Creativity Rules

                                                 HOW TO BE MORE CREATIVE!

Rule #1-THINK LIKE AN ARTIST

We need to learn to look at great works of art and question what they were thinking when they created that piece.  Then with our speculations we need to create using that same mind set as the great artists from history.  We need to generate and develop our ideas before we begin our actual artworks.

Rule #2- Own your own ideas!

 Real Art is based on our own EXPERIENCE, MEMORY, OBSERVATION and/or IMAGINATION.  Real artwork is not borrowed from others.  Borrowing is “use it and give it back”. Ideas cannot be patented or copyrighted.  They are free in the vapor of our lives.  Think of it this way ”Steal it-Don’t borrow it.  Make it your own.”  So that means you choose it, improve it, shake it, pound it, deconstruct it, reengineer it, materialize it, test it, internalize it and so on.  You can not copy ideas and rent them, you need to change them up. 

Rule #3-Originate ideas from your own lives, experiences and concerns

There is not a right answer when it comes to art.  More then anything you need to ask yourself if you got anything from that lesson and did you get a chance to express yourself in some way.  Whether it is who you are, a feeling you are having at that moment in your life or just something you are trying to express.  If you have shown a side of who you are within your artwork then you are on track for creating an original work of art.

Rule #4-You must always experiment before starting your final project

People always want to jump right into the actual assignment without ever trying and experimenting.  Experimenting helps lead us to new avenues of discovery.  It helps us to find new ways of doing things and helps us to think up new ideas before we ever begin.  Don’t be afraid to try something different, in the end you will learn a great deal more then your peers and you might even end up with something amazing in the end, but you will never know unless you try.  Sometimes we will fail miserably, but that also could lead us to the most amazing discoveries too.

Rule #5- When using symbols-Only use original symbols you create. 

So try not to use the Cliche symbols like hearts, stars, smiley faces and so on.  They are cute, but not creative-we are striving for becoming creative thinkers here at VHS.  So instead you can build off of a symbol or the meaning of that symbol and make it your own-like we talked about in rule #1.

Rule #6- Grade your own work!

When you are finished with an assignment, you will be grading yourself.  Then you will sit down one on one with me and go over your score sheet and explain to me why you deserve the grade that you gave yourself.  And then together we will decide what your final grade is for that assignment.  That way you know exactly what you need to improve upon.  This will be on Final Assignments only.

Rule #7-Use my guidelines as tools not limitations

My guidelines are just a way for you to try something different with objectives, they are not always 100% right or the most interesting.  SO, if you think up better ideas and think  for example ‘wow this animal assignment would be much better for my personal goals if I could do a flower instead because.........’.  If you can plead a good case to me with a valid reason on how changing the subject or medium would benefit you and your personal goals better then please SHARE.  I’m always open to hearing your ideas.



Art is all about TRUTH and BEAUTY.  How you interpret that is what makes each artwork creative and unique.

TO REALLY BE CREATIVE WITH AN IDEA, ONE HAS TO BELIEVE IT AND OWN IT.

Everyone has creative potential.