Leslie Kavanaugh Art
                     Leslie 
Kavanaugh: 
How to 
Unlock Your 
Hidden 
Creative Art
Lesl0ie Kavanaugh 
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recommends the following 
four techniques to all artists 
in ne0ed of a creative boost:
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Have an Art-Related 
Idea Journal
Carry a spiral notebook with you at all 
times to record ideas, sketches, and 
references for later use. It's similar to 
keeping an art diary, but it's only for 
your eyes so that you can record 
everything.
It is referred to as a "swipe file" by 
writers. It does not imply that you 
should plagiarise what you find—that 
would be ethically wrong and 
unoriginal! But, whether we admit it or 
not, we're all inspired by what is 
around us and what has come before 
us.
Create a Bulletin Board for 
Art Ideas
Many artists have a similar board 
in their studio for art ideas.
Post anything that comes to mind, 
pictures, quotes, ads—whatever 
comes to mind or catches your 
eye. You never know what these 
artifacts will produce.
Construct an Idea Treasure 
Chest
Collect images from magazine 
covers, quotes, postcards, 
and other sources. It can be 
anything that inspires future 
work and keep them in an 
easily accessible location.
It's an incredible feeling to 
open your treasure trove of 
ideas and reinvent things 
that once inspired or excited 
you. Maybe you were not 
ready for them when you 
discovered them and placed 
them in the box, but you 
might be prepared for one 
or more of the suggestions 
now.
Pay Attention to Your Energy 
Levels
Do your most important art projects or 
art marketing tasks when you are at 
your most creative. Keep the more 
mundane tasks for when your creative 
tank is running low.
It is sometimes necessary to take a 
complete break from art to allow new 
ideas to germinate. Try not to compel 
creativity. Accept the lull. It's usually a 
reasonable incubation period, and ideas 
will emerge later. The tank will be 
refilled.
Artists have varying periods and 
stages of the day when they can 
produce high-quality work. 
Recognize and respect your 
rhythms. When the "inner bell" 
rings, it's time to move on to 
something else that requires less 
energy.
Hopefully, some of the techniques 
suggested above by Leslie Kavanaugh 
to drive creativity in your art have 
already struck a chord with you. If 
not, we encourage you to give one or 
two a shot. More creativity is always a 
plus, no matter where it comes from.