I've been enjoying how each of you share your thought processes on this challenge. It's great fun to see pages from sketch books, and computer generated photos, etc. I have to tell you that I have done none of that, for this first round, or in most of the work I do, for that matter. Thus, the title of this post.
When we found out what the first challenge was, I didn't immediately know what I was going to do. I tried, unsuccessfully, to take some photos of dandelions in my yard. I had a few ideas flutter around in my head, briefly. But then, one day, I knew what I was going to do....and I started. I'm not done as of yet, but I'm wondering now, after seeing how some of you are working through this, did I give it enough time? Do I need to sketch more, take more pictures, make more notes?
I'm not sure what the answers to these questions are at this moment, but I have to say that I am totally enjoying being a part of this group and sharing this experience with all of you and getting to know how you work. I'm hoping that I learn more about myself and how I go about processing my creativeness in my head and out into my work.
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4 comments:
Hi Terry,
I think it's important to remember that we all go about our need to create differently. I like to work intuitively, but I'm trying to use the journal as a learning process to see if it makes a difference in my work. If you have an idea that grabs you, I say go with it. A piece of work is not any better or more valuable because you spend more time on it, I think if you have an idea and it feels good, you should go with it.
Like Karen, I work intuitively. It is very rare for me to do a sketch. I can work from a photo without making a pattern - I just eyeball it and do it. I like that it doesn't look perfect like some work you see that is obviously photoshopped and a pattern made.
I have been known to go to my studio and make a really great piece in a few hours. I have also be4en known to spend days and weeks on something. I always like the spontaneous work the best.
We each work differently and that is ok.
I think it's important not to compare the way we work or what we make too much with others because each one of us will feel unworthy in one way or another. (I know because I do it all the time.) What we should do is absorb all that we see and if it seems worth trying ourselves and then if it's a good fit then maybe we could incorporate elements into our own work.
Maybe next time, challenge yourself to do some sketches, or sew some fabrics together after you've got what you think is a good idea, but before you've fully committed to it. Maybe photos weren't what sparked you for this project, but don't discount them for another one. There's nothing wrong with being intuitive and spontaneous, but there's nothing wrong with planning and fore-thought either. The only way to know what is the best fit for YOU is to try a bunch of different approaches.
I can relate to this feeling, especially as I keep concluding that my ideas are too simple. Funny how I tend to resist what I want to do, and end up making it more complicated for myself.
I also notice that *how* I work depends on my mood. My plans are never very fully fleshed out at all (in fact, I'd like to try a bit more of that) but some projects just develop intuitively. So for me, there is room to work on the whole spectrum, as my mood and the project allows. I don't know, but I'm guessing that there are fewer people who consistently work the same way (always fully planned or always totally spontaneous), but maybe not. It's fascinating to see how others work, and like Kristin, I like thinking about whether I can incorporate some tiny bit of someone else's method into my toolbox.
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