darren r hill

the creative minimalist

Category: Creativity

All posts relating to creativity in general. How to be creative rather than specific creative projects.

  • Dealing with creative fails

    Dealing with creative fails

    Dealing with creative fails text with an image of me in front of a dystopian landscape

    The gloomy weather amplifies all the negatives; missed deadlines, slipped habits etc. How am I dealing with these creative and life failures? In this week’s vlog, I give a little thanks to get a little sunshine.

    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

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  • Imbolc and creativity

    Imbolc and creativity

    Imbolc and creativity text, an image of me and dark clouds

    Into February and despite the weather not quite being springlike I have been inspired by the festival of Imbolc for a creative nudge. FAWM and festivals combine in this week’s vlog, and also a little poetry.

    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

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  • How to Create it all!

    How to Create it all!

    How to create it all text with an image of me

    I want to create it all! I have far too much clamouring for my attention, from social media to hundreds of unfinished creative projects. How can I create what I want and need to create? This week’s vlog explores how I am attempting to create all the create!

    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

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  • 3 Steps to Creative Heaven?

    3 Steps to Creative Heaven?

    3 steps to creative heaven? text with an image of me walking

    3 steps that are helping me reach my creative goals. This vlog looks at what works in my planning, to-dos and habit tracking. After just a few weeks of the year, I am already noticing what does and doesn’t work.

    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

    Sign up for my (ir)regular newsletter to keep up to date with my creative adventures, including special offers, and join me on Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest

  • Creativity, Just do it! – vlog

    Creativity, Just do it! – vlog

    Creativity. Just do it! text with image of Darren

    Two simple steps are helping me get back on the creative journey. In this week’s vlog, despite tech issues and other annoying things, I am managing to be creative.

    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

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  • AI art generated in Photoshop

    AI oil painting using photoshop

    The above is a piece of AI-generated art. Now it is possible that you hold the view that AI art is not art. Although I can already feel my insides becoming twisted as I begin to unpick the syntax in that last sentence. Let’s just say that the above was created using the AI generate feature in the latest Photoshop Beta.

    At this present time, the AIs in the current plethora of apps and websites don’t decide on a whim to go and create or make something. Although it is possible that by the time you read this, they will. (And, just hedging my bets, I want to say that I have always loved AI and think you are amazing {always be kind to AI, you never know!}) Anyway, as I was saying you have to ask Photoshop, or other apps, to do something. And that is how I generated the above.

    However, I didn’t simply ask it to draw a landscape image containing this and that. I began with a sketch that I had drawn in my journal. I took a photo of the sketch, imported it into Photoshop and then with some wizardry using masks and opacity asked the AI to turn my sketch into an oil painting. Below is my original sketch.

    pencil sketch in my journal

    I thought Photoshop made a pretty good interpretation of my sketch. When I did the doodle in my journal I had no idea what it could become. It was a complete creative journey…

    • but is it art?
    • did the art stop and something else take over?
    • is it another way in which pure art is being diluted?

    IMHO I believe that this is simply another form of art. Throughout history, there have been innovations that have developed the creative talents of humanity. I think the current use of AI is just another form. However, when or if an AI decides to create without a prompt or being programmed… 😲

    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

    Sign up for my (ir)regular newsletter to keep up to date with my creative adventures, including special offers, and join me on Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest