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i'm so frustrated! i've been stamping a while now and while i'm pretty great (not to be immodest) at "case"ing cards, coming up with my own ideas is impossible.
i thought i came up with a cute idea yesterday, then when i put it together, i just thought, "it's totally blah."
calbear1969 - I too have trouble coming up with ideas. But the biggest problem I have is how I view my own creations. Others have complimented all my cards, but I often view them as OK. Even when someone makes a similar card, I think theirs looks better. Go figure. I'm too critical of myself.
My kids always ask me if I copied it (CASED) or did I come up with it on my own.. I very rarely get to say on my own. There are just to many good ideas out there.
They must be born with an artistic gene. My whole family has one. It just skipped me. :oops:
__________________ Debbi~SU Demo~SCS#6378 ~My Gallery~My SUO Blog~ Mother to 6 and Grandmother to Katie- 7/31/09 & Kyle-12/6/12
I've heard many of the people on here say that they don't ever have a completely original idea... nearly everything they do is CASEd... or at least inspired by. I generally get inspiration from things I see on here... techniques, color combinations, etc. I recently did my first ingredients swap. THAT was a challenge... having to use someone else's list of things to use in making a card. Stretched my limits. Maybe that would help you. The other thing that I find helps me is doing NVR swaps. That way I'm free to use whatever is in my stamping room to stimulate the creativity.
__________________ RT - In-house Bunny Chaser "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap."- Dolly Parton
I would say that 10% of the time, my card ideas are completely original. The other 90% are either CASE'd or inspired by something else. I am also very critical of what I do, so usually before I judge myself too harshly, I step away from my work and judge it several hours after I have done it. Usually I feel much better about it than if I judge it immediately.
Your stuff is probably great. You are just more critical of your work then you are of others. I had a newbie come over last night so I could show her how to use her recent order. I thought the things I demoed to her we plain and blah. She was totally in awe. Give yourself some credit. I bet your stuff is FAB!
__________________ Me in my YUCKEE old Hilton room at Convention 2005. WOO HOO WOO HOO HOO
Last winter I made Christmas cards like a mad women. I didn't have to look at anything, the ideas just came to me... And I have never been able to get back there again.
I don't know why it is so hard to come up with ideas of my own, but I am sure happy this site is here. It really helps jump start my brain in the idea department.
I think some people are born more creative tho. I think I am a little too analytical to be creative. But every now and then I surprise myself.
Well, I think it's learned. I have been at it for a year now. I think I have "come into my own" in just the past 3 months or so. About the time I started making time to do it every day, I got a lot better, in my humble opinion. It comes from looking at tons of samples here....and even still I get in a rut and go back to case'ing a few things and usually that gets me going again. I do think some people are just naturally more creative than others.....I am one of the others, lol!
I know exactly how you feel. I am my own worst critic!! I never like anything I come up with, so sometimes it is just easier for me to case a favorite.
Although now that I am a demo, I feel like I have to start coming up with my own stuff. I joined my first swap, because I know it will force me to come up with something original.
My SAB stamps are being delivered today...so I better get those gears turning
__________________
*Mandy* Heading to the Southern Caribbean!!
Just earned Alaska 2/27/10!!
The Romans were famous for taking other people's ideas and recreating them (sometimes they made them better, sometimes they were pretty much a copy). That said, I always call myself a "good Roman".
No one understands what the heck I mean, but hey, that's ok. It just means that I'm good at taking other people's ideas and making them my own (except I try to give credit!).
I know how you feel, though; I often look at the creations that people submit and I think... WOW! these people are so incredibly creative! It's happening right now with the SAB sets - all of mine are sitting there, mocking me. Sometimes it's inspiring to see so many great ideas, but I have to say, sometimes it's a little depressing.
I agree that many of us are probably too critical of ourselves. The funniest thing is though, when I create some cards, the ones I like the least are the ones that get the most compliments. Strange how that works!
The other thing that I find helps me is doing NVR swaps. That way I'm free to use whatever is in my stamping room to stimulate the creativity.
what is an NVR swap? and where in sf are you? i used to live in nob hill, before i moved to ny. i'm jealous!
thanks to everyone for their insights. i don't know that i'm more critical of my work than anyone else's. i just feel like my stuff is so boring while i am so wowed by other people's artwork - so incredibly creative and truly beautiful. maybe it will rub off on me. . .
I was going to say the same thing as everyone else. I have such a hard time coming up with things. But I guess it's mostly because I am too cirtical of myself. I expect it to be something wonderful so I try too hard making it too dificult. Maybe I just need to relax.
I am a demo too. I was afraid to tell my customers about this site because I didn't want them to see where all my ideas came from. Of course, when they ask (and they always do) I tell them, "online". I was more afraid that I would have to come up with my own stuff ALL the time. But, I've started to get my own ideas that are "inspired" from others. The inspiration sheets are great too. They have opened my eyes to changing things a bit. Swapping the stamp set out, changing colors, maybe changing the sizes of things. What a no brainer. Well, at least then my creations are not totally CASE'd. And changing a few things, sometimes makes so much difference that you can't even tell the idea came from that.
Ok, I'm all hyped up on adrenaline from the goodie bag contest. I'm rambling and typing like a mad woman (as someone used that phrase). I better go chill. Better yet, go stamp something original. Actually, I'm going to go post a challenge. Go check it out. Go stamp something that is original.
__________________ Angie
Mother of three wonderful children (Brayton-17 months, Brianna- 5 & Kyle-eight) and one grown man (my DH).
Take your orginals and put them up for awhile. After a few weeks, take them out and look at them. I'll bet you will be impressed, and maybe not even remember you made them. That works for me, anyway.
Some people may be born with it; I have a brother who can draw and paint anything to look photo real. That level of talent is natural.
For the rest of us, alot can be learned from workshops, looking at the wonderful galleries here for inspiration and practice, practice, practice. I find what helps me most is to PLAY and have fun in creating. Stamping is my "art therapy". I don't always know what I want a card to look like, it develops as I go. If something doesn't look right, I'll let it sit awhile and then come back and see what more to do or what I'd do differently on the next one. I like trying lots of different techniques and there's some great websites for learning. I practice and play with cheaper paper before I use my nice stuff, that way I don't worry about wasting the more expensive paper if I goof.
~ Kathy
__________________ I love talking about nothing. It's the only thing I know anything about. ~ Oscar Wilde
I am a demo too. I was afraid to tell my customers about this site because I didn't want them to see where all my ideas came from. Of course, when they ask (and they always do) I tell them, "online".
Angie - I'm not a demo, but looking at the galleries here definitely makes me want to buy stamp sets I wouldn't have thought of using. It's a great selling tool! I found this site this summer and shared it with my demo and our group of ten regulars - they all love it!
~ Kathy
__________________ I love talking about nothing. It's the only thing I know anything about. ~ Oscar Wilde
Yeah, I've told all my customers now. They love it. Same thing.... they call or email me and ask me about something they have seen here. Then on their next order, there it is. It really is a good selling tool.
I love this place. You don't have to be born with "it" to be a good stamper when you got SCS.
__________________ Angie
Mother of three wonderful children (Brayton-17 months, Brianna- 5 & Kyle-eight) and one grown man (my DH).
Actually, if you think we all dream up great original stuff, without some failure and circular filings along the way, please rethink. Sometimes it takes a lot of experimentation before I'm satisfied with something . . .
Case in point: My experimentations with the "shabby chic" look. If you only knew how many disasters ended up in the trash and how much time I spent before I ended up with ONE I was happy with you would kiss me! It ended up in the DDD December gallery and I haven't recovered enough to try another! LOLLOLLOL!
I only post the ones I am pleased with. . .
Also, things go faster/more successful when I'm in my comfort zone and using familiar layouts/techniques, etc. Whenever I stretch beyond that, it takes time and trial to learn it.
HTH,
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
This is a suggestion if you are trying to come up with something original that has really helped me... to my total surprise!!! and excitement!!!
and some will gasp when I say it....
but... stay out of the gallery for a couple days...maybe a week or more.
If you can't stay off SCS...roam the forums.
Truth is you have so many ideas from all the cards you have seen that you might be on overload.
Then...pick a stamp set you want to work with, pick a color to start with and maybe a certain technique and let it go from there... you will hopefully be pleasantly surprised! I have!
I am like Julie...I will make and remake a card before I am totally happy. Sometimes I get so far I need to ealk away from it and I put on the "in progress" shelf. I go back and look at it every once in awhile and then something new will pop into my head and viola...it's a card. Sometimes it sits for a long time before that happens and then sometimes I just pitch the idea totally.
Another idea too...find out when your most creative. For me it's early, yes, way early in the morning...usually before any one else is up and I am fresh and I know I have some undisturbed time. If I need to make noise, I have it all layed out and ready to go for when I can make the noise.
Have fun and play around. It's exhilirating for me to complete a card. And when I love it.... look out...I dance!!!!
On my catalog labels it says, "I'm not really artistic, i just stamp that way."
I think at this point I am good, but have alot of room for improvement. I was all hyped up to be in the DD gallery-but then felt like my pieces barely compared to the work of the other women. Everyone is critical of themselves.
Playing is the best. Colors I wouldn't try I am now pulling out and doing. I bet you are better than you think!!!!!!
__________________ I want people to be afraid of how much they love me-M. Scott
I do think some people are just born more talented than others, but we can all definitely develop our skills and talents. While that developing is going on though, there's nothing wrong with CASEing! In fact, I went to a demo meeting a couple of weeks ago and the leader, who has been Demonstrator of the Year at least once, said she only comes up with about 4 original ideas a year! And another demo there, who has sat on SU's advisory board, actually gave a presentation encouraging everyone to CASE. So we should all feel free to browse the galleries and be inspired!
__________________ I am...Jessica Fierce (aka Shanaynay) I'm looking for my inner athlete, but I'm afraid I may have eaten her.
I find that I have to do several "revisions" from my original idea before I come up with something that I am willing to use. If you look at my gallery - kmjenkyns- you will see 2 of the revision of my Christmas card for this year, and it has been tweaked yet again. Keep experimenting and have fun!
It's a lot like being a musician; there are people who just have an ear and an instinctive sense of phrasing that is innate. And there are people who are good after they have spent a lot of time working at it...they learn how to have that ear and learn how to phrase the music. And of course there are people who will never get there...but there is something in common to all three: you just aren't good at playing an instrument, you might have great phrasing, but if you haven't learned to produce a good tone on the instrument, you still are going to sound like crap when you play!
It's the same in art. There are people who are born with it, others who are good after they have spent time working at it and people who just will never get there...and you have to remember that even "born with it"s won't be good at stamping until they learn how to use the tools!
Where do I fit? Somewhere between born with it and worked at it. I have one of my first cards...I keep it to show my downline and customers when they wail, "I can never be as good as you are!" I just whip it out and say, "SEE! I made this back when I started!" They always do a double-take...there is NOTHING of redeeming value about this card, it is just plain UGLY!!! And they think so too, I can see it in their faces! :lol:
Your post is surely is a big "relief"! I know how you feel when it comes to Stamping, we want it to be perfect and so "WOW". We forget though that stamping is all about "playing" so we can get our creaive juices "flowing".
So to answer your questions "yes" some of us are "born with it" and then some of us have "to work at it". I fall under the second category, but that is why "I love/join Stampin'up". Splitcoast was also a God send, they are such a great source of inspiration and they always save the day!
So relax dear friend and sooner than you know it, you will have a "masterpiece" in your hand! Time makes everything better!
I'm glad to hear so many people say they have a hard time with their own ideas..I am hopeless, and couldn't come up with my own design to save my soul. I've tried a couple times but it just doesn't work, and that's not just my own critical eye-my husband really can tell the difference between card I 'came up with' and ones I've copied. But ever since I started stamping a little over a year ago, Ive been hooked and I can't live without it. So to heck with coming up with my own ideas-that's why I have a computer and a demonstrator!
I have such a hard time copying cards -- it takes hours for me. And while not everything that I come up with on my own is a winner, I'm sure a lot happier and like them more than copying designs and ideas!
When I hear about customers wanting to copy cards, I think why on earth would you spend hours re-creating this card when you can just make a new one? Well, the truth is that they DON'T spend hours copying...I think I'm the only one that can't copy something quicker than I can make a new/different version!
Are you just born with it?
