Burgerman - Its great to create: fun creative exercises for everyone

Text and artwork copyright 2017 by Jon Burgerman.
constitutes a continuation of the copyright page.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

ISBN 9781452155548 (epub, mobi)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publiction Data:
Names: Burgerman, Jon, author.
Title: It's great to create : 101 fun creative exercises for everyone / by Jon Burgerman.
Description: San Francisco : Chronicle Books, 2017.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016050674 | ISBN 9781452155326 (alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Creative abilityProblems, exercises, etc.
Classification: LCC BF408 .B857 2017 | DDC 153.3/5dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016050674

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Inspiration is a funny thing. It doesnt exist as a tangible object, but sometimes it feels like youve just been hit over the head with it. If youre lucky, a large inspiration plank will conk you across the skull, blinding you for a split second with a brilliant flash of light.

When your vision returns, you suddenly have a new spark in your mind. This spark is like an energetic jumping bean. It makes you dance and wriggle as you worm out your new idea as quickly as possible. It can be a kind of manic bliss. Be forewarned, though: If you dont act quickly, the spark can dwindle and your jumping bean will turn into a motionless, tired baked bean sitting in a pool of its own sauce. I like baked beans, but prefer them on my toast.

Inspiration is induced by a slew of factors. I dont know what they all are (there are probably a millionthis is a guess), but I do know that they slowly accumulate in the head until a single one finally makes them explode. You see a painting, hear a song, read a book, daydream while looking at clouds, and then BAM! Inspiration strikes and all of a sudden youve just thought of something cool. It seems to pop out of nowhere, but actually your crafty brain has been storing up goodies for your imagination without you even realizing it.

This book strives to get your jumping beans going. The ideas and suggestions contained within should serve to help push you a little nearer to setting off that spark of inspiration and then acting on it. Note: Please dont hit yourself across the head with this bookyou might see a flash of light, but that would most likely be the onset of a concussion.

Of course, an idea is no good unless you actually do something with it. Make something! Go on, its fun! Whatever you make, even if its just a mess, will help you on your path to your masterpiece. Imagination is like a muscleit needs regular exercise, and just like exercise its really good for you (unless you have bad knees and are doing squats).

Once your imagination is warmed up, it will gain strength from receiving regular sparks of inspiration and the warm glow of satisfaction from acting on your ideas. Your imagination will get bigger, and youll have the imagination equivalent of a toned set of abs. Its good to have a big imagination. Youll be able to see things other people cant. Youll be able to solve problems better. Youll be bound up with positive energy and will cease to be bored and restless in boring and restless situations (such as going to the post office, being stuck on call waiting, orbiting the Earth before reentry).

This book is called Its Great to Create because creating, making, thinking, and dreaming make us happy. I believe this is a better happiness than, say, getting instantly rich (though please do buy this book and several for your friends), because its an ongoing happiness that you can actively build upon and that only relies on you. Its a simple, honest, pure happiness, as its been generated from within you. Your creations might not be heralded worldwide, but they will be meaningful because they came from your own head and heart. When you have a big imagination, you are interesting to other people because you see things differently. Youll feel proud and want to revisit that happy creative buzz again and again.

Being happy within yourself is what you should strive for. You will feel great by creating because, as youll find out if you dont know already, its great to create!

Many people like to say, I cant draw, which is completely untrue. If you can hold a pen and drag it along a surface (paper, canvas, cell wall), then you can draw.

These little exercises serve to loosen us up and get us drawing (which really means thinking visually). For the sake of not wanting to intimidate anyone, lets call drawing scribbling and doodling. Everyone can scribble and doodle. Even tiny babies can scribble, and they cant even drive or cook a souffl (note: I can neither drive nor cook a souffl).

Once weve got a handle on scribbling, well move on to adding some color and other materials to the proceedings. These early tasks of drawing and coloring are the simplest and easiest ways to get creating. In front of us will be a blank piece of paper, a delightful void full of potential and opportunity, which, after a flurry of activity, will be transformed into... well, something. It might be great art and it might be a big mess (or both); it doesnt really matter right now. Hopefully, it will always be fun. Fun is the main material well be utilizing, which is as handy as it is cheap, has relatively low carbon emissions, and is in infinite supply if you know where to find it.

My studio in Brooklyn.

Find a happy spot to work in.

Get comfortable, relax, put on some nice music, make yourself a snack and a beverage (tea for me), make sure you have ample light (natural is best), turn off your phone, take off your shoes, and sit in your favorite chair.