Sunday, July 10, 2011

Expand Your Creativity with This Simple Tool--and the Jane Austen Book Goes to...

I asked Sue Grafton what she was going to do when she got to the end of the alphabet. As most of you know, she's famous for her A Is For Alibi,etc., mystery series. She said, "I just hope I can make it to the end of the alphabet. It gets harder and harder to come up with new ideas and I don't want to repeat myself."

All of us creative types get stuck in ruts. Scrapbookers use the same color combinations over and over. Stampers use the same inks. Authors create characters with the same or similar personalities, physical characteristics, or backgrounds. And those who love to Zentangle use the same patterns over and over. So my Zentangle teacher came up with a brilliant idea. She created a icosahedron, a twenty-faced "polyhedron" that can be rolled like a die. On each of the faces, she put a different "tangle," or Zentangle design. Now when she gets stumped or can't decide what to draw, she simply rolls her die.

I loved the idea so much that I made a pair of dice for myself with Zentangle designs on all the sides. In fact, I think the idea is so cool and creative that I plan to make a pair or more of dice with character traits. One might have physical characteristics. One might have backgrounds--ethnic, social, religious. One might have professions, and so on.

That's another reason I love crafting. Once your creative juices start flowing, you never know what ideas will come!


Want to make your own icosahedron? Here's a pattern.

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JANE AND THE MADNESS OF LORD BYRON

Our winner of this copy of Stephanie Barron's newest book is Liz V. Liz, if you'll email me at joannaslan@aol.com with your details, we'll get the book right out to you.

9 comments:

Charmaine Clancy said...

They are so cute! The kids at school love these designs so I might introduce this craft to our art teachers :)

Liz V. said...

I am so excited. Emailing info to you immediately. Thank you.

Rebecca said...

I have a set of small cards like Artist's Trading cards that we started in a creativity workshop with " or "mirror" or "add red" or "swirl" to break a logjam while working on a piece.
Becky Preston
Rebecca955@aol.com

Joanna Campbell Slan said...

I admit, I'm hooked! I started yet another one this morning and finished #3 last night. I love Zentangle--and these polyhedrons make it so easy to see and recall tangles.

And Liz? Enjoy!

Joanna Campbell Slan said...

Becky, I have a set of cards like that for brainstorming. The "character" icosahedron would work similarly.

Debra Key Newhouse said...

I love this idea! I want to make one and bookmarked the page. Have to look through my stash. It will probably come out as a crazy quilt lol My creative mind seems to be stuck and I keep thinking of the same scenarios over and over. In other words, my brain not only has flotsam and jetsam going on, it has one heck of a logjam.

Joanna Campbell Slan said...

I believe flotsam and jetsam are preludes to greatness. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Betty Hechtman said...

I bought a book on Zentangles at the Hobby and Craft Show a year or so ago. You've inspired me to find it.

Joanna Campbell Slan said...

Betty, it's my new obsession. You'll love it!