17 Resources to Awaken Your Right Brain

by Marelisa · Comments

Hi, I'm Marelisa Fábrega. Here you'll find tips and resources to help you increase your creativity, be more productive, and simplify your life. You may want to start by reading "A Guide to Abundance Blog for the Uninitiated". Grab a cup of coffee or tea, sit back, and enjoy!

be more right brainedFor all those looking to be more right brained, Frederic Terral over at “Right Brain Terrain” has a great manifesto which begins as follows:

“Put down the remote, get off the couch, and do something by and for your right brain terrain! ‘But I can’t draw, write, or play an instrument!’ You shout hopelessly. Rubbish! You might not be a Picasso or Mozart, but you don’t have to be. Just create to create. Create to remind yourself you’re still alive. Make stuff to inspire others to make stuff too. Create to learn a bit more about yourself . . . for all you frustrated right-brainers trapped in the frigid planes of your left-brain there is hope.”

For all those who feel stuck in the left-side of their brain, and who desperately want to create something and begin to awaken their right-brain hemisphere, below you’ll find 17 resources–some free, some not–that will help get you started:

(This post is filled with videos and images, so if you’re reading this by email or a reader, you may want to click over to the blog so that you don’t miss anything.)

1. How to Draw Cartoons: This is a Squidoo lens created by a professional Artist who creates cartoon portraits and illustrations. In this lens you’ll learn how to draw Homer Simpson.

The Simpsons - Homer


Buy at AllPosters.com

2. Coloring Fun for Adults: Who said coloring was just for kids?

3. How to Draw a Dragon: Follow along with the YouTube video below.

“It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.” — J.R.R. Tolkien

4. Learn How to Create a Zentangle: Creating these puts you in a meditative state; try it!

zentangle

Image courtesy of  PatOHeart

5. The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain: Hunter Nuttall shared an image he drew by using this book on his personal development blog.  Check it out, it’s not bad. :-)

6. African Healing Dance: In Africa, dance is much more than physical movement – it is a direct way to celebrate life and create healing. African Healing Dance is a step-by-step course.

7.329 Creative Writing Prompts: Another way to reawaken your right brain is with creative writing.  Use these prompts to get you started.

8. Dollar Bill Origami: You’ll be amazed at what you can create with a dollar bill.  This Squidoo lens is filled with video tutorials to help you create all sorts of things.

9. Roger Von Oech’s X-Ball: The X-Ball is a set of 30 X-shaped magnetic design pieces that can be arranged in a variety of different ways. It is a companion product to the award-winning Ball of Whacks.

10. How to Make a Collage: Collages are fun and easy to make.

11. Learn How to Bead: With this tutorial you can even end up wearing your creation.

12. Create an Altered Book: altered books are unloved, discarded books that are turned into works of art.

13. Draw Ziggy: Who doesn’t love Ziggy?

Ziggy

Image of Ziggy taken from here.

14. Draw spiderman.

15. Van Gogh A STARRY NIGHT Acrylic Paint by Number Kit: Another option is to paint by numbers.

Starry Night, c.1889


Buy at AllPosters.com

16. Watercolor Painting Tutorial: Roses and Butterfly

gift ideas for creative people

17. Kaleidescope Coloring Books: I’ve written about these before.  These coloring books have beautiful abstract images created by Kendall Bohn.

So, what are you waiting for? Go do something right-brained. :-)

Creative Commons License photo credit: TheAlieness GiselaGiardino²³

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How to Be More CreativeMy ebook “How to Be More Creative – A Handbook for Alchemists” explains that creativity is not the sole domain of the arts but is important in any field, from medicine to business, and from engineering to developing a creative solution to a negotiation impasse. Whatever you do, creativity helps you do it better. Discover practical advice on how to be more creative in every life endeavor by reading my ebook.

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  • :)) This is pure relaxation! All these activities, can really make you feel more creative. some of them you can do with your kids, so it's more fun and enjoyable!
  • oooooh I definitely gotta try the zentangles !
  • I love the draw spiderman, reminds me of the scene from the movie where he try's all the different one. Also reminds me of the parody from superhero movie with the really dodgy outfits! :-)

    Great post!
    .-= Amit Sodha - The Power Of Choice´s last blog ..Choose Your Inspirational Acronym For The Week =-.
  • Nice resource list.

    Drawing is a great skill that anybody can develop. I find when I take the time to draw something, I really begin to appreciate it's detail, as opposed to just seeing it.

    Knocking out a quick sketch now and then makes traveling and visits to art museums a lot more fun.
    .-= Seth M Baker´s last blog ..How to Make Creative Inertia Work for You =-.
  • Marelisa
    Hi Helen: You definitely can enlist your kids. :-) I'm glad you enjoyed the post.

    Hi Rocky: Definitely try the zentangle. The squidoo lens I link to is full of videos and examples; I tried one last night and immediately felt more relaxed.

    Hi Amit: Thank you! My two year-old nephew loves spiderman and is always walking around wearing a spiderman mask. I'm going to have to learn how to draw spiderman so that I can make it for him. :-)

    Hi Seth: This is an area in which I'm sorely lacking and which I need to start paying more attention to.
  • This is awesome! I loved this post... Thanks for sharing the resources!
    .-= Positively Present´s last blog ..words to live by: this is gonna be a good life =-.
  • Marelisa
    Hi Dani: You're very welcome. :-)
  • Many thanks for including the X-Ball.

    Best wishes to you and your many readers!

    Roger von Oech
  • Marelisa
    Hello Mr. von Oech, thank you for stopping by. You keep coming up with great ways to stimulate our creativity. :-)
  • Wow, lots of great resources here. Thanks for linking to my post on Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.

    One problem though - what happens after we do all these things, and then our right brain can't get back to sleep? :)
    .-= Hunter Nuttall´s last blog ..Why Breaking A Mirror Means Less Bad Luck Than You Thought =-.
  • Marelisa
    Hi Hunter: Try drawing sheep. :-)
  • I am so sorry I haven`t been able to comment, but I was actually out there creating, re-energizing and find my creative outlet!! All thanks to you!
    Thank you!!!
    .-= Elaine B.´s last blog ..Classic Vintage Retro Chic Letterhead =-.
  • Marelisa
    Hi Elaine: I'm so glad you've been busy creating, and that my blog had something to do with it. :-) You go girl.
  • Just reading this article has gotten my creative juices flowing. Nice post!
    .-= Steven Handel´s last blog ..Six Aspects Of A Well-Balanced Person (Part 2) =-.
  • Marelisa
    Hi Steven: That's great!
  • Wow, African healing dance! First I started tapping my feet, but then I just had to get up and dance along. Got me wondering - what if every organization had an afternoon dance break instead of a coffee break??
    .-= Patty @ Why Not Start Now?´s last blog ..A Large State of Fear =-.
  • Marelisa
    Hi Patty: I got up and started dancing with the YouTube video too. :-) In the book "Brain Rules" John Medina explains that we're not meant to be sitting down all day as we often do, and that getting up and moving around actually helps us think better. So I think that an afternoon dance break is a great idea.
  • Coloring IS fun. Sometimes my kids make me color with them. Yes, they have to make me - but then I enjoy it so much!
    .-= vered | blogger for hire´s last blog ..Restaurant Salads Scare Me =-.
  • Marelisa
    Hi Vered: I always draw with my little nephews. They don't have to make me, in fact, I'm often the instigator. :-)
  • There are so many ways to be creative. I think we get too caught up in needing to create this or that. We can create in so many ways. We can build little skyscrapers with tooth pics or little toy cars with engines that we can give to our nephews.

    I love this list. It helps us realize that anyone can be creative.
    .-= Karl Staib - Work Happy Now´s last blog ..The Secrets to Workplace Leadership =-.
  • Marelisa
    Hi Karl: Oooh, little skycrapers with toothpicks, I like that one. :-)
  • Oh wow...this post is after my own heart! I certainly haven't tried all of these. It just shows to me that the possibilities are endless!
    .-= Evelyn Lim´s last blog ..How To Restore Inner Harmony =-.
  • Marelisa
    Hi Evelyn: Definitely try the zentangle, I think you'll really like it. :-)
  • Marelisa,

    What a wonderful post and very inspirational. Really made me think about how to get my creative juices flowing. Thanks for a great job.

    Jenn
  • Marelisa
    Hi Jennifer: I always aim to inspire. :-)
  • Hi Marelisa .. thanks for all the wonderful information - they would also be useful for the elderly .. and I'd love to try them - they're here for future reference.

    What I also picked up was the use of the Squidoo Lens .. I'd never actually seen one effectively used before and the first few of your suggestions used Squidoo.

    What a lovely fireside idea - to get the family and friends doing some of these things on the cold dark nights or a weekend en famille ..

    Thanks so much .. the African dance brought back memories ..
    Really interesting ... Hilary Melton-Butcher
    Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
    .-= Hilary´s last blog ..Iron Curtain or a rich Green Natural Wilderness =-.
  • Marelisa
    Hi Hilary: You can do lots of great things with squidoo lenses. I'm thinking of getting a couple of those really big activity books that you can color, and complete puzzles and riddles, and so on, and filling them out with my two little nephews. :-)
  • Hi Mare - These are brilliant ideas. I've always wanted to have a bash at drawing cartoons, so I'm going to try Ziggy and Bart tomorrow.
  • Marelisa
    Hi Cath: I went through a period of time when I would draw these cartoonish ogre-like creatures (not ugly, they were kind of cute). I'm not sure why. :-)
  • Hi Mare,
    I've been away all week at a self awareness workshop - and one of the big focuses was on using our right brain more (it was awesome!!). So, coming back, and seeing this post is so good!! I love it!!
    .-= Lance´s last blog ..Sunday Thought For The Day =-.
  • Marelisa
    Hi Lance: Yesterday I was teaching my four year old nephew how to create a zendala. I thought he wasn't paying attention but a little while later I looked down and he was making one. :-)
  • It's a while since I've been back to your blog, but when I remember to take a look there always seems to be something that ties in nicely with what's going on in my life!! This time around it's the fact that while playing with my two young boys at the weekend it dawned on me that when I was a kid I tried to be creative often, but now I find it difficult. I had no idea there were so many drawing 'tutorials' on YouTube. I feel inspired - so let's hope it lasts. Perhaps I'll learn how to draw Spiderman then impress the boys with my new skills next weekend!
    .-= MartinTSI´s last blog ..Cartoon T-Shirts Now Featured On T-Shirt Insight =-.
  • Marelisa
    Hi Martin: You should subcribe so that you never miss any of my pearls of wisdom. :-) Definitely learn to draw the Spiderman.
  • Thanks for this -- one thing I'd add is that writing with your non-dominant hand (if you're a lefty, write with the right hand, for example) is a great way to express what's going on in the brain hemisphere that isn't getting as much air time.
  • Marelisa
    Hi Chris: Yes, you're right. I also found an article that says that you can move your eyes from one side to the other (like looking to the left and then looking to the right) for thirty seconds.
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