Thread: workshop block

I usually enjoy the creative process in the shop. I enjoy putting a different twist, or original thought on the things I make.

I just got back from vacation. I expected to hit the ground running and make something awesome, but instead I am setting here pondering what to do. I have makers block.

What do you guys do to get inspired or get the creative juices flowing? Do you sketch out ideas, mentally figure out how and what to make come up with a mental picture. Usually my best ideas come to me while driving, but not now, no ideas are forming in my head as I aimlessly drive down the road.

Inspiration, how do you get it? What helps you?

Charlie

Sleep helps me,I dream up most of the stuff I make.Than will go out to the shop,sort thru the bone box and the wood stash,the scrap metal box.
Than it will come to me.Sometimes it works,sometimes not.

I hope these two little film helps in bringing back your inspiration.

Jamie.

Back when I was making pots, my teacher said to take a large piece of paper and a pencil, and just start moving the pencil around the paper - usually in curves. Sooner or later something would catch my attention. Sometimes it actually worked.

Originally Posted by spazola

Inspiration, how do you get it? What helps you?

I find that reading one of your posts helps me find inspiration. :-)

Personally I'm one of those guys (when it comes to my knives, and lately razors as I just picked that up) I like to do something different every time, I like variety. I see a lot of guys on the knife making forum that basically make the same knife over and over with different accents, that's not me.

I normally combine two different ways, I think of the ones that I have made thus far, and I look at the materials I have. Then start to think of ways I can combine my materials together and make something different.

Heck, often times I end up with something different from what I had drawn out on paper. There are even times as I'm grinding a profile to a blade that as I'm doing it it changes. Perfect example the last two days I've been working on a razor that was "Paul Bunyan" inspired. It is a larger sized razor that I intended to resemble an ax and I was going to put plaid scales on it. As I was grinding something else came to life. Now it is going to be an almost medieval looking weapon with no scales at all.

It may not work for some, but don't let even your own imagination hold you back. Sometimes you just have to start a project and get yourself out of the way and let it create itself.

Watching tv, movies, youtube vids. Sometimes the idea just pops in my head. But, usually I see something, think, "huh that's kinda cool"; then put my own spin on it, or tweak it to suit my tastes. With what you do Charlie, I tend to use a visual "base" for an idea then tweak and fine tune it as I go until I like what I see. Good luck on getting over the block, but don't fret, even the greats hit the wall at some point...what makes them great is getting past that and moving ahead, we've got all the faith in your abilities as a metal worker and artist...no worries here bro.

Originally Posted by spazola

Usually my best ideas come to me while driving, but not now, no ideas are forming in my head as I aimlessly drive down the road.

Inspiration, how do you get it? What helps you?

Charlie

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I am thinking about all the fantastic razor designs you have posted over the years. I would say that your creative brain deserves a temporary respite to refresh itself. O K that's enough rest, get back to work, NOW.

Sometimes what helps me is to just get out in the shop and clean it up! Sometimes just doing something simple that requires no thought will let your mind wander. Also while you clean up you might run across a scrap of something that will let an idea pop. Good Luck!

Well, I'm hardly artistic or inspired, so take it for what it's worth:

I just start doing something. If I want to make a brush and don't have inspiration, I just start turning a block of wood and see what it turns into. Some of my best stuff has been made that way.
Maybe just start hammering some steel and see what it turns into?