Photo by Deeana Garcia

At times, it can be difficult to get our creative juices flowing! That's why we asked a variety of artists how they jump-start their creativity. We were so inspired by each of their responses and are excited to share them here on the blog today! If you're feeling a little stuck in your creative process, see below for fun ways to reset and refresh.

45 Ways to Jump-Start Your Creativity

(Originally featured in The Premier Issue of In Her Studio)

1. I go into my studio everyday at 10:30 in the morning, turn on some music, light a candle, sit on the floor, and drink my coffee. Then I stand up and begin. — @ reneedesigns
2. I have my great-grandfather’s comfy old rocker in my studio, and I love to sit there and look at back issues of Belle Armoire Jewelry and Jewelry Affaire. I also go for a drive and let the beauty of the Ozarks inspire me! — @ lilrubyjewelry
3. I begin with a walk in the woods. Refreshed by pure air, birdsong, and nature’s wonders, I return to my art studio. As my dog snores, I record “nature finds” through pen and watercolors. — @ pamholladayartist
4. I look through an album of pictures of art and nature that make my heart happy. — @ chrisdiz78
5. When I have the time to really dive into work, I like to start with two blank surfaces: the “wife” and the “girlfriend,” and it’s always fun to see which one gets the most attention! — @ kristen.eghty
6. I clean up so everything is spick-and-span. I love a well-organized studio that I can play in with abandon. — @ sandra_allan
7. I set an intention, breathe in for a few minutes, turn on some music and dance, and then paint some water onto the canvas or paper to connect. Things usually start to flow. — @ hobbyparentartist
8. I love the smell of fresh coffee-stained paper in the morning! With a huge stack of glorious paper, as well as a needle and thread, I can get utterly lost in the art of binding a new book. — @ nik.thebooksmith
9. I like to have a sketch of my plan the night before. When I wake up I have coffee, do yoga, and go for a run with the dog, and then up to my cabin loft to greet the day. My mind is clear and excited to work. — @ pamelacarson
10. I limit my supplies and use materials or sizes I might not normally use. This gets me thinking outside of my rut. — @ azbellavida
11. I open the window, offer up my love and gratitude with sun salutations, and open my heart to receiving. I release the smell of mint from my potted mint plant, and then I put on a tune and lay into my charcoals on big paper with that song on repeat times three. — @ sherri_jean_mcculloch
12. I just start! Just open a few sketchbooks, a few paints, and start painting. It almost always turns into something I can use somewhere else. A pattern or color combo emerges and I use it on a canvas. — @ tracy_eauclaire
13. I make a cup of tea, light a candle, turn on my vintage radio, and look closely at the work in progress on my studio wall. I’m currently finishing the #100daysnastywomen project, which has been a series of portraits focused on empowering women. — @ veronicafunk
14. Flipping through vintage family photos and remembering warm memories. In creating my third Cool Classic Rides series, what inspires and keeps my creative juices in check is listening to wonderful memories that people share with me. Their car stories and photos keep my mojo in check! For me, art represents memories. — @ teresashippyccr
15. I take a few moments to do some yoga and just breathe. — @ lizgreigsypko
16. While coffee is brewing inside, I’m outside feeding the birds. It reminds me that like they need their food, I need my creative “food” too. No matter what ebb and flow life brings, my art is there to nourish me so I can live another day. Creation is that necessary to me. — @ kellypriceartist
17. I light my candles, prep my paintbrushes, canvases, and paints, play some country music, make a fresh pot of coffee, take a deep breath in, let it go, and begin. — @ sarahshineart
18. Words always inspire me, so I like to begin by finding a quote or poem that resonates with me in the moment. Then comes my favorite part of any art project: the gathering! I love to sift through my stash of vintage papers and old books, and choose the bits and pieces that make my heart sing. It’s such a joyful process turning pieces of the past into collages or handmade journals. — @ artfullyvintage
19. My best tool to date has been to jump in with no game plan: to work big with a lot of color and marks, and then break it down into smaller compositions that pique my interest. This exercise helps me to spew it all out on paper and then get down to business. — @ juliehamiltoncreative
20. I take a long walk on the beach, listening to the birds sing and the waves crash on shore. This always clears my head so when I get home I seem to have found my mojo. — @ kimmersjw
21. I go over my Art Journaling collection for inspiration (not lying!). — @ artfulshelley
22. I like to keep the brown craft paper on my worktable as long as possible between projects because I usually have notes written all over it that serve as inspiration. — @ 1imgirl
23. I’m most inspired after thumbing through a favorite magazine because it makes me want to put some color on a piece of paper or glue strips of scrap paper to a canvas. When I see what others are lovingly putting together to share with the world, pouring their hearts out and showing their love of art in their own way, I am inspired to get up, put on my big girl pants, and do something that makes me happy. It may not always be a masterpiece, but it always takes me to another place, away from the daily turmoil, and, on most occasions, just makes me smile. — @ lindamcain
24. My daughter, Sunshine, inspires me to create. Usually she’ll want to do something creative as well with me. — @ jackie.joice
25. I often paint simple backdrops and then turn on some fantastic music, open my sketchbook, and look at the backdrops to see which speaks to me. Some days it’s quiet while others are loud. — @ claudiawrightson
26. I begin by asking myself what it is I want to let go of, and then I meditate on that. When I feel ready, I release it onto a canvas. — @ thecraftycutie
27. Stillness comes before creativity. I begin with the practice of gratitude, allowing myself time for meditation through an elaborate doodle process: a combination of writing words and intentions, and abstract nature sketches. Some days it’s easy but often I push through the reality that life has big challenges. It’s my creative spirit that finds the balance and from there I set up a couple canvases, choose my color palette, and allow the movement of my painting process to unfold. — @ carynlynn
28. Sometimes reorganizing books, paints, paintbrushes, fabric, or thread is the start of getting motivated. Then I flip through books or search the web for a color combination or beautiful photos of faraway places that make my imagination go wild. Sometimes just having the window open and hearing the birds chirping in the morning or the crickets late at night makes for a nice start for creating. — @ annita808
29. I clean my studio, trim my plants, and put on an audiobook. — @ mannmcreations
30. I am energized by my hikes into the Adirondack woods. I gather moss, lichen, stones, and driftwood. A really fun piece of wood could end up in anything from collage to jewelry. I am surrounded by God’s gifts for us to create with! — @ long_lake_native
31. I always go with a blind continuous line drawing when I need some creative oomph. — @ laurenoneillart
32. I leaf through boxes of family ephemera that I keep in my studio. Sometimes a random snapshot will find its way into my work or a random note scrawled to an unknown recipient becomes the basis for an invented back-story. This is how each piece of my narrative jewelry begins. — @ tkiplinger
33. I give myself time to tidy up, daydream, and move things around. I find touching some of my favorite things helps open the door to creativity. — @ gerryburklow
34. Tidying up my craft room. I often find something I had forgotten about. I think about what inspired me to purchase it, and suddenly I am working on a project. — @ lesley11871
35. I love to work mostly at night. When the rest of the world is busy dreaming, I paint my dreams in the silence, listening to the sounds of my brushstrokes. — @ roshinicrafts
36. I start each day by writing at least three pages in my journal, which are stream of consciousness. Then I end the entry with three things I hope to achieve that day and three affirmations. This process helps give clarity to my day and any project I am working on. — @ dmeiclark
37. I have a three-step approach: honoring physical space, which can be as simple as cleaning my palette or tidying up my worktable; honoring mental space, which means I turn off social media just to quiet the outside world in order to listen to my own creative path; and honoring emotional space, because art heals me when I show up. — @ ginaleekim
38. Taking part in challenges pushes me out of my comfort zone and forces me to produce something on a daily basis. — @ taniaahmed
39. I pamper myself: I shower, dress cute, make sure I have a manicure and pedicure, and put on my lipstick. My mother, who sewed, always said if you don’t feel beautiful, it will show in your work. — @ branumcarol
40. I love to start with journaling, sometimes just writing an affirmation or a mantra over and over again, covering the whole surface. Just like that, no more blank canvas! Plus, it creates interesting texture and infuses a beautiful energy into the work. —@ lalymille
41. I usually jump-start my creativity by saying an affirmation. Then I start with a simple 10-minute art journal page to get my creativity flowing. — @ shemidixon
42. I live and work out of a semi-truck in North Dakota, so all it takes is for the wheels to stop turning. — @ bernadine_nel
43. With three busy teenagers and a demanding job, I don’t have time to prepare to get creative. I just jump right into whatever is sitting on my desk, which is usually enough motivation and inspiration to let my mind wander on a page or a canvas and see what happens. — @ thetarnishedspoon
44. As a full-time caregiver to my adult son, I am confined to my house for long lengths of time. I go to the flea market during warm weather and just bask in the sun. I walk around in quiet, listening to my music and visually appraise my surroundings. Sometimes I am looking for something specific, while other times I let my creative side take over as I evaluate the potential in items for art or just get inspired by what I see and feel. — Kecia Frazee Deveney
45. In my experience, the only way to get inspired to get to work. I do a little exercise to get the juices flowing by allowing myself a maximum of 20 minutes to design and make a piece of jewelry. The quick pace keeps me intuitive and unattached to the final result. - @ versostudio

For more inspiration, be sure to pick up the latest issue of In Her Studio available on newsstands November 1st!