I whole-heartedly support the notion of 'habit' in drawing, because it is all part of the process of seeing the world around us. I carry a notebook everywhere with me. I think my 'block' happens when something in my life prevents me from embarking on that process. I sometimes have to make an effort to remember what factors are involved in facilitating my ability to engage with the drawing process once again. I'm in the middle of writing a creativity coaching paper on 'creating the conditions' as well as the art, because there are so many barriers to the creative process in life, that it is easy to be pulled away from good habits.
On the other hand, I strongly believe that it is important to work hard at being creative, and to be disciplined about it. I do believe I have created my best work when I've really struggled. So the solution to block lies somewhere along a very fine line between external and internal forces.
I like Carol's suggestion below, (about writing in clay), because it may that the materials we choose may not be conducive to our creative mood at a given time. Sometimes I need to lose direction to gain direction again; to play to find my sense of purpose. Most of all I have to accept that this process is as important as my creative aims (when they do finally become deliberate again).
What methods do other people use to overcome block? I'd be interested for my paper.
Thanks
Yvonne
Practicing artist and workshop tutor
-----Original Message-----
From: The UK drawing research network mailing list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Linda Knight
Sent: 21 April 2008 12:40
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Drawing indifference
I would also support this. During my master's degree I was encouraged by my tutor to have a sketchbook on me at all times and attempt to do one drawing a day, of anything, even if it was what was left on the table at the end of a meal. The one drawing a day is a common instruction I think, but it does encourage drawing, again, without the worry of having some direction or context.
I certainly fount it a useful thing to do when I was uninspired
Linda
On 21/4/08 7:36 PM, "Carol Peace" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I completely agree and thank you Mike for putting it so well, it has
> reaffirmed an idea I had but was not sure about, the fact that artists
> should always work not just await the 'mood', creativity seems to stem
> from creativity.
>
> - how about drawing in clay for a while, you may either enjoy it or
> get so frustrated you will welcome back the paper!
>
> carol peace
>
>
>
> On 21 Apr 2008, at 08:49, Michael Bray wrote:
>
>> I sympathize with what sounds to be a common situation given the
>> responses so far. A couple of years back, there was a guest lecturer
>> at the university where I teach. She was showing an animated film
>> that she had just finished. During the talk, she addressed just this
>> point. What does one do when there doesn¹t seem to be the drive or
>> inspiration to work. Her solution was insightful. She just works
>> anyhow, almost on automatic pilot. What she does do though is to
>> work in a different media or process, which seemed to be the key.
>> She had just finished an exhibition, and was not feeling inspired to
>> work, so she made a series of 100 monoprints, mostly consisting of
>> non-objective shape, line, and color, with no aim in mind, just to
>> keep the process going. As she was doing this, she began playing
>> with the lid of her ink bottle, dabbing it on the masking tape that
>> held the paper in place. She became fascinated with the images on
>> the tape and began a new series of work on strips of tape that became
>> crowd scenes after she altered and added to the initial ink cap markings.
>> The tape series and the monoprints later became the backdrop for her
>> animated film, as well as some of them being stand alone drawings and
>> prints. The point was to always keep working, even if there is no
>> point at times to the work itself. I think as visual people,
>> inspiration only comes when there is something to look at. I know
>> that if I think too much without making something, my mind feels like
>> a hamster on a wheel. Once I start working, even just mindlessly
>> marking paper, something will eventually capture my imagination and
>> the energy and engagement soon follow. I have come to value these
>> times. It¹s as if I¹m bored with the line of work I was doing, and I
>> used to stop. Now, I work more freely, without any clutter of what
>> the work should be or should look like and just draw. I find after a
>> short time, the work moves into new and often more interesting areas
>> that I wouldn¹t have thought to push it. It only happens because I
>> kept working during this period of doldrums where I gave myself the
>> freedom to experiment, alter processes, and not be precious about the
>> work. A good topic Berry, thanks for bringing it up.
>>
>> Mike Bray
>>
>>
>> On 4/20/08 9:13 PM, "malcolm banthorpe"
>> <[log in to unmask]>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Given that you're not lacking in ideas or inspiration this is
>>> clearly not just the drawing equivalent of writer's block. "Just not
>>> feeling like drawing" is something that I'm familar with from time to time.
>>> For me it seems to be linked with the inner critic - the internal
>>> commentary that you refer to. I think that the disinclination to
>>> draw usually follows a period when I feel I've made some progress
>>> and am quite pleased with the outcome. This sometimes leads to an
>>> enthusiastic start of what promises to be a "really good" drawing.
>>> This is also the point where it all starts to go wrong. I have
>>> learned the hard way - but don't always remember - that if I set out
>>> with the intention of producing a "good" drawing the result will
>>> inevitably be disappointing. The intention means that there is a
>>> predicted end result - a mental picture of how it will look. If it
>>> is not achieved then it feels like a failure. If the result is as
>>> predicted then it's still disappointing because it is likely to show
>>> little or no advance on earlier work.
>>>
>>> Fortunately it doesn't happen too often. When it does I now know
>>> that the feeilng won't last too long and after a short break - up to
>>> perhaps a couple of weeks - I can get back to just drawing, without
>>> precise expectations.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Malcolm Banthorpe.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> .
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: Berry Daines
>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>> Sent: Friday, April 18, 2008 10:40 AM
>>> Subject: Drawing indifference
>>>
>>>
>>> Back to Drawing......
>>>
>>> There was a good/bad drawing debate a while ago, which I pondered.
>>> When drawing I have a running inner commentary of those niggling
>>> comments from Art College tutors, questioning techniques before the
>>> charcoal had even hit the paper. Usually music or radio plays etc
>>> drown that out.
>>>
>>> Currently I'm not lacking inspiration or ideas but for the first
>>> time ever just don't feel like drawing. I'm hoping to be back to
>>> normal in time to encourage teenagers to sharpen their drawing
>>> skills at some workshops in June, but have any of you drawing
>>> researchers ever lost enthusiasm for drawing?
>>>
>>> Berry
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> --
>>> ----------
>>>
>>
>>
Dr Linda Knight
Convenor, Arts Education
Faculty of Education
University of Canberra
ACT 2617
Australia
Ph + 61 2 6201 2491
Fx + 61 2 6201 2263
E [log in to unmask]
http://www.artresearcheducation.com
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