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Since Feeling Is First

Painting an Emotional Color Field

To paint your stories, it’s first necessary to imagine them. This can be a big leap if you’re used to painting primarily from life—say, setting up an easel in the backyard and painting the roses.

Instead, as a storyteller, you make the world up as you go. This involves first turning inward before turning outward to your canvas. If you’ve never done it before, this process can feel uncomfortable and even scary. If you’re anything like me, just looking at a blank canvas can be anxiety-provoking. It can be so unsettling that you grab a vase full of flowers and start painting what’s in front of you as a way to calm down. But if you do this, you will squelch your inner storyteller right away.

Instead, a nice way to ease into a storytelling mindset without getting blocked by fear is to do a few warm-up activities and let loose with an emotional color field.