Fostering Creativity

 

I didn't know what to expect from a class that's sole focus was on creativity, but I'm really glad I was able to take it.

I've always liked to draw, and to write. My dream is to make graphic novels for a living. I have a lot of ideas for graphic novels, plot graphs, sketches--I still haven't finished anything--but I'm working to change that. This class made me start to think about how I can ensure those changes. 

I never knew that to cure my creativity block I needed to stop looking for ideas until I took this class and thought about it. To clarify, I spent a lot of time working on my graphic novel ideas, searching for THE perfect idea for them, but now I know that's not how making art should work. Now that I am endowed with the knowledge to consider all options, scribble down all ideas first, even the bad ones, it has completely changed and expedited my own creative process. Now I know to not make a plan, until I have an excess of materials. Even if I don't use each one, I can still let them influence my art in other ways, or exercise restraint by not putting it in there.

This class has also just made me evaluate what actually inspires me. I know everyone is different, some people come up with ideas in the shower, or on the morning drive to work. For me, it's when I'm walking around the block or to the train station, when I have my headphones in, through music. Music influences my art way more than I used to be aware of. The vibe or tone of a song will completely change which scene I start to brain storm. In fact it was the song "N95" by Kendrick Lamar, from the album Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers, that made me decide to make the graphic novel I'm working on right now political. I had no intentions to make it political prior to listening to that song in the context of this piece of art. Now, I couldn't imagine the drafts I have without their political narrative.

It's weird too, because I'm not super musically inclined. I don't play an instrument. I always wished I'd taken ballet, and I'm as mediocre of a singer as any other person, but music influences my narrative inspiration like nothing else. I've come up with so many ideas for scenes, a character's likeness, the tone of a story through music, and it feels great to be creatively intelligent enough to recognize that.

Now, when I want to brainstorm, I put in my headphones and take a walk, instead of sitting staring at my paper for an hour just to write down a few words. 

I'm very cynical. That's part of the reason I think my wife and I get along so well, because were both cruel cynics in our view of the world. Everything that is kitsch is enjoyed by us ironically. But, ever since I've started this class, since I've started school, I have already developed and enriched my ability to be creative more than I could ever imagine. I know you go to art school to improve your taste level and artistic ability, but I truly feel that I have had not just an improvement, but a creative renaissance within myself.