Creative Spark Deck
“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.”
Mary Lou Cook
I'm very excited you've received your Creative Spark Deck! Below are some ideas on how to use the cards, the prompts, and the packaging your deck came in. I can't wait to see what ideas they spark for you and what you create with them!
Here's a reminder of all the elements you'll find on each card:
HOW TO STORE YOUR DECK...
Keep your deck on your desk or workspace, somewhere you can see it and easily access (because out of sight out of mind :)) Here are a few container ideas for storing them:
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Feel free to keep the deck in the plastic container it came in
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Basket
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Apothecary jar
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Cloth bag
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Pencil cup
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Small pot/planter/vase
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Any storage container you have on hand (check your kitchen and bathroom)
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Create your own container (recycle/reuse and paint a box or plastic container you have on hand)
USE YOUR DECK...
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To help you start a brand new project or fill in a blank sketchbook/canvas/surface of your choice
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To bring new inspiration to an existing unfinished project
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As creative writing prompts
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To begin a brainstorm session
WAYS TO CHOOSE & USE THE CARDS
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Randomly pick which element on the card you'll use or read through each one and see which one you gravitate towards
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Go through the entire deck using the same element before moving on to the next, ie: use all the words associated with the number inside the spark first or all the patterns, etc.
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Set aside what you’ve picked until you've gone through the entire deck or mix them back in each time
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Have someone else choose a card for you
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Mix and match prompts within one card
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Pick 2 cards and combine prompts from each
HOW TO INTERPRET THE PROMPTS
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Let's work through a card together--in this blog post I share a bit more about my own process and train of thought in interpreting the prompts.
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Notice what comes to mind first and what you get excited about!
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Take what you see and put your own spin on it by changing up the colors, layout, proportions, taking the technique and applying it to different materials, etc.
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Consider the different meanings of each text prompt as well as similar and opposite words.
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Use the pattern as shown, take a small element of it to expand on, use some of the characteristics (soft, fluid, sharp, scattered, etc.) and create your own pattern with it.
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For the colors shown on the card consider its analogous, complimentary, and split-complementary colors, use a monochromatic color scheme, or create an unexpected color palette with it.
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When it comes to the art movements, research characteristics of it as well as notable artists and pieces of work during that period. Consider putting a modern spin on older movements, taking one element from it to use, and finding out how you best connect with it.
MY FAVORITE PLACES TO DO RESEARCH
Sometimes I don't know exactly what I want to do with a prompt but I'm interested in exploring it further. That's when I'll do some research to see if anything piques my curiosity or sparks an idea.
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Unsplash for photo references. Enter your text prompt or a word you associate with the element you're using into the search and see what pictures come up
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Pinterest for images and tutorials
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YouTube for tutorials and music inspiration
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Thesaurus.com for synonyms and antonyms
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Good old fashioned Googling
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Talk to someone, ask questions, bounce ideas off of one another
RE-IMAGINE & RE-USE THE PACKAGING
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
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Use the cardboard box to make stamps with
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Have fun with the bubble wrap
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Create collages with the tissue paper and pieces of washi tape