Finding the Right Medium

A few days ago I got my paints out. After being inspired by the birds at the window feeder, I sketched out a goldfinch and filled in the colour with my watercolour paints. Finally I outlined the picture with a thin black fine-liner pen.

I think it turned out OK!

It’s weird, sometimes I get the feeling I NEED to do something creative.

I’m not a painter in the slightest. In fact, I think the last time I used these paints was over 5 years ago. I found them tucked into a drawer at my dad’s house where I grew up and thought, heh, might as well bring them back home.

So when I felt like I needed a creative outlet the other day, I saw the paints lying around and decided to have a go.

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” -Thomas Merton

There are many creative outlets that I love to play around with from time-to-time. Painting is just one of these mediums. Others include:

• drawing
• writing
• photography
• crafts
• playing guitar
• gardening
• baking (do these last two even count?)

I gotta say, I’m not really an expert in ANY of these. But I do love to dabble and they all are good at scratching that creative itch.

Some of these things I do a lot (e.g. writing and photography) but some of these creative outlets come and go (e.g. playing guitar and painting). My guitar gently weeps in the corner as it gathers dust…

Find the right medium

Is there such a thing as finding the right ‘perfect-fit’ medium?

Or is it OK to take what comes and dabble in lots of different creative things?

I often think “ooooh I’d love to try oil painting, or pottery, or learn the piano”. Hell, I think I’d even love to try basket weaving.

I often think there’s a pressure to be an expert in something. To be recognized as an expert in one’s field. I find this hard, because there’s so many great things to learn about. How on earth can you know which is the best until you’ve tried them all?!

Unless one has a particular burning desire to be an expert in a specific field, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with playing around with all sorts of mediums. (Budget willing, of course!) Different materials and activities can help bring different ideas, so in my opinion, any type of creativity or self-expression is always going to be a good thing.

Some will stick, some just won’t.

Why create?

It begs the question about why we create at all?

For me, creating is often about appreciating the small things in life and relaxing (see: 28 Super-Quick Ways to Reduce Stress and Anxiety) . No-one has any expectations from you when you create. It’s about no commerce and all play, which sadly I think is often lost in today’s world where everything has to be done for something.

But the pure joy (or frustration, sometimes!) from creating is such a unique adventure in understanding one’s thoughts. Whatever the medium, this is something that can never be taken away from me.

So whether your creative outlet is playing the ukulele or painting Lord of the Rings figurines, I say you go for it!