Establish an atmosphere that energizes you. Some creative people flourish in confusion; others need to be free from interruption. Many prepare themselves for work by exercising to stimulate circulation; others meditate to quiet the chatter of the outer world.

Creative expression is not just a means of getting attention, although some have approached art that way. Think of art as a way of connecting, of sharing your insights with others.

Allow some warm-up time each day to stimulate your creative flow. A pianist does keyboard exercises. A gymnast stretches. An artist needs to loosen up, too. It takes a few minutes to shift from the real world into a creative mode.

Take imagination breaks... Relaxed attention is one of the most important states of mind for creativity, and sometimes it has to be learned.

Collage is like a hall of mirrors. Every direction you look, you see something different and visually stimulating.

When you finish for the day, write a note reminding yourself of what you plan to do next. This helps you to remember today's great idea when you get back to work tomorrow.

Let yourself daydream sometimes... Allow spontaneous images to come and go. Capture one in a sketch. These images express connections with your inner self.