During lockdown, I saw many people turn to creativity to help pass the time using art as therapy at a time of great anxiety and a rise in people generating income through the artists' pledge whereby artists would sell work and use some of their income to purchase work from another artist. Now that the majority of us have returned to work that creative time may have been put on the back burner as we juggle our work commutes, school runs and other commitments. However, if you have decided to commit to a creative hobby or start up a creative business I can show you how it can be done with a small space and a small budget. A studio space doesn’t have to be a large space or a rented space in an artist hub, a small space at home such as a small nook, spare bedroom, corner of the lounge with a caddy for supplies can be just as great to get creative in, the option to move to something bigger will always be there if you need the space to grow. My own creative spaces have changed a lot over the years working from a spare bedroom in rented accommodation, on the kitchen table then moving to a tiny computer desk in the bedroom although I remember yearning for more space as my work started to grow. I won a residency in a studio for a year and then moved my materials back home to a larger table in the bedroom. I moved house 3 years ago where I now have my studio space in a conservatory. Working from home is much better for me right now than commuting to a studio around work and the school run. What about setting up the studio space though? I recently made a short video tour which I uploaded to my IGTV on Instagram of my current space; I say current as it’s always changing and I have been looking at moving house again and having a (well insulated) summerhouse as a studio…or small shed. As we head towards winter and it’s too cold to head into the studio I will often work at my coffee table which doubles as a storage chest which is an option if space is tight. Pinterest is my favourite site for finding inspiration when it comes to creativity and I have created 2 studio spaces boards if you need some help. One is called Small studio spaces which you can find HERE and Studio spaces inspiration which has some images of bigger spaces indoors and outdoors including those of textile workers and illustrators which you can find HERE Furniture Second-hand furniture is ideal for studios especially if you are working with messy materials. I bought a large Ikea trestle table from a friend which replaced the cheap computer table, it was great for a while but I sold it before moving house assuming I wouldn’t have space for it. I bought a sturdy easel to save on space and I was then given a table for free. I’ve had a couple of free chairs for the studio too, always a favourite for the cat. Have a look on websites and charity shops for suitable furniture. Storage Materials and work will eventually start to build up as you continue your practice so storage is important wherever you set up but it has to work for your space. I started off keeping my paints in my old baby box that I used for bath time until the top kept breaking so I bought a set of plastic drawers that fit perfectly under my table. I can separate my oils from acrylics and keep drawing materials separate from both and it only cost £12! I store my older work in plastic lidded storage boxes in the wardrobe and canvases and frames to be used are in old toy boxes that my children no longer use. My sketchbooks are kept on a cheap Argos bookshelf but my art books I keep in the lounge where they’re less likely to become sun damaged as my conservatory is a sun trap. Cork memo boards are great for keeping ideas, lists and images of inspiration nearby and they can be painted to match your décor. Supplies
Buying materials can be expensive when you look around some art shops but some high street shops sell materials ideal for beginners or students. Don’t purge on expensive materials before finding out what works for you. DIY store paint tester pots are my favourite for making backgrounds and they’re cheap. If you’re a mixed media artist wallpaper samples are great for adding texture. When I did a lot of textile work at university I used scraps of fabric to test out ideas and some of those test pieces turned out to be my favourite pieces. I used offcuts of old clothes to stitch on and cheap bedsheets for printmaking. I sold all my old broken jewellery and used the money to buy a sewing machine. Jam jars and old mugs are great for studios, ideal for washing brushes in and storing dry brushes and pens and other creative utensils. Shoe boxes are great for collecting ephemera, magazines, collage papers and small paper works. Organising whatever space you have will keep it tidy and find materials easier when inspiration strikes.
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