When I hear people say they are "not very
creative" it makes me a little sad. I think all human being are
creative, but creativity needs to be nurtured, and it doesn't survive in
an atmosphere of too many rules, criticism, and negative valuation. In
children, its particularly important to make sure you are helping the
kids be creative, not just teaching them to color in the lines, be neat,
and follow directions.
In fact true creativity means
coloring outside the lines, making your own lines, only using lines, not
using lines at all, or all of the above. Or none of the above. Rules
can squelch creativity, but have you ever noticed how rules can also
spur on our creative sides? Contests, for example, done as part of arts
and crafts communities can spur on someone to do more work. Sometimes
the very act of following (even arbitrary) rules can make your mind have
to bend around the constraints and end up creating something more
beautiful. Think Haiku poems for an example. The act of following the
rules about syllables and subject matter can really get your mind's
juices flowing.
I've taken part in knitting community
contests, scrapbooking community contests, blog memes, and all sorts of
friendly competitions that helped me product some of my best works. I
enjoy the camaraderie, the inspiration, and the spark that I get from
taking part in contests and events.
So what if you really don't feel creative, or have forgotten how to feel creative? Try a craft kit, follow a recipe, or use a tutorial or in depth set of instructions. There's nothing to look down upon for making a craft that someone else designed. The act of creating is still meaningful and the end result is your own work. After you are good at following the recipe or pattern, then you can branch out and do your own thing. It's like a woodworker learning the classical forms and then branching out to make modern furniture. I like to use a pattern, recipe, or tutorial as a starting off point, then make changes so the final work is my own creation.
There are no
arts and craft police! Do what makes you happy and have fun. The very
act of making art or crafts will help develop the creative part of your
mind. Whether you are painting by the numbers or going wild with your
original designs, don't be afraid and just have fun.
