How to take your drawings, to the next level.

Today I want to share some very concrete experiments with you. A way for you to come into that place of flow, and having some guidelines so it feels safer to let go of control.

The first experiment is a very good way to start, you can use it if you feel a little doubtful, a little tired or not really inspired. When you do this experiment, it will make you forget time and space as you go deeper and deeper into the moment.

Lisen’t to this video, where I share my process, or read the blog post.

1) Take 5 pieces of paper, and a timer. Use all the drawing materials you like, I’am very fond of molotov markers, and then I spice it up with pencil, coal, ball pen, and whatever suits me.

2) For the first piece of paper you set the timer to 2 minutes. When the time is out, you take the next paper and set the timer to 4 minutes, and then you continue expanding with 2 minutes for each new paper, till you reach 10 minutes for the last paper.

It’s very interesting how it will free you, when you have the limited timeframe, and the fact that you shift the paper and have to start all over each time, makes your approach more fresh. It allows you to stay open, and to dare to try out new ideas, not thinking so much of the outcome.

As I said before it will take you into the present moment. It will take you out of your mind, out of doubt, self sabortage the urge to have it all planned. You will be abel to feel, maybe just for some moments this relaxed state of joy, excitement and flow. If you feel the urge, you can go on expanding with 2 minutes, as many times you wish, or you can make your own experiments if it works better for you. Maybe you want to do it quicker, so you can expand with only one minute. You could also begin with pencil, and then take a second round on the same papers, then using markers, or paint. Don’t take the experiments as another rule, just take what resonates, and play around with making your own experiments. Your own rules.

But it’s not only a great way to get into the flow, you also end up with 5 pieces of work. Some of them you might want to keep as they are, the others you can use in new works, taking them to the next level.

Be open for the things that comes to you unexpected. The things you didn’t plan. Very often it is in that we wasn’t looking for, that was what we needed.

Use the drawing that failed. Use the outcasts of the paper cuts. Use the other side of the paper. Don’t care about how it will look like. Falling on purpose. Make yourself fail. Do something that you haven’t tried before.

Don’t hang on to the good results, don’t hang on to the bad. Let it all go in every moment. Maybe it is difficult for you to really fail, because you are too good at covering it up. Let it really fail. You can’t still make it fail? Wow, then you don’t have to be so afraid. That’s the whole thing. You have to experience that you can’t fail.

Everything is perfect. When we go beyond our bonderies it’s where magic are, where we think we will fail, we will succeed.

I will explain how I used the form of my original drawing as a skabelon, not for you to do exactly the same, but to show you some tools you can use in your own process. Also it gives you an idea how to look for new ways to approach your work.

1) I started by cutting one of my quick drawings out from the first exercise. Placing it on a bigger seized paper. I wanted an equal seized form to oppose it, so I made an outline of the drawing on another paper.

2) I looked for some materials, and found an old canvas with a wonderfull sky blue paint on it. I just thought it would be so good togheter with my drawing. I used the negative paper form as a skabelon, and cut the form in the sky blue canvas. I also tried to use the backside of the canvas, but it looked too pale to me. I really like to use different materials in my drawings, it gives another rawness to the work.

In my work I like to work with contrasts and dualities, and them bind them togheter in a kind of symetry. I have the urge to create balance between the different aspects of myself. To get the differences to “speak” to each other, to get an inner dialog and acceptance between the different aspects. To focus on the form instead of the lines, is a very simpel hack. The two ways of working complements each other, as much as they opposes each other.

Hope you could use these tips. Have a lovely day.

I’am teaching in “how you can free yourself in the creative process”, go to workshops, to read about my courses and workshops. Next ones is in August 2019.

I’am sharing this information to you freely, from my own experiences. Hope you can use it in your own process. Any donation, is deeply appreciated. :-)

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• Turtorials and tips
  • May 15, 2019 How to take your drawings, to the next level. May 15, 2019
  • Apr 30, 2019 Be bold, let your light out. Apr 30, 2019
  • Apr 6, 2019 How to start your drawing praxis. Apr 6, 2019
  • Mar 8, 2019 What to do when you are stucked in the creative process?? Mar 8, 2019
  • Feb 13, 2018 How do you work with composition? Feb 13, 2018
  • Jan 8, 2018 Make a kickstart. Jan 8, 2018
  • Nov 20, 2017 Go bigger. Nov 20, 2017
  • Nov 8, 2017 What is your drawings all about? Nov 8, 2017
  • Oct 31, 2017 Wait!! Before you throw that drawing in the bin!!!!! Oct 31, 2017
  • Oct 12, 2017 Find inspiration everywhere. Oct 12, 2017
  • Oct 12, 2017 Experiment with shapes and lines. Oct 12, 2017
  • Oct 12, 2017 Want to find your own visual language ? Oct 12, 2017
• psycological aspects
  • May 26, 2020 Holding your flow. May 26, 2020
  • May 6, 2020 The world is yours. May 6, 2020
  • Apr 22, 2020 Let your heart decide. Apr 22, 2020
  • Apr 18, 2020 Create from your self. Apr 18, 2020
  • Apr 4, 2020 Expand your own signature. Apr 4, 2020
  • Oct 9, 2019 How to shift out of the 3d perspective. Oct 9, 2019
  • Sep 20, 2019 What is it, to be grounded? Sep 20, 2019
  • Sep 10, 2019 How to follow your own flow. Sep 10, 2019
  • Jul 28, 2019 Releasing your resistance to the moment. Jul 28, 2019
  • Jul 15, 2019 Don't wait for life to be perfect, let go of control. Jul 15, 2019
  • Jun 1, 2019 How to raise your vibration, through the creative process. Jun 1, 2019
  • Apr 1, 2019 How embracing all parts of you, will help you in your art making. Apr 1, 2019
  • Feb 20, 2019 Don’t resist the moment. Live your dream. Feb 20, 2019
  • Feb 10, 2019 Why are we so hard on ourselves? Feb 10, 2019
  • Feb 1, 2019 It's okay to say NO. Feb 1, 2019
  • Jan 2, 2019 Let yourself shine in 2019 :-) Jan 2, 2019
  • Nov 22, 2018 Look at your obstacles as adventures. Nov 22, 2018
  • Feb 2, 2018 How to stay in the process? Feb 2, 2018
  • Dec 20, 2017 Slow down Dec 20, 2017
  • Dec 12, 2017 There is no "right" way. Dec 12, 2017
  • Dec 5, 2017 Why it's important to unlearn. Dec 5, 2017
  • Oct 12, 2017 Let your feelings be your guide. Oct 12, 2017
  • Sep 5, 2017 Don't be afraid of change:-) Sep 5, 2017
  • Sep 5, 2017 Express your feelings Sep 5, 2017
  • Sep 5, 2017 Can drawing be a kind of meditation? Sep 5, 2017
• turtorials
  • Apr 6, 2019 How to start your drawing praxis. Apr 6, 2019
• video
  • May 15, 2019 How to take your drawings, to the next level. May 15, 2019
  • Apr 30, 2019 Be bold, let your light out. Apr 30, 2019
  • Apr 1, 2019 How embracing all parts of you, will help you in your art making. Apr 1, 2019
  • Mar 8, 2019 What to do when you are stucked in the creative process?? Mar 8, 2019
  • Feb 20, 2019 Don’t resist the moment. Live your dream. Feb 20, 2019
  • Feb 10, 2019 Why are we so hard on ourselves? Feb 10, 2019
  • Feb 1, 2019 It's okay to say NO. Feb 1, 2019

Don’t resist the moment. Live your dream.

Not expecting anything. Not wanting any specific result. Not waiting to arrive to a certain destination. You know very often we say, when I have done this and this, then I will just have fun. We think that we have to deserve it. First work and then play. We have learned to struggle and to fight our ways through life. To be strong. To tame ourselves. We make “to do” lists. We have so may goals. But what when we get there? Is it worth it? I think to be present in the creative process, is a kind of learning how to live moment to moment. To learn to be in peace and harmony with yourself, eventhough your outer circumstances is chaotic. Allowing yourself to be you. That all about you is okay. That is your reward. That is your freedom.  

Sculpture experiments, from my own process.

Yesterday I had a day in my studio, where I didn’t come to any solutions. I played around with a sculpture the whole day, but it didn’t fall into place. It didn’t click. I’am learning all the time, and normally I would be a little unsatisfied with myself. But yesterday I was so happy on my way home. Because I had really had fun,  and I had this knowing that everything will fall into place. The energy from the day was still in my body the whole evening. 

The feeling of flow comes when what you are doing, is in harmony with where you are.

So I’am learning to enjoy the yourney, to relax in knowing that I can create more courageous, if I don’t fix my mind on a specific goal.

But I think the reason why we resist the moment, resist o be present, is that it triggers all our emotions. Because to be in the process is not just bliss all the time, you will meet all parts of yourself.

How do you forget the result ??

When we think of a result, it is often a mental picture of what we want. So instead of the mental picture, go for the flow feeling instead. The feeling of flow comes when what you are doing, is in harmony with where you are. For example, if you are sad, use that feeling and express it, instead of suppressing it, because you think you have to be happy. Every time you suppress an emotion, it builds up, and it takes a lot of energy. If you keep suppressing these more negative emotions you will eventually run out of space. Your body will be full. All the emotions will come to the surface, and you might get a serious breakdown. So release the feelings instead, allow them to be felt, express them in your art. Soon you will feel relieved because you are getting in touch with new aspects of yourself. Relieved because you have more energy, and more space inside of you..

Marie J.Engelsvold. “Don’t resist the moment.” Acrylics, pencil and paper cuts on paper. 30 x 30 cm. 2019

How do we go from the expectation to the dream ??

So one of the biggest challenges is to let go of the expectations of the result. If we always have a goal in mind, it is as if we are starting to hurry, and we reject everything that does not look like something that can lead to our goals.

Often the inner critic begins to beat us up. We begin to sabotage ourselves. It is not good enough. We try again and again, to get to the desired result but we fail. Sometimes we actually succeeds, and the result is satisfying. But often we have to cross both arms and teeth to get there. We can also have learned a lot of techniques, so everything we do looks okay, it is actually really nice and tidy and people like what we do. But you may not be completely happy, and you are dreaming of something else.

The dream you feel, is not the expectation. The expectation is that mental picture you have of yourself, that you have to feel and be a certain way. The mental picture of your outcome. The expectations will always get disappointed, and you begin to judge yourself if it is not met. So drop that mental picture, The dream cannot die. The dream is the one you think is unrealistic, the one that can't be done. The one who is only possible if you had lots of time and money and courage. But it is the dream that makes your heart beat, the dream that gives your life direction, and the dream which nourishes the flame in your passion. But how do we go from the expectation to the dream ??  It's a bit like the same mechanism as when we switch from the left side to the right side of the brain. And the harmony when we get all our parts to play together. I'm talking about the same thing, just in different ways. Because we constantly run into the same problems, but because the situation changes, we do not see it.

In the creative processes, you meet yourself head on.

The first thing you have to do is forget the result, go into the process, be present in the process and don't think about the end result. The dream is now, it’s not a destination. If you build a lot of expectations around the dream, the dream cannot come into your present reality. The dream is not a picture, it’s alive. That  is what is the adventure, to enter into the unknown.

These are the same mechanisms as in your life, if you are afraid of the unknown (and we are all to a lesser extent), then you cannot be present in your life. So that's why I say that in the creative processes, you meet yourself head on. And if you dare to go into the eye of the storm, you can free yourself from your limitations and learn to accept and love yourself in your wholeness. Without cutting pieces of yourself out.  This is also why we have such a hard time being present in the process, and accepting our own self-expression because we meet ourselves all the time. And we all have parts we don't like and don't accept.  So the expectation of the result is also the expectation of yourself.

When you expect things from yourself and other people, you also judge if your expectations is not met. If you judge yourself, you tell yourself that you are not good enough. You do not accept yourself as you are, but only as the image of how you want yourself to be.

Release the expectations on how to get there, and surrender to the journey.

So when I say, go into the process and forget about the result, it sounds very easy. But it's not easy, it's really challenging for most of us. And so, it is something you learn gradually.

I, myself have been a visual artist for 20 years, and of course I also love to be in the process when I am in flow. And I think that is why I became an artist. When I was very young, I discovered that I could disappear from the world and go into my own dream. I could come in a state of true presence and joy. That is the flow. Forgetting time and place, being fully present in what you do. That is the price. And then you have arrived. When you live the dream, the dream is all there. Allow yourself to dream big, and allow yourself to trust it. But the dream becomes reality only when you follow your inner voice and allow yourself to rely on the process.

 You still can't figure out how to get there ?? Take the first step, and that is your creative passion. You must turn on the spark, before you can burn. Release the expectations on how to get there, and surrender to the journey. And if your dream is more time to be creative and express yourself, take that time. Start with what you can today, and then expand slowly.

I’am sharing this information to you freely, from my own experiences. Hope you can use it in your own process. Any donation, is deeply appreciated. :-))

Donate

• Turtorials and tips
  • May 15, 2019 How to take your drawings, to the next level.
  • Apr 30, 2019 Be bold, let your light out.
  • Apr 6, 2019 How to start your drawing praxis.
  • Mar 8, 2019 What to do when you are stucked in the creative process??
  • Feb 13, 2018 How do you work with composition?
  • Jan 8, 2018 Make a kickstart.
  • Nov 20, 2017 Go bigger.
  • Nov 8, 2017 What is your drawings all about?
  • Oct 31, 2017 Wait!! Before you throw that drawing in the bin!!!!!
  • Oct 12, 2017 Find inspiration everywhere.
  • Oct 12, 2017 Experiment with shapes and lines.
  • Oct 12, 2017 Want to find your own visual language ?
• psycological aspects
  • May 26, 2020 Holding your flow.
  • May 6, 2020 The world is yours.
  • Apr 22, 2020 Let your heart decide.
  • Apr 18, 2020 Create from your self.
  • Apr 4, 2020 Expand your own signature.
  • Oct 9, 2019 How to shift out of the 3d perspective.
  • Sep 20, 2019 What is it, to be grounded?
  • Sep 10, 2019 How to follow your own flow.
  • Jul 28, 2019 Releasing your resistance to the moment.
  • Jul 15, 2019 Don't wait for life to be perfect, let go of control.
  • Jun 1, 2019 How to raise your vibration, through the creative process.
  • Apr 1, 2019 How embracing all parts of you, will help you in your art making.
  • Feb 20, 2019 Don’t resist the moment. Live your dream.
  • Feb 10, 2019 Why are we so hard on ourselves?
  • Feb 1, 2019 It's okay to say NO.
  • Jan 2, 2019 Let yourself shine in 2019 :-)
  • Nov 22, 2018 Look at your obstacles as adventures.
  • Feb 2, 2018 How to stay in the process?
  • Dec 20, 2017 Slow down
  • Dec 12, 2017 There is no "right" way.
  • Dec 5, 2017 Why it's important to unlearn.
  • Oct 12, 2017 Let your feelings be your guide.
  • Sep 5, 2017 Don't be afraid of change:-)
  • Sep 5, 2017 Express your feelings
  • Sep 5, 2017 Can drawing be a kind of meditation?
• turtorials
  • Apr 6, 2019 How to start your drawing praxis.
• video
  • May 15, 2019 How to take your drawings, to the next level.
  • Apr 30, 2019 Be bold, let your light out.
  • Apr 1, 2019 How embracing all parts of you, will help you in your art making.
  • Mar 8, 2019 What to do when you are stucked in the creative process??
  • Feb 20, 2019 Don’t resist the moment. Live your dream.
  • Feb 10, 2019 Why are we so hard on ourselves?
  • Feb 1, 2019 It's okay to say NO.