Writing Samples

From Using Art to Find Purpose and Joy

“A lot of us have discovered new creative outlets to occupy our thoughts in these difficult times. Whether it's returning to an old hobby from the past or challenging yourself with something new, many are taking the time to step back and re-discover what really brings happiness and joy, especially in uncertain times.”

Example Social Media Post Copy

Mistakes have the power to turn you into something better than you were before. Do you sometimes struggle with your singing or songwriting practice? If you keep pushing yourself to succeed, then you’ll continue to grow your endurance for those times when you feel like quitting.

PBN-ART Blog Post - How Motivation Works For Creatives

Why do some people struggle to finish creative tasks while others are unstoppable? Learn more about why motivation matters in creative work. Whether you are new to a certain creative hobby or have been practicing your craft for some time, it's helpful to consider what type of motivation best propels you forward in your creative endeavors. A study performed by Psychologist Teresa Amabile revealed that “…people will be most creative when they feel motivated primarily by the interest, satisfaction, and challenge of the work itself — not by external pressures (Teresa Amabile, ‘How to Kill Creativity’).” This study and others like it have found a strong link between intrinsic motivation (doing something for its own sake) and greater creativity. Contrarily, extrinsic motivators (like rewards or punishments) contribute to less creative motivation in the long term.

Below are some examples of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation:

Types of Intrinsic Motivation

• Challenge

• Choice

• Competence

• Interest

• Learning

• Meaning

• Purpose

• Creative flow (state of intense absorption and pleasure

Types of Extrinsic Motivation

• Money

• Fame and recognition

• Awards

• Praise and appreciation

• Status and privilege

• Opportunities

• Obligations and deadlines

• Bribes

• Threats

So how do we as creatives or hobbyists boost our creative motivation, despite not being professionals? 

Set short focused goals for your creative sessions

Don’t try to overwhelm yourself by setting lofty goals for hours-long sessions devoted to your craft when first starting out. Instead, commit yourself to a minimum amount of time you can commit to as you work towards completing your current project. List out several short achievable goals that are meaningful to you in your chosen hobby and how you can accomplish them so that you have a clear path to making progress.

Schedule your creative sessions

When you start a new hobby you want to set time aside for it to make the process of practice and growth easier to track over time. If you use a planner or the calendar app on your smartphone, you can set up your future sessions for the month and set reminders on your device to keep you on track. And if you miss a session you can easily move to a time slot that works better for you.

Seek advice from others

If you are new to your chosen creative hobby, seeking advice from other beginners or more experienced practitioners can be helpful if you get stuck or new help. Search online on social media platforms for forums, pages/accounts, or groups related to your hobbies such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or even Reddit. You can even share your progress and receive helpful feedback on how to improve. You’re not alone and everyone starts somewhere so don’t be afraid to ask questions! 

Challenge yourself 

Perhaps you’re more experienced and wondering where to go from here or even if you want to continue your hobby now that’s become stale. You could participate in online creative challenges related to your creative hobbies such as those featured on Instagram and Pinterest or websites dedicated to creators and artists such as Behance or Adobe. Or you can create a challenge in your niche for yourself and also share it with others in your social network. You could design it around a theme or holiday and let your creativity move you and those around you.

Acknowledge your progress

Sometimes it’s easier to focus on where we don’t measure up compared to others. But it’s also important to recognize how far we as individuals have come especially when beginning a new creative hobby or craft. That’s why tracking and scheduling our sessions and seeing how our work has developed over time can help us rather than comparing ourselves to those who are more experienced. A healthy view of how we’ve progressed and a clear path forward in our chosen path can help us truly appreciate the amount of time we’ve put in towards our goals.

Hopefully, these tips help you as you progress in your creative progress. Comment below which tips have been the most beneficial!

PBN-ART Blog Post - Why Paint By Number Kits Make a Great Creative DIY Project

For hundreds of years, people have created artwork of all kinds, and today, more than ever, art is everywhere.  Much of the time we take art for granted, not giving it a second thought as we try to complete a task like opening a jar or brushing our teeth. Giving art a little more attention, however, can help us to see things differently, and can even present us with a new way of looking at a problem that we’re trying to solve.

So how do paint by numbers kits factor in? Is it really creative to follow along with a pre-numbered canvas rather than create a work of art entirely from scratch? Well for most of us, especially those of us who don’t see ourselves as being particularly artistic or creative, paint by numbers kits give even the less artistically inclined the opportunity to create something magnificent at their own fingertips without outside help or years of training at a fancy art school. 

Now with your own printed canvas, you can paint a picturesque landscape, your favorite character, or even use a photo of your own. With the multitude of DIY craft ideas out there on social media, it can be overwhelming trying to decide on a new project to tackle. Plus, acquiring the supplies to complete these creations can also be a headache. With the simplicity of a paint by number kit that already includes all the necessary paints and brushes, you can start your painting right away.

Plus with a numbered canvas you can your new project any way you’d like and come back to it when you can without guilt. Painting as a hobby can serve as a wonderful pass time, especially with all the chaos that surrounds modern life. So if your looking to take a chance on a new kind of DIY project that’s simple, affordable, and relaxing then look no further than paint by numbers!