Three important creative truths
I discovered three important creative truths that have helped me thrive in the studio this year. Finding them early on, whilst making my current ‘Red Playground’ collection, will no doubt help me in my quest to make a lot of abstract art.
Pursuing abstraction requires carefully re-evaluating crafted philosophies, ideas, and detailed planning from my past narrative days. Making works in a quiet, pre-determined manner are on hold for the moment.
1. Change is critical
The first of three important creative truths is to recognise change is critical. Therefore, willingness is required to take risks and work through new ideas in the studio. Hence, I must embrace being uncomfortable with results in the interim and potentially the finish.
2. Problem solving is key to creativity
The second important creative truth is that problem solving is one of the most fruitful ways to be creative.
Problems presented by the crunchier supports of ‘Red Playground No. 8’ and ‘Red Playground No.9 ‘ forced me to reconsider how I applied media. A big part of change is solving the problems encountered on the way to success.
Read “The 4 Problems I Solved Creating on Really Rough Paper”, by clicking here.
Rewards of problem solving in making Red Playground works.
I was well rewarded with incredible ideas that were birthed in the process of solving problems encountered in making ‘Red Playground No. 8’ and ‘Red Playground No. 9’.
Physical mark making on the rough paper isn’t easy, but the results are actually quite pleasing. Although I thought the latest works would have more similarities to ‘Red Playground – Finish What you Started”, I’m okay with the difference. Indeed, this is my year of play. Moreover, I embrace that all three differ to a similar degree from their “Can Red Come Out to Play” forebears as well.
Future Creativity Benefits
The rough paper heavily influenced the way I applied media. Creating a globe-like form on them, similar to that of ‘Red Playground -Finish what you started’, was something I was unwilling to do. It would take too much time.
Papers for the upcoming ‘Red Playground No. 1’, ‘Red Playground No. 2’ and ‘Red Playground No. 3’ were treated even more ruthlessly.
Thereby, I got a plethora of creative problem solving opportunities. Stay tuned for that.
To learn more about the relationship between problem solving and creativity, I recommend checking out the following:
- “All creativity is problem solving” by Joshua Carroll on the Decoding Creativity series on Brush-up by Creative Market.
- “How to be creative”, from Off Book PBS Digital Studios.
3. Mistakes are vital
Because I’ve been on a mission to complete 52 abstract works in a year, there is no time to worry about making “mistakes”. In fact, they’re a vital part of playing and progressing in the studio. It’s a really big win, personally, that I’ve learned to live with them.
One mistake I’ll deal to in the next set of works is that the papers for the set comes from different manufacturers. I won’t change out the paper because of a big challenge rule to only use the materials from my current supply stash. Creating cohesive works on the papers will be another creative problem to solve.
Closing thoughts
The Inspiring works
The derivative works
