My creative slate is clean at the moment and I am looking for the next project. I want it to be a book and so I need to find a concept and an interesting way to share the concept. This is a frustrating and exciting part of the process with many dead end roads traveled. There is always a hope that the new perfect idea will land on the drawing table, but I know that only happens when I am actively searching for an idea and traveling dead end roads.
My creative process is based on doing and responding to visuals and words on paper. I have more luck getting ideas in an analog working mode than in a digital mode. For some reason the digital mode becomes about process and less about idea. Even so I almost always find myself staring blankly at my computer screen.
So off I go to some nice clean paper.
I was so happy to hear that you work on paper first. In my current class (you know the one) he said we should work 100% digital. I confess. I sketch it out with graphite an pad before I start.
I’m thinking of repeating the class and saw you were the instructor for Winter. Now you know my secret. But you won’t mind a little paper-work first, right?
Good luck with your new project.
It’s analog all the way for me! I love to feel the work being created, like digging in the dirt. What a great phrase, “traveling dead end roads”. It’s so true, I always come up with something great when I am willing to just willing to try lots of new ideas.
Is your slate really blank?
What about the colorful bugs?
If that is totally done I need to hear details.
My wife and I have been trying to collaborative on creating educational material for children. We look to our kids for ideas. They seem to be a good source for creative ideas.
I’d agree that working with a pencil/pen and paper frees you from some of the limits of working digitally. It also keeps you from relying on some of the gimmicks and fads that get over used.