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#333 Why do I like what I'm making but struggle to get into the studio
48 Plays2 years ago
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In this episode of "Shaping Your Pottery" with Nic Torres, listeners are offered practical advice on overcoming creative block. Nic shares his personal struggle with starting a new pottery project—a Scorpion from Mortal Kombat mug—and introduces strategies to rekindle the artistic process. He suggests simply stepping into the creative space, setting a short timer for activity, or starting work immediately after morning routines to build momentum. Nic emphasizes the idea that 'action creates motion' and invites listeners to join a free pottery community for further inspiration and support.
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Transcript
Why do creators struggle to get into the studio?
00:00:00
Speaker
Why do I like what I'm making, but struggle to get into the studio? What is up shaping nation? This is Nick Torres here. And that question that I just asked you, why do I like what I'm making, but struggle to get into the studio? This was asked into my recent pottery community that I created. And this is a very, very good question. Why do I like what I'm making, but struggle to get into the studio?
00:00:25
Speaker
So there's a couple of reasons why this could be the case.
Comparing studio time to exercise
00:00:30
Speaker
So I want you to think of it like working out or exercising. A lot of us know that exercising is really good for you. It's good for our health. It's good for our mental health. We know all the benefits to working out. But a lot of the times the pain to actually work out
00:00:51
Speaker
is actually more stronger than the benefits. And it's same thing with making pottery sometimes and getting into the studio. And that is we like what we're making, but the pain of getting to the studio, taking the time to make the pot and maybe it failing. That is much stronger than what you actually want to make.
00:01:19
Speaker
And that's okay, it's totally fine. We all feel these emotions in us. But what can you do to help this problem? Because I have based it myself. I have days where I know I wanna make something like it's in a cool idea I have in my head, but I just don't wanna get into the studio because it's gonna take so long. For example, one of the things that I have
00:01:46
Speaker
an idea recently is to create Scorpion from Mortal Kombat into a mug. And I think it's such a cool concept, such a cool idea that I have in my head. But I know that it's going to take a long time, so that's why it's a little bit harder for me to get into the studio.
Overcoming inertia with action
00:02:05
Speaker
But here's what I did to kind of help me out with that. So what I have learned is that
00:02:14
Speaker
And I learned this in kind of in my physics class and watching some listening and watching some other stuff as well as motivational and like speakers and stuff. So it's basically that action creates motion. An object in motion stays in motion until it is stopped by an opposite or equal force. So.
00:02:37
Speaker
What do I mean by that? And how can you apply this to your own pottery? And this is what I apply myself. So if you're feeling like you don't want to get into the studio, the best thing that you can do is to get into the studio anyways, get into the studio, start making pottery. You don't have to be anything specific. Try it for just one minute.
00:03:00
Speaker
You're going to. So let's say like, for example, for myself. So my I have a two story house and most of the time I am upstairs in my room, but my pottery studio is downstairs in my garage area. And so I have to walk down my entire house just to go back there.
00:03:19
Speaker
The simple thing is that I do is to start walking down there into the studio.
Using a timer to spark creativity
00:03:27
Speaker
You don't have to make anything. Just go into the studio. That's it. Because when you are in that studio, now you're going to give yourself time to think a little bit and give yourself time to think. And now because you're thinking of these ideas, you don't want to start making things as well. So.
00:03:47
Speaker
That is kind of tip number one that I do is literally just getting into the studio, not making anything, just getting in there, sitting down and start thinking of ideas of what you can make. Another thing that you could do is kind of in the same concept right here is to to just get in the studio and set a timer for five minutes. All you're going to do is you're going to make something for five minutes. That's it.
00:04:16
Speaker
Grab some clay or you can even draw if you want, if that is going to help you as well. Draw or grab some clay and just start making for five minutes. That's it. Set a timer. Say tell Siri set a timer five minutes. Or if you don't have another different phone, tell Google or something, whatever, but tell tell it and just sit there and just start making.
00:04:39
Speaker
Because once you start, this is where it's going to help so much to actually keep going. Like I said, an object in motion is going to stay in motion. So once you start, it's going to help be way, way, way, way easier to do it.
Morning routine for creativity
00:04:54
Speaker
And the third thing that I have done in the past is I wake up and go to the studio immediately after I brush my teeth and stuff. I'll go to the studio and just start making immediately.
00:05:06
Speaker
I find that this can be very, very easy, depending on if you have kids or not. But I find this to be a little bit easier because if you wake up, go directly to the studio. Don't make coffee or anything. Maybe drink some water because that's good for you. But go directly to the studio and just start making because that's a good way. That could be a good way to start the day. I've tried this in the past and I love it.
00:05:29
Speaker
And I still do this when I am working out as well. I wake up and I brush my teeth and then I start working out right away because I know if I don't do it in the morning, I probably won't get to it later in the day.
Join the pottery community
00:05:39
Speaker
So those are just three tips that I have done. Hopefully it'll help you to help you get into the studio and start making things that you know that you like to love to me. Hope you guys enjoyed this episode and I'll see you guys in the next one.
00:05:52
Speaker
Hey thanks for listening to this episode of Shaping Your Pottery with Nick Torres. I created a free pottery community for potters like yourself to connect and grow with each other and help each other find your own unique voice. And I'm inviting you to come join this community. It is completely free, you can participate in challenges, connect with other potters, and grow your pottery as well. I hope to see you guys in there. If you are interested in joining this community, go to shapingyourpottery.com forward slash community.