9) Mark making and doodling.
I doodle on everything. If I am in a meeting and taking notes, I am likely doodling or making marks in some way. It is something you can do anytime, anywhere.
10) Create more than you consume.
This is admittedly difficult for me. One of my biggest hang ups in going down a rabbit hole on Instagram, You Tube, or other social media to see what others are doing. It is fun to be inspired by discovering new creatives or artists, but we have to limit our time looking at others’ creations, and actually create our own art.
Now it is your turn to create something from one of these 10 ideas
I challenge you to take at least one of these 10 ways to be creative when you don’t feel you have artistic talent, and make something this week.
Everyone has creative talent, we just have to tap into it and try new things. When you find joy in what you have created, keep exploring that thing. Remember, becoming masterful at anything takes practice.
Lots of practice. For every beautiful work of art you see online or by an artist in a gallery, there are likely many bad creations to get to the masterpiece.
Keep going. Keep creating!
10 Ways to Be Creative When You’re Not An Artist
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