Unleashing Your Creative Potential: The Power of Unconscious Drawing

Have you ever experienced the magic of unconscious drawing?

It’s a powerful tool that can unlock new levels of creativity and unleash your full potential as an artist. I mean it. These drawings took about two hours to execute, and it’s a great reminder of how immediate and powerful drawing can be. In this case, I didn’t have a plan, idea, or concept to work from. I simply wanted to draw, and my focus was on the subject and the act of drawing itself. And, wallah, characters and fun! Sometimes, we have to get out of our own way and let our unconscious express itself. More often than not, it’s the unconscious that’s trying to get our attention, but we dismiss or second-guess it.

Reflection on these drawings has induced an old series of memories. For years, I fought a love-hate relationship of being perceived as an “illustrator,” especially back when I was in undergraduate college. At the time, I was younger and insecure, and the “competition” seemed intense. I confused infinite creativity as competition, but now I know better. Perceived titles are little boxes we create for ourselves. We can hang out in them for a while and learn something or linger there forever, thinking the outside world has held us in there. These unconscious drawings tell me that I still want to work from my imagination more often. I’m repressing desires, unexplored content, and subject matter. I’m going to let go of my familiar rules when contemplating a body of new works. I seem to have a desire to create more fictional characters, compose them into situations, and also revisit some of my old techniques. I’m excited and grateful to be a part of the process.

As an artist, I love the simplicity and complexity of all forms, and how they never die, only transform themselves into more. We get to participate in the “more” part, but only if we are aware of it. The forms can simplify so much that they may de-familiarize and desensitize us to their existence. The context of the content grabs our attention as our energies and thoughts solidify into ideas. These are creative ideas, ideas worth taking action on because they are expressive. When you see something that causes you to stop, and your world then stands still, acknowledge this as an awareness of creative importance. If you do that, I promise that you will have more of these eureka moments. It does take some practice, but that practice with awareness will lead to ideas, creative ideas that will force you to take action. Something tangible will come out of that. Share your results here if you would like to.

Drawing from your unconscious can unlock new levels of creativity and unleash your full potential as an artist. Letting go of your familiar rules and getting out of your own way can lead to new ideas and experiences. Remember, perceived titles are little boxes we create for ourselves, so don’t limit yourself by them. Instead, focus on the power of creative expression and the possibilities it can bring.