On Creative Impetus and Creative Output
I was recently asked about my creative process; a patron was curious about how I decide when to start or stop a project.
Coverng a canvas
In my process, I rarely know where I'm going when I begin a project. I might have an idea in mind, but I know that the end result almost never looks like what I might have had for a vision. This is a blessing and a curse; I like to think that I could make something that I've conjured in my mind's eye, but often I cannot. I consider much of what I do to be "action painting" at the start, and it evolves for me until I'm able to make a loose vision for the piece, grasping at the blend between reality and the abstract until something sticks.
As for the question of where to begin, it depends if I have a concrete reference or piece of inspiration, or if I'm going in blind. If I have a reference or landmark thought, beginning is straightforward (but not necessarily easy). I do my best to represent the subject.
An actual reference
As for moments more abstract, most of painting comes down to my personalized sense of taste; I've learned over the years what colors go well together, what forms I like to see, and so on. I can tell when I paint something "bad" and when I paint something "good." It's all contextual, and what I might consider a "good" application of paint in a specific painting might have nothing to do with what I first thought about the piece. I'm continually nudging myself in the direction of the compass, but I have to slap some paint on somewhat randomly before the direction has been settled.
If I find that I'm treading down a path well-lit, I can continue to push through. If I reach a point where I'm not sure where I'm going, my strategy often lies in the action and momentum of painting itself; mixing colors, cleaning my palette, and tinkering with shapes will carry me forward enough to be satisfied with the direction change, and I can continue. Sometimes I will look at a piece, become wholly confused, and stop.
In these scenarios, I think about overall output. I like Taleb's quote about how he was a voracious reader at a young age, mostly because he would not "stop reading" altogether-- if he became bored with a given book, he claims to have picked up another which was more interesting. I think the same strategy applies to painting, and anything creative, really. If I'm losing direction, I try not to stop painting and let it fester. I would rather pick up my watercolor set, or draw for a while, or begin another painting entirely. Covering a canvas with a base coat can be "inspiration" enough. Focusing on general output rather than forcing a given project to completion is far more enjoyable and productive.
Eventually I might become motivated to work on a previously-abandoned project, or I'll just say fuck it and blast over it entirely.
Inspiration lies everywhere
