Ideas... what would we do without them?
Probably we'd be a lot happier... only dumb and happy. Sort of like my cat I imagine, an enviable state of being for sure. Nap time 22 hours a day with breaks for breakfast and dinner.
However, one of the drawbacks of being an artist or writer is that you're always hatching ideas. Most of them just vanish and get replaced by the next idea. But sometimes they're ideas you just have to write down.
The back of the grocery list is one place I've often resorted to, when struck by an idea out shopping. The backs of brouchures... any kind of paper. Then when I get home I toss those ideas into my idea pile... where they collect dust as I busy myself making a living drawing pictures to demanding deadlines.
Every now and then I pick some sketches out... and maybe work them into a book or project.
Anyhow, above is a photo of my idea pile. It's fun to blow the dust off the top and leaf through the dozens of story leads and drawing inspirations in there. I keep these piles like treasures... I know there's at least half a dozen stories in there and it's always good for new directions and inspirations.
5 comments:
Wow John you're pretty loyal to your scrap paper! I should definitely be a little more careful before I consign things to the rubbish bin!
I wonder whether half the struggle of creation is simply a matter of organizing disparate ideas, if the way forward is simply to marry idea 1 with brainstorm 2, adding a touch of daydream 3..... somehow it never seems to work for me, but having your random meanderings filed for easy reference might definately be a big help!
Just toss all those sketches onto a pile somewhere.
I often use my favorites in books.
What a pile! I keep most of my snippets too, (but not a many as that!) it's always interesting to go back to them ten years on and try to work out just where you were coming from...sometimes what seemed like a lousy idea at the time isn't so bad in retrospect.
These are great !
Hi John,
I love this mouse with the watering can! I was just searching thru your blog to find your tulip paintings--to show them to a friend. I just love them! And love this mouse!
Maggie
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