Psychological distance and being creative

A new report on Scientific American has confirmed what many of us naturally realised, you can be more creative if you ‘distance’ yourself from the situation. Read the article for the science and some practical ideas.

An Easy Way to Increase Creativity: Scientific American

Some more Monday inspiration

These are uplifting as well as inpsirational. 12 videos from Vimeo to blow on your creative spark.

Here we go, hold on tight

Online sequencer

Just when I thought I could concentrate on getting some work done. Along comes this wonderful online sequencer. It feels like I’m back in the 80s, albeit via a flash interface and firefox.

Plug and play and have lots of fun

Audiotool

The ultimate wirter’s directory?

If this list from smashing magazine isn’t the ultimate writer’s directory, then it comes pretty close. From grammar to spelling, headlines to word rhymes, this list has it all. But don’t take my word for it.

50 free resources that will improve your writing skills

Synesthesia – Monday inspiration

Found this wonderful video by Terry Timely via the equally wonderful SynthGear.

Just the thing to get the creative juices folling on a Monday, or any day in fact.

Lacking imagination on a Monday morning?

Well, you’re not the only one. I’m having a creatively barren day so far. I wonder if it is anything to with my imagaintion being slightly limited?

Enjoy this wonderful cartoon from Doug Savage. His site serves up regular smiles and inspiration each day, enjoy.

Imagination Cartoon | Savage Chickens – Cartoons on Sticky Notes by Doug Savage

Let music inspire your creativity

There is a great post over at one of my favourite sites, Smashin Magazine. It is all about using music to inspire your visual creativity, enjoy:

Drawing Inspiration From Music | Inspiration | Smashing Magazine

How to organise your writing time

There is a good guest article over at Susan Johnston’s The Urban Muse. The article by Sybil Baker, gives some wonderful tips on how to organise your writing time amongst the hassle and busyness of our daily lives.

The full article is here

My socks have been blown off – ThruYOU

This is truly amazing.

Take a group of unrelated youtube videos, mash them up and turn them into complete video / music tracks.

ThruYOU: Kutiman mixes YouTube

Artisitic success linked to effort shock

There is (yet) another great post, and ongoing conversation, over at Lateral Action. The post by Mark begins with the premise, in the movie world, that the film Watchmen will be a commercial success due to the publicity it has gained through the legal dispute between Warner and Fox. I’m not going to get into the debate on this site, if you want that, then go and join in at Lateral Action.

Mark questions those creatives who complain about not being recognised for their art when they don’t promote it. This is something I totally agree with. I’ve mentioned it before here, if you are doing art for art’s sake, then you’re doing it for yourself. But if you want it to be enjoyed by others, then you need to put promotion into your strategy.