Unlocking Creativity: Using Your Creative Practice to Explore Flow State

In the art world and creative practices, achieving a flow state can transform both the artist's experience and the final creation. In my experience it also affects the other people in the room.  

Understanding the Flow State

Often described as being "in the zone," a flow state is a mental state where an individual becomes fully immersed and engaged in an activity, resulting in heightened creativity and productivity. People that experience flow state often describe an out of body experience, watching as if from above. For artists, this state can lead to breathtaking works of art and a deeply fulfilling artistic journey.

The concept of flow was popularized by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who described it as a state where people are completely absorbed in an activity, experiencing a sense of clarity, focus, and enjoyment in the process. Time seems to fly by, and distractions fade away. For me, even physical discomforts vanish from my body and I feel like I am in a perfect state. For artists, entering the flow can feel like a seamless dance between their thoughts, emotions, and physical actions, allowing creativity to blossom freely. This is where I experience my own divinity, or maybe it’s closer to experiencing non-existence- but in a good way, you know?

The Unique Nature of Watercolor

Watercolor painting in particular lends itself to the flow state because of its fluid and reportedly unpredictable nature. Painting with watercolor, for me, is as much about the experience as the outcome, sometimes even more than the outcome. Here’s the thing I’ve discovered about watercolor. With practice we can predict the likely outcome of our actions with the medium. We learn what happens when our paint is thin or thick, meaning it has more or less water in the mixture. We understand what happens when we touch wet paint to other areas that are still damp or drying. We know what it looks like when we layer one wash of color over another dried wash of color. The transparent washes and soft blending encourage spontaneity, while the unpredictable interactions of water and pigment compel the artist to be responsive and adaptable.

The medium requires a delicate balance between control and letting go. The nature of watercolor is fluid. My favorite thing about painting in watercolor is watching it work it’s magic- swirling pigments in water on the pressed paper, hues mixing to make different variations and gradients of colors. People say that watercolor is hard. That’s only because they aren’t letting go and watching it’s magic. They are trying to be the boss of watercolor. That’s like being the boss of incense smoke curling up in the air. Watercolor is the boss of watercolor. We are the guests in watercolor’s house.

How to Achieve Flow in Watercolor Painting

1. Preparation and Environment: Set up a dedicated, comfortable, and distraction-free space for painting. Gather all necessary materials and ensure they're within easy reach. Consider ambient factors such as lighting and music that can foster concentration.

2. Set the Tone with Sound: I like to listen to instrumental music during my creative practice. It’s helpful to choose music that doesn’t engage my left brain. Music with lyrics can engage the left brain and hinder flow state. Another great option is to create while listening to binaural beats. Binaural beats is listened to in stereo headphones or earpods. Two different frequencies play in your different ears and the brain tries to make sense of it by aligning with the frequency that is the difference between the two. This can help to promote focus and flow state. Check out the links to the right for more information on this.

3. Find Your Rhythm: Every artist's path to flow is unique. Engaging in brief warm-up sketches or exercises to enter the creative mindset is one of my fastest ways of leaving the left brain behind and moving straight into creativity. Others may begin by visualizing their intended composition or gently meditating to clear their mind.

4. Focus on the Process: Embrace the journey rather than fixating on the outcome. Allow yourself to make “mistakes” and view them as learning opportunities. The unpredictability of watercolor should be seen as an ally in creativity, not a deterrent.

5. Balance Challenge and Skill: The flow state is best achieved when there's a balance between the challenge of the task and the artist's skill level. If a task feels too difficult, break it into manageable parts. If it's too easy, introduce complexity to maintain engagement. In flow state, our brains easily solve problems without our contemplation. You know when you just know? It’s like that- but without thinking about wheather you know or not.

6. Then just let go. Stay Present: Practice mindfulness by focusing on being the observer of the bleeding pigment, brushstrokes, and textures as they unfold. Being fully present helps deepen involvement and heighten the sense of flow.

Benefits of the Flow State in Art

Experiencing flow in your artistic practice can lead to numerous benefits:

🔸Enhanced Creativity: The uninhibited space of the flow state invites innovative ideas and experimental approaches.

🔸Removal of physical ailments: Feeling as if you are in a perfect state.

🔸Increased Satisfaction: Creating art in the flow state can lead to greater personal fulfillment and a deeper connection with your work.

🔸Improved Skills: Regularly accessing flow can lead to faster improvement in technical skills due to the intense focus and practice.

🔸Reduced Stress: The meditative aspect of flow can help decrease anxiety and stress, offering a mental escape and fostering overall well-being.

For watercolor artists, tapping into the flow state can be a transformative and enriching experience. Embrace the fluidity and imperfections of watercolor, and allow yourself to be swept away by the creative currents.

As you practice and refine your ability to enter the flow state, you'll uncover new depths of inspiration and produce artwork that captures the essence of your subject and reflects the joy and freedom of creation.

I have a great post on my social media platforms where I explain what flow state looks like for me. Click HERE to see more. Click HERE to join my community for all things art and inspiration.

Finally, click HERE if you’d like me to send you my “10 Easy Ways to Slide into Flow” cheat sheet.