Start with what moves you

I don't make my livelyhood from graphic design. But if I did, I think it would be very hard to continually create someone else's ideas or vision. I have great respect for artists that can take a concept and develop it graphically, especially when it's not their own. I suppose in that case, the satisfaction comes more from being able to interpret ideas and then translate them graphically. That's an incredible talent to be proud of.

But for the times when we get to just free style our art, my advice is to start with what moves you. If you are writing a novel, make sure there are times when you have to look through tears to see your computer monitor. If you are composing a song, let the music express your most joyous thoughts or your most desparate fears. For everything you do creatively, try and capture the extreme emotions that are only yours, even if you never tell anyone what actually drove your creation.

PIC-OF-THE-WEEK

 I drove through Mill Creek Park last night and got some shots. This is Lanterman's Mill (with a few tweaks from Photoshop).

Getting there is important

I rarely post something from someone else in its entirety, but I think this is worth it (from Blaine Hogan):

You must understand that your art is not just what you make but how you make it. Your art isn't just the “what” of the end result, but also “how” you got there.

When we don’t allow for our end products to be birthed out of true artistic and creative processes that honor the “how” and even the “why,” the artist will be unable to infuse it with any internal significance. If it doesn’t mean something to the artist it won’t mean anything to the audience.

Weʼve all been in meetings or conversations about a piece of art where the following question is uttered:“Did it work?” This is not a question of art. This is a question for your washing machine. “Did it work?,” is not a bad question, there just might be better ones like…

Did you bring your insides out?
Did you acknowledge the lump in your throat?
Did you tell a compelling story?
Did you try something new? Something risky?
Did you work from your center?
Did you allow yourself to be moved?

We must put as much time into our “how” and our “why,” as we do our “what.”

This is how we make our process a work of art.

 PIC-OF-THE-WEEK

 I love to take farm photos. Yes, I did stretch the sky a little in Photoshop - couldn't resist.