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Conscious Creativity: Look, Connect, Create
“Full of tips and tricks on how to look at the world with a curious eye, it’s a brilliant way to breathe creativity (back) into our lives.” – Flow magazine
“Crammed with practical ideas, inspirational images & creative exercises, Conscious Creativity leads the reader through the process of establishing what kind of creative you are...” – Mslexia
“The purpose of this book is to enable you to look at things in an alternative and more substantial way, so that you arrive at composition through genuine interest.” – Juno magazine
“Philippa Stanton is passionate about people connecting to their innate creativity and has distilled these incredible techniques and ideas on how we can tap into that. Philippa is a massively successful Instagramer at @5ftinf and yet she is only too aware how these little two dimensional squares can limit our experiences and restrict our creativity, so it’s not without a little irony that she’s written a book to encourage people to step away from their screens and connect more with the 3D world. It’s a fascinating subject and I wholeheartedly recommend the book for anyone who’s working in the creative industry or is curious about the world around them.” – Sophie Robinson (DIY SOS, The Great British Interior Design Challenge, This Morning)
Unlock your creative potential with Conscious Creativity : a practical, playful guide bursting with inspiration to help bring more colour into to your life.
There is creativity in all of us, but it can easily be buried beneath our everyday concerns or need a spark to bring it back to life. Whether you’ve lost your mojo or just need some fresh ideas, artist and photographer Philippa Stanton’s lively guide will stimulate your imagination and reinvigorate your creative life .
Engage your curiosity and connect your observations to your creative practice with activities such Conscious Creativity will help you open your senses to the beauty you may not notice every day , and show you how to capture it. Simple, engaging exercises that encourage observation and experimentation will give you an insight into your own aesthetics as you take a conscious step to note the colours, shapes, shadows, sounds and textures that fill your world, and how they make you feel.
Bursting with practical ideas and inspirational images, embrace the joy of creating, and learn to use your natural curiosity to take a leap into the most creative time of your life.
If you like this, you might also like Creative Flow and Nature Tonic .
“Crammed with practical ideas, inspirational images & creative exercises, Conscious Creativity leads the reader through the process of establishing what kind of creative you are...” – Mslexia
“The purpose of this book is to enable you to look at things in an alternative and more substantial way, so that you arrive at composition through genuine interest.” – Juno magazine
“Philippa Stanton is passionate about people connecting to their innate creativity and has distilled these incredible techniques and ideas on how we can tap into that. Philippa is a massively successful Instagramer at @5ftinf and yet she is only too aware how these little two dimensional squares can limit our experiences and restrict our creativity, so it’s not without a little irony that she’s written a book to encourage people to step away from their screens and connect more with the 3D world. It’s a fascinating subject and I wholeheartedly recommend the book for anyone who’s working in the creative industry or is curious about the world around them.” – Sophie Robinson (DIY SOS, The Great British Interior Design Challenge, This Morning)
Unlock your creative potential with Conscious Creativity : a practical, playful guide bursting with inspiration to help bring more colour into to your life.
There is creativity in all of us, but it can easily be buried beneath our everyday concerns or need a spark to bring it back to life. Whether you’ve lost your mojo or just need some fresh ideas, artist and photographer Philippa Stanton’s lively guide will stimulate your imagination and reinvigorate your creative life .
Engage your curiosity and connect your observations to your creative practice with activities such Conscious Creativity will help you open your senses to the beauty you may not notice every day , and show you how to capture it. Simple, engaging exercises that encourage observation and experimentation will give you an insight into your own aesthetics as you take a conscious step to note the colours, shapes, shadows, sounds and textures that fill your world, and how they make you feel.
Bursting with practical ideas and inspirational images, embrace the joy of creating, and learn to use your natural curiosity to take a leap into the most creative time of your life.
If you like this, you might also like Creative Flow and Nature Tonic .
160 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2019
588 people are currently reading
814 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
November 15, 2018
Do you think of yourself as a creative person? Yes? That's great, congratulations. But that means that this book isn't meant for you.
This book is targeted at people who have a hard time finding their creative strength, its focus is on finding a way to channel the idea you have, and getting it from to a finished result. Mrs. Stanton suggests that through observation of the world around you and learning to find the beauty in the ordinary things, you can find inspiration for the drive you feel, a fairly interesting theory on its own. Through exercises, she wants to take the fear you feel about being creative away from you.
Mrs. Stanton's writing is easy to consume and understand, her point is never lost and the text keeps your attention all the way through. The photography it's accompanied by is beautiful, highlighting her point in the best way possible.
I found the book interesting, engaging, and quite helpful. I think it's great for people who don't think of themselves as creative souls as it does it's best to convince you otherwise. I recommend it.
*Copy received through NetGalley
*Rating: 5/5 stars
This book is targeted at people who have a hard time finding their creative strength, its focus is on finding a way to channel the idea you have, and getting it from to a finished result. Mrs. Stanton suggests that through observation of the world around you and learning to find the beauty in the ordinary things, you can find inspiration for the drive you feel, a fairly interesting theory on its own. Through exercises, she wants to take the fear you feel about being creative away from you.
Mrs. Stanton's writing is easy to consume and understand, her point is never lost and the text keeps your attention all the way through. The photography it's accompanied by is beautiful, highlighting her point in the best way possible.
I found the book interesting, engaging, and quite helpful. I think it's great for people who don't think of themselves as creative souls as it does it's best to convince you otherwise. I recommend it.
*Copy received through NetGalley
*Rating: 5/5 stars
September 26, 2019
OK. Pretty pictures, nicely written prose on how to look at the everyday world more precisely. Nothing can truly teach HOW to be creative, but we can learn to recognize beauty and quirk and repetition.
Personally, I feel creativity is in all of us. However, with big box "art" stores around every corner, we associate "being creative" with production of great and meaningful art, music, photography, dance, theater - fine and performing arts. It's not only that.
I cannot review this book page by page, as many do, for it does a disservice to both the author and potential readers. What I can say is simply this: Do what you do the way you do it: You're creative. No amount of someone else's creativity is going to help you find yours. Put down the How To books, unless they are truly lesson and learning oriented (i.e. watercolor learning or carpentry plans or a cookbook or sewing pattern).
While this book is quite visually pleasing, it holds very little in the way of guidance. More, it is about the author's love of color and play. Which, by the way, is different for everyone so, please, do not try to be someone else. Write your own manual on what you find appealing. You'll be happier.
Personally, I feel creativity is in all of us. However, with big box "art" stores around every corner, we associate "being creative" with production of great and meaningful art, music, photography, dance, theater - fine and performing arts. It's not only that.
I cannot review this book page by page, as many do, for it does a disservice to both the author and potential readers. What I can say is simply this: Do what you do the way you do it: You're creative. No amount of someone else's creativity is going to help you find yours. Put down the How To books, unless they are truly lesson and learning oriented (i.e. watercolor learning or carpentry plans or a cookbook or sewing pattern).
While this book is quite visually pleasing, it holds very little in the way of guidance. More, it is about the author's love of color and play. Which, by the way, is different for everyone so, please, do not try to be someone else. Write your own manual on what you find appealing. You'll be happier.
December 30, 2018
This is a lively book.
Truly inspiring for any artist.
I really enjoyed the photography throughout the book.
Conscious creativity offers s unique opportunity to explore different perspectives around you, and encourages boundaries to be pushed .
I enjoyed the daily practices, and particularly enjoyed the colour section.
The abstract section was especially interesting to me as an abstract painter .
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Truly inspiring for any artist.
I really enjoyed the photography throughout the book.
Conscious creativity offers s unique opportunity to explore different perspectives around you, and encourages boundaries to be pushed .
I enjoyed the daily practices, and particularly enjoyed the colour section.
The abstract section was especially interesting to me as an abstract painter .
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 9, 2021
I loved this book! It came when I needed it most in my life. Philippa inspired me to find beauty in everyday things and to start creating. This quote at the end of the book summarizes it best for me:
"Though we pursue an economic value in life, it is in admiring beauty and creating things that we enrich the ground of our mind." - Senei Ikenobo
"Though we pursue an economic value in life, it is in admiring beauty and creating things that we enrich the ground of our mind." - Senei Ikenobo
December 1, 2018
I received a copy of Conscious Creativity through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Conscious Creativity was such an interesting read. I feel like that statement doesn’t say enough though, so let me clarify further. I feel like I’ve been in a creative rut lately. Between stuff going on in my life, and being so hyper focused on getting Christmas gifts made in time…I feel like I haven’t been giving myself enough time to other creative outlets. This book helped spark that little fire I had let go out, and that means the world to me.
I love that this book was more focused on making you think than trying to make you sit down and do something at that moment. I think the identity of the artist is very important, but sometimes we get so wrapped up in everything else that we forget that. Forcing us to stop, think, and decide what sort of art and style we want to create? It’s priceless.
That’s not to say that there aren’t suggest art projects in this book – there are. I just felt less pressure about it. It’s clear that the projects themselves were designed to help us formulate our style and way of thinking when being creative, as opposed to being focused on the end result.
There are twelve chapters in total here, going from trying to analyze the type of creative in the reader, and eventually making its way to giving advice on continuing projects. In between those it covers all sorts of art basics, from how to look at art to how to understand the elements behind it all. It was extremely comprehensive.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Conscious Creativity was such an interesting read. I feel like that statement doesn’t say enough though, so let me clarify further. I feel like I’ve been in a creative rut lately. Between stuff going on in my life, and being so hyper focused on getting Christmas gifts made in time…I feel like I haven’t been giving myself enough time to other creative outlets. This book helped spark that little fire I had let go out, and that means the world to me.
I love that this book was more focused on making you think than trying to make you sit down and do something at that moment. I think the identity of the artist is very important, but sometimes we get so wrapped up in everything else that we forget that. Forcing us to stop, think, and decide what sort of art and style we want to create? It’s priceless.
That’s not to say that there aren’t suggest art projects in this book – there are. I just felt less pressure about it. It’s clear that the projects themselves were designed to help us formulate our style and way of thinking when being creative, as opposed to being focused on the end result.
There are twelve chapters in total here, going from trying to analyze the type of creative in the reader, and eventually making its way to giving advice on continuing projects. In between those it covers all sorts of art basics, from how to look at art to how to understand the elements behind it all. It was extremely comprehensive.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
October 19, 2020
In the past few years, I have realized that I am not a creative person. To imagine something different, out of the box isn't my thing. Many times I felt embarrassed about myself for not utilizing the knowledge that I have into making or creating something which would serve a greater purpose. I always thought that creativity is inborn ability. It cannot be taught or trained until I found this book.
I must admit that I found this book in an unusual place which I cannot say. Out of curiosity I started reading this book and by the end of it I was sure that I'd be creative. At least a little more than what I am right now. This is one book which may help you unlock your creative locks if you follow it the right way.. There is no doubt that I will be reading this book again next year or earlier if I fail to achieve creativity. Written in simple language and supported by beautiful pictures, you'd gain something new at the end of it. Highly recommended.
I must admit that I found this book in an unusual place which I cannot say. Out of curiosity I started reading this book and by the end of it I was sure that I'd be creative. At least a little more than what I am right now. This is one book which may help you unlock your creative locks if you follow it the right way.. There is no doubt that I will be reading this book again next year or earlier if I fail to achieve creativity. Written in simple language and supported by beautiful pictures, you'd gain something new at the end of it. Highly recommended.
November 13, 2018
This book was not what I supposed it should have been, but it was so much better! The mindfulness through your creativity, that doesn't need to be particularly crafty of able to paint but it is a force that you just have to let flow so it may bring you to free your spirit. I liked the words of the author and the illustrations so much, that I am going to recommend this book to a lot of person, there is such a need of finding the beauty in the little things n this big scary world!
Questo libro non era come l'avevo immaginato, era molto meglio! Il processo di Mindfulness attraverso la creativitá, che non deve per forza essere solo di chi sa disegnare o cucire, ma é una forza che basta lasciar fluire in modo da liberare la nostra capacitá di vedere il bello in tutte le piccole cose, che é ció di cui credo ci sia un gran bisogno attualmente. Inoltre le foto sono bellissime e anche le parole dell'autrice che le accompagnano.
THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!
Questo libro non era come l'avevo immaginato, era molto meglio! Il processo di Mindfulness attraverso la creativitá, che non deve per forza essere solo di chi sa disegnare o cucire, ma é una forza che basta lasciar fluire in modo da liberare la nostra capacitá di vedere il bello in tutte le piccole cose, che é ció di cui credo ci sia un gran bisogno attualmente. Inoltre le foto sono bellissime e anche le parole dell'autrice che le accompagnano.
THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!
December 31, 2018
Thank you Quatro Publishing - Leaping Hare Press and Netgalley for an ARC in return of my honest review.
This beautiful book is so much more than a book to inspire creativity. The author has Synaesthesia Which I am sure positively enhances the way she encourages consciousness to enter everyday creativity. There are so many beautiful photographs throughout the book. I love colour so all the photographs of similarily arranged hues won me over. There are questions and projects to entice the reader as well as good information, especially the chapter on overcoming creative obstacles.
A gorgeous book, not only for the reader seeking more creativity but also readers seeking to live in a more conscious way.
Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This beautiful book is so much more than a book to inspire creativity. The author has Synaesthesia Which I am sure positively enhances the way she encourages consciousness to enter everyday creativity. There are so many beautiful photographs throughout the book. I love colour so all the photographs of similarily arranged hues won me over. There are questions and projects to entice the reader as well as good information, especially the chapter on overcoming creative obstacles.
A gorgeous book, not only for the reader seeking more creativity but also readers seeking to live in a more conscious way.
Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.
January 8, 2020
Very good! Would recommend for those trying to stir their creativity up. Made lots of notes and am going to use some of it in my next art class. The exercises will get the mind working again!
February 26, 2019
An excellent book to jump start your creativity if it has gone on an around the world cruise and you think it will never return. Great pictures and ideas.
December 28, 2018
I quite enjoyed this book. It is really a guide to help you find your creative voice, although I did find the authors tales quite annoying after the first few chapters and hence the three stars. The author has a form of synesthesia which admitted gives her a unique creative view. It does however clearly predominate her way of viewing the world but also communication about creative ideas.
I enjoy creative activities but have never really found my voice. I was really hoping that this book would help me along that path. I thought the exercises were well thought out and varied, and in reviewing the book I did try out a few. But after a few chapters I found the authors narrative very distracting and so ended up skipping just to the exercises, consequently I think I missed a great deal.
So in conclusion I would recommend reading a few chapters to see if the authors style is something that you can live with or even like, otherwise this book is probably not for you. It's a shame because I think it could have been great.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoy creative activities but have never really found my voice. I was really hoping that this book would help me along that path. I thought the exercises were well thought out and varied, and in reviewing the book I did try out a few. But after a few chapters I found the authors narrative very distracting and so ended up skipping just to the exercises, consequently I think I missed a great deal.
So in conclusion I would recommend reading a few chapters to see if the authors style is something that you can live with or even like, otherwise this book is probably not for you. It's a shame because I think it could have been great.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 15, 2020
Another fantastic book to get your creative juices flowing!
This book is not only nice to look at. More importantly it is packed with great information and you will work through the exercises, set goals, observe, learn about your fears, look at colors, learn about composition and more.
The photographs throughout are absolutely beautiful and make you want to grab your own camera and start exploring your surroundings.
I especially loved the first chapter about "What creative type are you?" You get to think about and answer 40 questions and this made me think so much about my own creative path and what I want to express and achieve.
I can recommend this book to any creative person and artist from beginner to advanced.
Thank you so much NetGalley for granting my wish!
This book is not only nice to look at. More importantly it is packed with great information and you will work through the exercises, set goals, observe, learn about your fears, look at colors, learn about composition and more.
The photographs throughout are absolutely beautiful and make you want to grab your own camera and start exploring your surroundings.
I especially loved the first chapter about "What creative type are you?" You get to think about and answer 40 questions and this made me think so much about my own creative path and what I want to express and achieve.
I can recommend this book to any creative person and artist from beginner to advanced.
Thank you so much NetGalley for granting my wish!
March 1, 2020
I absolutely love Philippa Stanton's view of the world. Her artistic eye - how she sees the world around her - and the amount of colour she uses has always spoken to me. Conscious Creativity made me feel like she brought me into her kitchen, poured me a cup of tea, and encouraged me to give it a whirl. Her book was full of encouragement and gave me lots of activities to complete. It was a gentle push, the friendly reminder that art does NOT need to be perfect, or approved by others. The process of it can be beautiful and that shouldn't be just about the end result. I can slow down and see the beauty in the things or places or shadows normally unnoticed. Art can be messy, it can be colourful, and it can be just for me. I really enjoyed this book!
January 12, 2019
There are a lot of book on the market these days about getting your creative juices flowing, this one is lovely, very colourful with photo inspirations on every page. Every page has a challenge to your creativity such as looking into a puddle for inspiration, finding and looking at texture or just pick a colour and find inspiration around from that one colour or scent. There are many more, and all a worthy of a look and try, as they do evoke a sense of creativity and exploration int0 artistic pursuits
This is one of the good ones.
This is one of the good ones.
August 31, 2019
Wonderful book with lots of visual eye candy. I enjoyed reading it. I think if I had read this in my early 20s when I was first starting my creative journey I would have given it 5 stars. i think
I’d give it 3.75 stars as to where I am in life now. She gives very good and practical advice on how to be present in the world- which is to say slowing down and opening up your senses to observe the world around you. This is the essential part of being/becoming a creative. And she gives very concrete steps on doing that and how to approach the world in that way.
I’d give it 3.75 stars as to where I am in life now. She gives very good and practical advice on how to be present in the world- which is to say slowing down and opening up your senses to observe the world around you. This is the essential part of being/becoming a creative. And she gives very concrete steps on doing that and how to approach the world in that way.
February 23, 2019
It is not a really long book, does have some good information and suggestions with a few personal stories. It goes through the creativity process. There is different topics and projects. So there is points that some readers can get out of.
May 6, 2021
Conscious Creativity is a real treat in every respect! I am inspired!
The author of this book, Philippa Stanton @5ftinf, is one of my favorite instagrammers! She has a fantastic feed that shares her creative life in such a fresh and unique way.
I actually ordered Philippa’s book and the companion workbook for my teenage daughter for Christmas. My daughter is very artistic and very much a creator but hadn’t cracked it open by the middle of February, so I figured it was fair game!
First, I would like to say that the physical book, in and of itself, is so tactile and visually pleasing. I love the size, the feel and weight of the paper, and the atmospheric look of the layout. It is a joy turning the pages and taking in all the visuals.
As to the text, it is a bit of a workbook as well as a source of inspiration and creative direction. While this is a fairly quick read if you just stick to that, I am in no way completely finished with this book! Love! There are questions to help you consider your personal aesthetic as well as an abundance of exercises to help you develop and/or rejuvenate your creative eye which I am just beginning to engage with. I already feel that I’ve gotten a lot out of this book, and it has the potential to continue to help me focus and revitalize my energies.
The wonderful thing about this book is that it can be appreciated by almost anyone who likes to create in any medium. It helps you sharpen your senses and consider things from multiple perspectives. My 10-year-old son completed one of the exercises and was very proud of his results and found it fun to complete. Win!
If you love to create in any way or simply want a fresh perspective on anything you do, this book is for you! It is beautiful, inspiring, and something to refer to again and again. A gift that keeps on giving, so to speak! Highly recommend!!
The author of this book, Philippa Stanton @5ftinf, is one of my favorite instagrammers! She has a fantastic feed that shares her creative life in such a fresh and unique way.
I actually ordered Philippa’s book and the companion workbook for my teenage daughter for Christmas. My daughter is very artistic and very much a creator but hadn’t cracked it open by the middle of February, so I figured it was fair game!
First, I would like to say that the physical book, in and of itself, is so tactile and visually pleasing. I love the size, the feel and weight of the paper, and the atmospheric look of the layout. It is a joy turning the pages and taking in all the visuals.
As to the text, it is a bit of a workbook as well as a source of inspiration and creative direction. While this is a fairly quick read if you just stick to that, I am in no way completely finished with this book! Love! There are questions to help you consider your personal aesthetic as well as an abundance of exercises to help you develop and/or rejuvenate your creative eye which I am just beginning to engage with. I already feel that I’ve gotten a lot out of this book, and it has the potential to continue to help me focus and revitalize my energies.
The wonderful thing about this book is that it can be appreciated by almost anyone who likes to create in any medium. It helps you sharpen your senses and consider things from multiple perspectives. My 10-year-old son completed one of the exercises and was very proud of his results and found it fun to complete. Win!
If you love to create in any way or simply want a fresh perspective on anything you do, this book is for you! It is beautiful, inspiring, and something to refer to again and again. A gift that keeps on giving, so to speak! Highly recommend!!
February 28, 2020
Though perhaps primarily for visual artists, this book is a good read for artists of all kinds, as well as those of us who just want to explore our own creative impulses. Stanton leads us gently and doesn't lecture or dictate. She urges us to discover what kind of creative we are, not in terms like musician, writer, painter, but in terms of how we work, our beliefs about ourselves, what we are drawn to aesthetically, are we perfectionists or do we just need to get it done. Allowing ourselves to be bored without rushing to find something to occupy hands and mind, like phones and computer games, is a very important part of the creative process. Then our minds are free to wander, dream and imagine. "Our minds are regularly tied up, often with our devices, and as constant stimulation leaves no space for idle thought, who knows whether some of our greatest ideas have already been pushed aside while we were gaming or checking social media?....Boredom provides the exact nothingness in time that allows our minds to wander and invent.....Boredom seeks the most creative exit" to escape itself. Stanton goes on to talk about the importance of looking, of observation, particularly close observation. We should also be looking, among other things, for color variations, patterns, and shapes. Exploring with all five of our senses is vital, as each thing we observe can be taken in by more than one sense.
I could go on and on talking about what I learned reading this book, and the ideas I want to put into practice myself. Instead I am just going to say that you should read it yourselves. It is packed full of wonderful, warm-hearted advice, shared with us from Stanton's years of various artistic experiences. The book is gorgeously illustrated with her own photographs.
I could go on and on talking about what I learned reading this book, and the ideas I want to put into practice myself. Instead I am just going to say that you should read it yourselves. It is packed full of wonderful, warm-hearted advice, shared with us from Stanton's years of various artistic experiences. The book is gorgeously illustrated with her own photographs.
May 6, 2024
Both practical and inspirational, this book contains dozens of suggestions for exploring the senses, learning to be more attuned and attentive to the details of life rather than letting it all slide by you in a blur. For that alone, it’s a marvelous compendium. I only wish I could have read it 50 years ago and learned to look and hear and smell more consciously. But beyond this, the central message here is one of tapping into the senses to enhance creativity.
There’s much here of interest to me as an artist, especially regarding design and composition, and the section on abstraction. The exercises are designed to develop one’s visual vocabulary, to give your compositions more depth and sense of place. But the book is really meant for anyone with an interest in being more conscious of natural and everyday surroundings (indoor and outdoor). And, as we allow our various senses to blend and inform one another, we experience both heightened pleasure and enhanced creativity. The book contains a great deal of variety, depth, and food for thought.
As the author notes, “the more you observe, the more you notice and the more you notice, the more inspired you will feel.” It pays to pay attention to what you pay attention to.
"Though we pursue an economic value in life, it is in admiring beauty and creating things that we enrich the ground of our mind." - Senei Ikenobo
I read the Kindle version of this book, but found myself highlighting so much that, as soon as I finished it, I ordered a paper copy — partly to have the photos in color without having to view them on a tablet.
There’s much here of interest to me as an artist, especially regarding design and composition, and the section on abstraction. The exercises are designed to develop one’s visual vocabulary, to give your compositions more depth and sense of place. But the book is really meant for anyone with an interest in being more conscious of natural and everyday surroundings (indoor and outdoor). And, as we allow our various senses to blend and inform one another, we experience both heightened pleasure and enhanced creativity. The book contains a great deal of variety, depth, and food for thought.
As the author notes, “the more you observe, the more you notice and the more you notice, the more inspired you will feel.” It pays to pay attention to what you pay attention to.
"Though we pursue an economic value in life, it is in admiring beauty and creating things that we enrich the ground of our mind." - Senei Ikenobo
I read the Kindle version of this book, but found myself highlighting so much that, as soon as I finished it, I ordered a paper copy — partly to have the photos in color without having to view them on a tablet.
November 9, 2018
Conscious Creativity by Philippa Stanton
Look. Connect. Create.
As I finished looking through and reading this book I looked a second time to see what the purpose of the book was meant to be and found two paragraphs that summed up the goal, I believe, of the author:
Look, Connect, Create
How often do you notice the texture of a painted wall or the scent of a friend’s house and, importantly, how they make you feel? Connect your observations and your emotions and transform your creative practice with this essential toolbox packed full of exercises, tips, stunning images and personal experiences from dynamic artist Philippa Stanton.
Written as a guide or springboard towards developing your own creativity in a very conscious way, a way of utilizing all your senses and everything around you. There are no hard-and-fast rules, secrets or techniques to unlock your full creative potential, but there are definitely exercises that can help you to look at and see what surrounds you in a different, deeper and more meaningful way.
The photographs are evocative and beautiful. The exercises and questions are insightful and thought provoking. The feeling I left the book with was that I will look for the beauty that surrounds me then use what my senses experience to try to create beauty in my life daily.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Leaping Hare Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
Look. Connect. Create.
As I finished looking through and reading this book I looked a second time to see what the purpose of the book was meant to be and found two paragraphs that summed up the goal, I believe, of the author:
Look, Connect, Create
How often do you notice the texture of a painted wall or the scent of a friend’s house and, importantly, how they make you feel? Connect your observations and your emotions and transform your creative practice with this essential toolbox packed full of exercises, tips, stunning images and personal experiences from dynamic artist Philippa Stanton.
Written as a guide or springboard towards developing your own creativity in a very conscious way, a way of utilizing all your senses and everything around you. There are no hard-and-fast rules, secrets or techniques to unlock your full creative potential, but there are definitely exercises that can help you to look at and see what surrounds you in a different, deeper and more meaningful way.
The photographs are evocative and beautiful. The exercises and questions are insightful and thought provoking. The feeling I left the book with was that I will look for the beauty that surrounds me then use what my senses experience to try to create beauty in my life daily.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Leaping Hare Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
October 9, 2022
If I Could Give This Book 10 Stars I Would!
I thought I was always a CREATIVE individual but with my new career as both an exterior and interior designer I knew I needed help! This book has been just what I needed!
Her background is similar to mine with both of us being involved in theater and writing.
However I sure lacked CREATIVITY when it came to doing my new career. Heck I can barely do stick figures and my painting abilities might rival a three year old!
What I learned from Philippa is that my SMARTPHONE can substitute for the majority of the dozens of exercises she shares. Also my writing abilities as an author can be very helpful.
I have taken volumes of notes and will turn it into a PDF and then most likely a printed version.
I actually plan to do EVERY exercise she shares! Several I have already done. May be now I will finally start Journaling because I have a reason too!
I plan to share her book with my LinkedIn designer friends!
I thought I was always a CREATIVE individual but with my new career as both an exterior and interior designer I knew I needed help! This book has been just what I needed!
Her background is similar to mine with both of us being involved in theater and writing.
However I sure lacked CREATIVITY when it came to doing my new career. Heck I can barely do stick figures and my painting abilities might rival a three year old!
What I learned from Philippa is that my SMARTPHONE can substitute for the majority of the dozens of exercises she shares. Also my writing abilities as an author can be very helpful.
I have taken volumes of notes and will turn it into a PDF and then most likely a printed version.
I actually plan to do EVERY exercise she shares! Several I have already done. May be now I will finally start Journaling because I have a reason too!
I plan to share her book with my LinkedIn designer friends!
October 5, 2020
This is a bit like Wreck This Journal, only prettier. (I also enjoyed Wreck This Journal.) The book contains various exercises that attempt to help you to be more creative by breaking the rules, experiment, celebrating randomness and looking at ordinary things differently. The world around us is full of shapes, colors and textures, and creativity takes many forms.
The photography of this book is simply gorgeous.
I read a digital ARC from Netgalley but getting the paper version would make more sense than an e-book as many of the exercises and prompts here require the physical book page as a starting point. It's probably better to squirt fruit juice on a book than on the laptop. Although there are no rules and if you prefer to unleash your creativity somewhere else that's okay too.
The photography of this book is simply gorgeous.
I read a digital ARC from Netgalley but getting the paper version would make more sense than an e-book as many of the exercises and prompts here require the physical book page as a starting point. It's probably better to squirt fruit juice on a book than on the laptop. Although there are no rules and if you prefer to unleash your creativity somewhere else that's okay too.
December 6, 2018
Awaken all your senses to begin a new journey of creativity. Whether you are a painter, a photographer or a weekend hobbyist, this book by Philippa Stanton will encourage and inspire you to take your art to a whole new level. The book is broken down into different sections that awaken all of your senses. The daily practices bring color, shape and texture to a whole new level of meaning and understanding with a few simple exercises. The bonus in this book is all the amazing photography that makes you sit back and appreciate each detail. Philippa not only tells you, but shows you through the photos what your creativity can soar to. An excellent book to awaken the artist within you. Thank you to NetGalley and Leaping Hare Press for an advanced copy of the book to review.
January 30, 2019
Disclaimer: I was provided with an Advance Digitial Download of this book from NetGallery, in exchange for a fair and honest review.
While I wanted to love this book, I may have picked it up at the wrong time. I am realistic enough to know that some books need to be revisited if we aren't in the right mindset.
Yes, it is a challenge to get out of your creative rut, but I found much of the writing to be regurgitated from other books on mindfulness and creativity. Almost twenty years ago I read SIMPLE ABUNDANCE and much of that book was about rediscovering your creative nature.
This is a lovely book, but just seems a little too fluffy for my taste. I will try to look at it again at some other point and will amend my review if my opinion changes.
While I wanted to love this book, I may have picked it up at the wrong time. I am realistic enough to know that some books need to be revisited if we aren't in the right mindset.
Yes, it is a challenge to get out of your creative rut, but I found much of the writing to be regurgitated from other books on mindfulness and creativity. Almost twenty years ago I read SIMPLE ABUNDANCE and much of that book was about rediscovering your creative nature.
This is a lovely book, but just seems a little too fluffy for my taste. I will try to look at it again at some other point and will amend my review if my opinion changes.
January 25, 2021
What I loved the most about this book is that it is a simple and quick read but there is a whole world in it. At the same time, it leads us to a whole world that exists inside us. Also, by applying the excercise in each chapter we can learn how we can really be present in creative ways in the present moment. There is also a sort of connection that these excercises build between our inner world and the outer one, it is subtle, calm and it is strong and beautiful.
If you are someone who is ready to indulge in some experiments and play with your creative self then this one is a must read for you.
I would say, its a MUST DO for you 😊
Because more than a book, this one is a creative practice we all can indulge in. 😊
If you are someone who is ready to indulge in some experiments and play with your creative self then this one is a must read for you.
I would say, its a MUST DO for you 😊
Because more than a book, this one is a creative practice we all can indulge in. 😊
November 28, 2018
n a very short time, I read "Conscious Creativity: Look. Connect. Create." by Philippa Stanton and "Awakening Your Creative Soul: A 52-Week Journey to Artistic Discovery" by Sandra Duran Wilson. The two books, while on surface talk about the same thing, could not be any more different.
"Conscious Creativity" is far more general in terms of the target art you want to develop and practice. In fact, it does not talk about the act of artistic creation at all - it is what you do in your "other time". And while many exercises use photography to document (and the book is full of great photography), I would not necessarily limit the book audience just to photographers. The exercises are designed to make you look, see and make sense of the world around. There is no step by step instructions, just ideas, and assignments. There are simple observation tasks, doing, like collage or photography, or even hearing - making it applicable to all arts, is it music or writing or visual arts.
"Conscious Creativity" is a beautifully illustrated book with color photographs and could serve as a coffee table book (if it was not published as the paperback). And some of the photos were clearly taken with an iPhone, showing you that you do not need any special tools to do the assignments in the book, just set out to follow the instruction.
"Conscious Creativity" is simply a great gift idea for a creative (or aspiring to be a creative) person in your life.
"Conscious Creativity" is far more general in terms of the target art you want to develop and practice. In fact, it does not talk about the act of artistic creation at all - it is what you do in your "other time". And while many exercises use photography to document (and the book is full of great photography), I would not necessarily limit the book audience just to photographers. The exercises are designed to make you look, see and make sense of the world around. There is no step by step instructions, just ideas, and assignments. There are simple observation tasks, doing, like collage or photography, or even hearing - making it applicable to all arts, is it music or writing or visual arts.
"Conscious Creativity" is a beautifully illustrated book with color photographs and could serve as a coffee table book (if it was not published as the paperback). And some of the photos were clearly taken with an iPhone, showing you that you do not need any special tools to do the assignments in the book, just set out to follow the instruction.
"Conscious Creativity" is simply a great gift idea for a creative (or aspiring to be a creative) person in your life.
October 10, 2019
I've been following her Instagram account for a few years now, and remember when this book was in production. Philippa has a wonderful way of combining color, texture, and visual storytelling into a small space. I think what I've gravitated to most are her flatlays where she takes ordinary, overlooked objects and elevates them to appreciated art. I've tried my hand at it, and it's not an effortless practice! This book asks us to consider color collecting, shadows, atmosphere, and how we connect with our senses. I had a good time, and continue following her account to see where her journey takes us next.
October 3, 2020
An interesting ,"outside the box" view on creativity.
This book is developed around the idea of conscious creativity, of taking things around you and using them as part of a creative endeavor with not specific end other than creativity itself. It's full of ideas, suggestions and exercises, many of them surprising. It's a great book for visual creatives, for poets, writers, for people who enjoy textiles, it features complex exercises, especially those regarding synesthesia.
Don't let the blank pages and the quirky suggestions fool you, if you think creativity is a muscle and requires exercise, this might be the perfect book for you.
This book is developed around the idea of conscious creativity, of taking things around you and using them as part of a creative endeavor with not specific end other than creativity itself. It's full of ideas, suggestions and exercises, many of them surprising. It's a great book for visual creatives, for poets, writers, for people who enjoy textiles, it features complex exercises, especially those regarding synesthesia.
Don't let the blank pages and the quirky suggestions fool you, if you think creativity is a muscle and requires exercise, this might be the perfect book for you.
December 30, 2018
I was sent a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Best book on creativity I read in a while.
This book focuses on genuine advice and lessons for anyone looking to spark or awake their creativity. All the chapters are easy to follow, the pictures are inspiring and the exercises are really working!
From embracing boredom, doing nothing, and looking for textures in everyday life, the exercises in Conscious Creativity are simple to do, yet powerful. Not only that, but the author's writing style is really encouraging and inspiring.
Loved it!
Best book on creativity I read in a while.
This book focuses on genuine advice and lessons for anyone looking to spark or awake their creativity. All the chapters are easy to follow, the pictures are inspiring and the exercises are really working!
From embracing boredom, doing nothing, and looking for textures in everyday life, the exercises in Conscious Creativity are simple to do, yet powerful. Not only that, but the author's writing style is really encouraging and inspiring.
Loved it!
December 26, 2019
Beautiful, Thoughtful. This book was a lovely loan from the library. It reminds one to slow down and consciously focus and spur on the flame of imagination. Listen to music (opera preferably). Look for what strikes your eye. Be present.
Her prompts at the end of each chapter were interesting although some might seem ridiculous. But what seems ridiculous now could be just the cure for what one might deem creative block.
Overall, time to slow down is selfcare for your creativity!
Her prompts at the end of each chapter were interesting although some might seem ridiculous. But what seems ridiculous now could be just the cure for what one might deem creative block.
Overall, time to slow down is selfcare for your creativity!
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