Yesterday, my family took a trip to the American Museum of Natural History for about the gabillionth time. On a rainy Sunday, this is not the brightest idea unless you enjoy being run down by strollers, but my kids love it and I frankly couldn't think of anything better to do. This time, to mix things up a bit, we took sketch pads and a camera for art projects. That's them up top, sketching the fossil of a somethingosaurus.
I'm not much of an artist (to say the least), but I tried as well. Mine didn't turn out so great. More like a stick dinosaur with a fat head. But I'd been writing several hours per day for the past week, so using my brain in a different way was a relief. We came home, printed out our pictures, and arranged a collage that looked like we'd all dropped acid.
Fun, though. And afterwards, I had a breakthrough with one of my scenes I'm re-re-writing.
What do you do to get your brain unstuck?
11 comments:
"We came home, printed out our pictures, and arranged a collage that looked like we'd all dropped acid."
Now that sounds like a great day!
:D
Write poetry and/or take a nap.
I love the Natural History Museum. Huge.
Really nice day you had.
Taking a break and doing something else, I find, is the best way to get unstuck. For some reason, it's also the hardest thing for me to do. I feel guilty about doing it - like I should be home staring at the computer screen instead.
Wendy, that is such a cool idea. This is the type of thing your daughters will be able to look back upon fondly. I wish my parents did things like that.
Lately I unstick scenes by laying face down on my bed and thinking about it. That's seems to work. Otherwise getting up and doing something else - exercise, reading, cleaning...
I think it's all about that change of element, just going some place new or, like you did, doing something different at the same ol' place.
I love that photo! So simple, but really a good shot.
ralfast--It was!
Angie--I write poetry sometimes, too. Bad poetry. I've never been able to nap.
Jamie--It's a great museum!
Allie--Yeah, I felt guilty laving so much work behind, but it all worked out. Or, rather, is *working* out.
Melanie--I'm not generally all that creative when it comes to stuff like this. I just couldn't bear to wander around aimlessly again, looking at that huge whale. Oh! The whale! Again!
Janna--Thanks. They were really engaged in what they were sketching just then, so I thought I'd capture it.
That is such a good idea... will do it when we next go somewhere like that. I find that just getting away from home... even a walk with friends or on the beach does the job. When we stop thinking and just are...
How fun! I love taking the kids to the museum although to unstuck my brain I read, read, read.
Wendy, that is cool! I need to mix things up more. It's a wonderful way to get unstuck.
Our mother used to take me and Allen to the St. Louis Art Museum and we would do just that. Hang out and look at all the art. Then we found a cozy place and just drew. We would be there all day long just sprawled out on the floor deep in thought. I loved your picture of the girls : )
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