Creative Process: Work or Play?

Identify. What is the goal of your creative effort? Sometimes creativity is a means to an end, sometimes the creativity is an end in itself. Whenever I get a chance, or when I get stuck creatively, I will do a free form design just to open the creative avenue. Here’s an example:

This design is an end in itself. The whole point of this creative effort is the creative effort. The same can be true whether in writing, painting, music, etc. If you look at the great masters of creativity you will see them sketching on the back of napkins, or maybe writing lyrics and verse on scraps of paper. I saw in a book a piece of gift wrapping paper that Phil Collins had written the notes to the score of the Disney animated movie, Tarzan. He was playing a song at a party and there it was. That’s how it works. Sometimes your play becomes the spark that can lead to your best work.

When you become a creative, the distinction between work and play becomes almost invisible to others. It’s hard to separate sometimes, that’s the beauty of being able to do what you love. Maybe their right when they say I’m not really working, hmmm.

Tomorrow we’ll go the next step in the process, understanding your project.

What are your thoughts, how do you get your creative avenue open? Post your comments below.

-Armando

Questions or concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!