Visual Aids - Making My Own
Do you ever have a flash of creativity that takes over your entire being?
I do, sometimes. Now, unfortunately, these flashes do not come to me often or in a predictable schedule, but I have learned to take advantage of those flashes when I can!
Recently I have been in a creative slump. I get these every once in a while and have learned that there are just times when I will not have any new ideas. I have, however, also learned some techniques to spark some creativity in my life. I try these techniques, and they work for me.
Today, I am trying the tried and true method of looking through all of my previous notes about Therapeutic Music Experiences (what I call what I do with my clients in therapy sessions). From now on, I will refer to these things as TMEs. I have learned the hard way that an idea comes and goes. Many of the best songs I have ever composed have been improvised in front of a group of clients. As they have been occurring, I think, "Wow, this is a GREAT song. I really need to remember it." Then, I get involved in the session again and the song just dissolves. Since I have lost so many things to the fog of my brain, I now write down every idea as it occurs to me. All of the ideas go into some filing cabinets that I have dedicated to creativity. I occasionally go through those half-formed ideas to see if I can develop them.
I have a half-colored pumpkin visual that I have had in my folder for three years. The visual has a pumpkin and facial features to use to put together.
It goes along with song/chant that will promote emotional expression (hope-fully) in my clients. We will arrange the facial parts to reflect our own moods. Now, this idea has sat in one of my notebooks for 2 1/2 years, half-colored and not quite ready. Now is the time to finish it!
I do, sometimes. Now, unfortunately, these flashes do not come to me often or in a predictable schedule, but I have learned to take advantage of those flashes when I can!
Recently I have been in a creative slump. I get these every once in a while and have learned that there are just times when I will not have any new ideas. I have, however, also learned some techniques to spark some creativity in my life. I try these techniques, and they work for me.
Today, I am trying the tried and true method of looking through all of my previous notes about Therapeutic Music Experiences (what I call what I do with my clients in therapy sessions). From now on, I will refer to these things as TMEs. I have learned the hard way that an idea comes and goes. Many of the best songs I have ever composed have been improvised in front of a group of clients. As they have been occurring, I think, "Wow, this is a GREAT song. I really need to remember it." Then, I get involved in the session again and the song just dissolves. Since I have lost so many things to the fog of my brain, I now write down every idea as it occurs to me. All of the ideas go into some filing cabinets that I have dedicated to creativity. I occasionally go through those half-formed ideas to see if I can develop them.
It goes along with song/chant that will promote emotional expression (hope-fully) in my clients. We will arrange the facial parts to reflect our own moods. Now, this idea has sat in one of my notebooks for 2 1/2 years, half-colored and not quite ready. Now is the time to finish it!
I have several rules for visual aids. First, if I ever intend on selling it or handing it out to others, the art has to be my intellectual property or creative effort. I drew this pumpkin all by myself!
Second, all visuals have to be able to be reproduced using the technology that I have available to me. So, my pictures have to be less than 8 1/2 X 11 inches so I can scan them.
Lastly, they have to be easily laminated. This means no crayons (they melt when heated), and no markers (I don't like the streaks). This is also part of the reason for the size requirements.
I will finish this visual aid this evening before I go to sleep. I need to color it, scan it, cut it out, and put it into a file folder ready to be laminated. While I do this, I will brainstorm other things I can do with the visual aid. Due to my space constraints, I have made myself a rule that all visuals stored in my room MUST have at least 6 TMEs associated with it in order to stay in the room.
I will post a picture of the completed project when I finish it.
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