3 methods to start and finish any art project.

Have you ever wondered if there is another way?

There are various ways of creating new things, and the process that works for each person can be slightly different. In this blog, I’ll outline some processes with their pros and cons and, of course, which one is my favorite. These also tackle two of the most common problems: starting and finishing. Read through them and read my reasons for liking my approach, and I hope you get inspired by these methods.

First, outline what you are going to do, and then do it

This first tactic is a technique to get structure, and I recommend this for people who need structure to create. When you have an idea for making something, anything, you outline what you are going to do, when to do it, how you are doing it, and what is required for making it. This way, it is easier to start, as it is clearer where you need to start. For some, it is hard to feel what they need to do to get started. So, by first outlining the project and what elements it comprises, it is easier to prioritize and structure the activities. After planning it, it is just a matter of doing it! This technique also makes it easier to finish because you know the end-product requirements in advance. There are a few pros to this technique:

• Easier to start

• Easier to finish

• Easy to communicate with others if it is a group project

There are also clear cons

• If you have a hard time following schedules, this is not for you

• It is harder to deviate from the plan after you have the details

• If you’re not yet exactly sure what you want to make, it is hard to outline the plan too

Create a concept, and let it simmer, then do it

Another, related to the above technique, is to work out the concept in a short sentence (in your head) and then you just let it simmer in your head. This is basically the technique of ‘just sleep a night on it’, but longer. You just let it rest until one day you wake up and know what it is you want to do exactly, and then just do it. It sounds weird, maybe, but sometimes it works when you know you want something but don’t know the details and the how. Once you know, however, you know it exactly and you don’t need outlines or plans. The pros are:

• Low stress

• Once you know, you know

• Easier to manage multiple projects if they’re all simmering

Cons:

• If you have a deadline, this one is risky

• If the inspiration never comes, the project is never finished

• If you have a hard time finishing something, this one is not ideal

Start doing and then outline the outcome as you go

One organic method is to just start and kind of see where it goes. If you have no issues starting anything, this one is perfect. You just start and let your intuition and creativity lead the way, hoping it doesn’t burn out before you’re finished. This is a great way to be flexible with the process, as you don’t have any ‘darlings to kill’. The result could be something very different from what you thought of in the beginning, but that’s okay! However, if you’ve made mistakes in the beginning but you find out later that it was a mistake, you need to start over. It is a great way to learn, though.

Pros:

• Flexbility

• Creative and organic process

• Complete freedom

Cons:

• Hard to communicate in a group situation

• Mistakes in the beginning could bite back in the end

• Lower chance of finishing than the first method

What I like best

I never have a problem with starting a new project; I would even say that I start more than I can finish (so maybe I do have a problem?). I often have inspiration in a wave, where I get an idea, and my mind won’t stop racing until I create it. Therefore, I never do method one, as I get hit with a train of inspiration and I have to do it there and then. In some of these waves, when I try to create it, it doesn’t go as I would like, and in that case I do method two. I just let it simmer and simmer, and even if it is a skill issue, just letting it simmer helps. The second try after a few days, or even a few weeks, almost always goes better. Anyway, what I do most often is start and reflect a few times during the process on whether it is still going where I want it to. However, I have a problem with finishing, so to make that easier, I switch to method one towards the end. I write down my feedback on my creation and write down the tasks needed for finishing.