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Lighting: If you have a room that has lamps and/or twinkle lights like we have in the art room at school, that's always my first step! You want to have enough light to see what you are working on, but if you make your creative space a little more dimly lit, it helps you to relax. I also love to light candles in my art room, but only if you get permission and help from an adult first! You DON'T want to burn your house down! ;) There's something so relaxing about that wiggly little flame and a yummy smell to get your all your senses in your brain ready to create!
Music: This is a must-have for me! I put music on a speaker, or in headphones for ultimate focus! I love lots of different kinds of music, but when I'm trying to get in a creative headspace, I go with something more chill. My favorite lately are those ChillHop stations I always play in class! (You know, the ones with the little Raccoon guy!) They are on YouTube and Spotify, if you have it. I will link some on this post for you! They are all so different, and have cool little graphics that go with them.
Calm & confident headspace: You want to make sure you don't have the wiggles before you sit down to create! You can do some yoga stretching moves and slow, deep breathing to get yourself calm, along with your music and lighting. Creating mood is often about controlling your own thoughts (you have the power to do that! How cool!?) Be nice to yourself!! In your head, or writing it down, remind yourself that making art is about the PROCESS of creating, not just making something perfect! Even if you feel nervous (ALL artists do!) remind yourself you are learning, practicing, and that every time you create you will get better and more comfortable. Everything you create does NOT have to be amazing and perfect, or something that you share, it can be just for you. Remember, mistakes are part of the process, for all of us. You will make them, and hopefully lots of them, because that's how you improve your skills! :)
Experiment and Practice: Remember to be brave enough to try new things and to let yourself not be good at something right when you start! Experimenting, just like in science, is when you just try an idea you have in your head and see what happens! It could be a new art material like watercolor paint, or whatever you find around your house. You can try to draw something you think will be hard to draw. Try drawing something over and over! Challenge yourself to find how you got better each time! It's just like practicing for sports- you practice to improve your skills multiple times a week. If you do get frustrated, (it happens!) take a break. Take a walk outside, grab a snack, let your brain reset, and come back to it with a fresh, positive start when you feel better. You should be enjoying yourself when you create!