Creativity is not magic and copying is not a sin!
It always amazes me at art workshops, and even in everyday live, how many people think that the only reason why some of us are creative and some of us are not, is because of a divine spark of creativity – privileged to only a few!
What nonsense - all of mankind possesses that spark of creativity inside – some are just lazier than others! Believe me, not a very popular response! And yes, I do agree – some of us have a larger spark than others!
But! If it really comes down to the chips – the most creative people I know are also the most hard working – nurturing and fueling their natural creativity until it becomes a roaring fire that amazes those around them.
And the best way to start being creative? Copy, copy, copy! And I do not mean: right click, copy and paste! Start by finding an artist (classic or modern) whose style you really admire and try to copy one or two of his works. Really emerge yourself in that artist’s world – do some background reading to get to know the artist. Then try to emulate, even if only a piece of the artist’s painting, his strokes, colour use, etc. Be sure to make your copy the exact same size as the original! It is extremely difficult to try and reproduce a life-size Rubens on an A4 canvas!
After you have done a few copies and you feel like you have a really good handle on the artist’s style and technique – stop copying and start doing derivative work. Still use the artist’s style, but do your own compositions, alter the original until it is more yours than the artist you admire.
And remember Edison had to try 6000 different materials for the light bulb filament before hitting the jackpot! If you do the work, creativity will take care of itself!
The following video definitely confirmed my believe in how I view creativity, and although it uses the development of the PC as analogy, it is still very relevant to anyone interested in creativity.
Part three of this four-part series explores how innovations truly happen.
Or just read the transcript here:
http://www.everythingisaremix.info/
Also watch the rest on YouTube:
Additional Reading:
Everything is a Remix Original Website
Picasso: Good Artists Copy; Great Artists Steal
The Influence of Michelangelo on Peter Paul Rubens
The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo
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About
I am an artist and mother living in sunny South Africa (Pretoria, Gauteng), who has successfully avoided getting a “real” job for the last 3 years. Before my son was born I worked for 7 years as a graphic/web designer and programmer in the corporate world, so: “Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.”
Crealuna was born when writing code all day started to get the better of me. Since I used to get up at 4 in the morning to go to my studio and make stuff before going to work, creating while the moon was still throwing its last magical rays across the earth – Crealuna – just sounded appropriate.
I love all things creative and I love to blend arts, switching from digital to a real brush and back, sewing stuff onto my canvasses, dreaming and scheming about the endless new possibilities that await us in art, and in life, if we but approach it with an open and positive mindset.
Thank you for stopping by!
Miranda Gerber
