Building a Creative Toolbox: The Essential Elements
When we’re ready to get started growing creative confidence in our kids and ourselves, access to creative supplies is crucial. The only way to flex that creative muscle is to exercise it. As with our bodies, where it’s easy to go overboard and spend too much money on physical fitness classes and equipment, you may think that collecting creative supplies will be expensive and out of your budget. It doesn’t have to be.
Opening a creative space in your life doesn’t have to break the bank. You can start, and indeed continue, with just some basic supplies.
What does a basic creative tool chest look like? Let’s compile a list of those starting supplies.
1. Pencils. You probably already have these at home. Most of us, especially those with kids, keep pencils in the house for schoolwork. The amazing thing about the unassuming pencil is its multi-functionality. This is a basic tool for writing and drawing. Think you need special pencils for sketching and drawing? You don’t. I did all of my early sketching and learning to draw with a simple #2 pencil that I used for school. You can certainly buy nice, and relatively inexpensive sketching pencils, but they aren’t necessary. You can get great results with the most basic pencil. Use this same versatile pencil for writing stories or poetry. So many great ideas can form on the tip of a pencil.
2. Paper. This is an obvious extension from the pencil. You can’t do much with a pencil unless you have some paper. This can be anything from notebook paper to a small journal for writing, jotting down ideas, creating epic stories. Computer paper or a sketchpad will work great for drawing, sketching, painting, making collages, whatever strikes your fancy. Construction paper is an inexpensive way to throw color into the mix and works great for practicing cutting and gluing skills with younger children. Generally speaking, paper is a small investment and you can probably keep a variety available to work with.
3. Crayons, markers or colored pencils. It’s always great to be able to add some color to a work of art. Starting with one of these simple, yet colorful, supplies will add another dimension to your creative space. What you decide to start with will depend on who’s using it. Small children work well with crayons. Markers add bold color. I personally love colored pencils, the way they blend and add varied texture.
4. Scissors. You’ll definitely want to be able to cut and you may already have this essential tool lying around your home. As a bonus, practicing with scissors is a great way for small children to develop fine motor skills. This is another tool that is inexpensive, but imperative. Unless you’ve got a very young child, be sure to get a pair of scissors with decent cutting power, to avoid the frustration of having a tool that can’t get the job done.
5. Glue and tape. Both are necessary tools for creation. Glue is great for everything from making a collage to building a recycled contraption. Again, the type of the glue you decide to keep in stock will depend on the age of who is using it. If you’re afraid of a mess, a glue stick is a good start, though limited in its application. There are great washable glues, as a bridge between a glue stick and a more permanent glue solution. Tape is also great for sticking things down. Clear tape, masking tape and double-sided tape all have their uses.
6. Paint. I suppose this one is debatable as a necessity, but it’s fun to have around and opens the door to a lot of experimentation and creation. I can’t imagine my creative toolbox without it. Paint not only adds color, but it introduces blending, mixing, swirling, dripping. Paint adds a dimension that you can’t get from the other supplies I’ve listed. Worried about the mess? I understand. Start with washable paints for small children. They are inexpensive and less of a risk, for the mess-averse. When you think your family is ready, get some cheap acrylic craft paint to add to the mix. They aren’t washable, but come in pretty much any amazing color you could want.
7. Books. I find books an essential toolbox element. This doesn’t mean that you have to invest a lot of money in a collection of creative references. There are many resources available at the library (a place where I spend a lot of time), or online if you don’t have access to a library. These books can cover any subject you desire. I get most of my inspiration from art books, poetry collections and well-written literature. Maybe you will find inspiration in books about interior design, architecture, music or photography.
8. Time. Yes, I know. This one isn’t really a tool at all, but I’m adding it to the list. There isn’t any point in keeping creative supplies around the house if you don’t have time to use them. So many of us lead busy lives. It’s hard to get everything done from day to day. Still, if you want to grow creative confidence, you have to find ways to set aside time to create. Whether a child or an adult, we all need time to devote ourselves to a project, to see it to a satisfying conclusion. Having the flexibility in your schedule to create when inspiration strikes is ideal. If that won’t work for you, schedule some creative time. Make it a priority.
This is just a quick list of the first items you should keep around the house to encourage creation. If you start with these supplies, you’ll have a basic toolbox to get started. You can go forward from there, adding pieces to your own toolbox that inspire you and your family. I’ll talk about additional supplies in a later post, as well as how to maximize your creative toolbox with minimal financial investment. For now, you’ve got a place to start.
Check out the video below to see some of the supplies we keep around our house, including a few that go beyond the basic. This will give you a feel for how you might expand, once you’re ready to dive in further.
