Reference Your Imagination

Creative ideas swirl all around us every day, all day. This is true, but sometimes we do not have a reference point for a preexisting idea. Sometimes our personal experience is so limited that we have to refer to other sources to drive our picture-making or creative endeavor or even to solve one of life's wealth of problems.

Violin And Violinist Sketch click: Here

This task of conceptualizing is often time-consuming. There are many rabbit trails and often we can be so enraptured in this task that it takes away from time to solve the actual problem.


The important thing is that at the end of this time you can come to a conclusion that is based on reality and not on your mental image of it.



The hard lessons learned by understanding this result in a spirited piece of art and a growing visual vocabulary. Practicing understanding the mundane will pay off in dividends when under a deadline. This practice is grown through drawing multiple versions of a subject from multiple angles and sources. This has been my primary drive for mastering the quick-sketch and has been the foundation upon which I am building my inking skill.

Consider your discipline. Are you taking every possible measure to understand your subject? What techniques do you use to learn for the sake of the end result?

Advocate

Creative habits may be the hardest kinds of habits to practice. It seems like creative types are either all in or all out. You could hit a wall at a moment's notice. Or you could have so many ideas that you run out of sketch paper, canvas, wall space, time, and energy.


I don't let these fears scare me. I am a cartoonist Doggone It!

Creative ideas swirl all around us every day, all day. As I have said before Life does precede Art.  I try not to discriminate which days I should create and which I should not. But it is a concerted effort of mine to rest on Sundays. At which times I could either let my creativity stay latent or just flow with what God is doing. From the midst of notes I practice my illustrative skills. The mix of words and images mustered on the spot. Cartoons for the sake of demonstration of a point or exempla. If there is anything else cartoons are better suited, let me know. For me, sermon notes take the cake.

View my pages here and see if you can find patterns and repetition. I do advocate the Holy Bible as the true word of God. His love story to His creation, specifically us. Take notes at a church service or presentation and see what images you can create along side the words to enhance your memory of it. Send me a link to your website or blog if you have posted it.