Lecture Notes on Creative Process and Storytelling

Introduction to Documentary Creation

• Exploring the aesthetic of storytelling.
• Question: Is the documentary about me or by me?
• Experience design: Focus on how to reveal self in art.

Control and Creativity

• The artist's struggle with control.
• Importance of trusting the process:
  • Art involves staring at a blank page.
  • Need for spontaneous, unpredictable moments in creation.

Abstraction in Art

• Abstraction: Critical concept in art creation.
  • Start with many ideas, eliminate until few essential remain.
  • "Good shape" or "good form" as a basis for drawing various concepts.

Influence of Education

• Difficult experiences with a strict teacher, Heinz Edelmann.
  • Criticism shaped understanding of artistic evaluation.
  • Importance of variations in artistic process (e.g., drawing a red clown's nose).

Balancing Detail and Abstraction

• Each idea requires the right balance between detail and abstraction.
  • Example: Illustrating a heart as a symbol for love.

New Yorker Covers as Artistic Milestones

• New Yorker covers as prestigious platforms for artists.
  • Historical significance and cultural impact of covers.
  • Personal anecdotes linked to specific covers (e.g., first cover on wedding day).

Concept for Current Work

• Working on a VR cover for The New Yorker.
  • Approach includes creating a 3D interactive experience.
  • Integration of inside and outside perspectives in New York scenes.

Connection to New York

• New York as a significant city for personal and professional growth.
  • Immersion in American culture felt natural and familiar.
  • Experiences, like riding the Staten Island Ferry, shape artistic perspectives.

The Role of Routine in Creativity

• Daily life informs artistic work but can lead to stagnation.
  • Need for constant reinvention in image-making and storytelling.

Artistic Freedom and Process

• Necessity of free creation time outside of deadlines.
  • Contrast between structured work and spontaneous sketches.
  • Importance of practice and dealing with fears about creativity.

Experience as Inspiration

• The idea of authenticity vs. the performative aspect of art.
  • Real life is often mundane, authenticity not always desirable.
  • Art’s power lies in transforming and abstracting everyday experiences.

The Challenge of New Mediums

• Transitioning from print to digital and interactive mediums.
  • Need to adapt and find new ways to engage with audiences.

Conclusion

• Continuous evolution of artistic practice.
  • Design as a celebration of the world and personal experiences.
  • Aspiration to communicate through visuals like a musician with music.