Your peak creative performance is most likely achieved during periods of relative tranquility, characterised by a manageable workload and a rested state. This suggests that engaging in your artistic endeavours during times of minimal external demands and prior to reaching a state of exhaustion optimises your creative output. Steps for developing a methodology for artists: ### 1. **Complexity Theory and Natural Process**: - Embrace [[Complexity Theory]] in your artistic approach, akin to [[Brion Gysin]]'s methodology. ![[TheProcess.webp]] - Allow the creative process to unfold naturally, adapting and responding to the present moment. By being present and responsive, creators are engaging with the same fundamental forces that shape the natural world. - Practice precedes theory: prioritise hands-on experience over theoretical constructs. #### 2. **Embracing Chance and Intention**: ##### Draw inspiration from Odilon Redon's interplay of chance and careful planning. Odilon Redon’s practice oscillated between meticulous control and a deliberate courting of chance — an interplay he spoke of with a kind of quiet mysticism. Through his letters, notebooks, and the recollections of contemporaries offer glimpses into how he navigated that tension. --- ###### **🎨 The accidental beginning of the noirs**  Redon often told visitors that his earliest _noirs_ — the charcoal drawings that made his name — emerged from “the accidents of the black.” He described letting forms arise _out of smudges and shadows_, rather than planning them in advance. One story, repeated by his friend Gustave Fayet, recounts Redon gazing at a charcoal stain that had spread unintentionally across the paper and remarking: > “It is the stain that speaks; I listen.” > He would then refine what chance had suggested into something precise — a floating head, a monstrous eye, a flower. What began as an accident became the seed of an image through slow, exacting elaboration. --- ###### **🪶 His ‘dream’ method** In a letter to his friend Émile Bernard, Redon described his process as _half dream, half discipline_: > “My drawings inspire, and are not to be defined. They place us, as does music, in the ambiguous realm of the undetermined.” He would begin each session by doodling abstract shapes, allowing associations to surface intuitively — but once an image declared itself, he pursued it with almost scientific precision, layering tone and correcting minute gradations for hours. --- ###### **🌸 The floral pastels and a different kind of control** Later, when he turned to colour and especially flowers, he spoke of _“directing chance.”_ Redon’s wife Camille remembered that he would arrange cut flowers in a vase “without looking too closely,” then paint what he called their _apparition_ rather than the actual bouquet. The looseness of the arrangement allowed chance harmonies of form and hue, but his touch on the paper was extremely deliberate. He said: > “I place colour where chance has smiled.” --- ###### **✨ The synthesis: chance as revelation** Critics who visited his studio noted how much he valued the first moments of improvisation. André Mellerio, his biographer, observed Redon scraping back a layer of charcoal to expose an earlier texture, then saying softly: > “Chance is my servant, not my master.” That phrase perhaps best summarises his position. Redon didn’t _trust_ chance blindly; he used it as a veil through which he might glimpse what he called _“the logic of the dream.”_ --- - Incorporate elements of serendipity, exploration, and uncertainty into your work. - Collaborate with others and trust your artistic intuition to guide your creative journey. 3. **Reviewing and Expanding Artwork**: - Engage in reflective practice by critically observing your artwork after each session. - Practice mindful observation to delve into the details and emotions within your pieces. - Foster experimentation, seek inspiration, and embrace serendipity to push creative boundaries. ### 4. **Journaling and Feedback**: - Maintain a visual journal to document ideas and observations, fostering experimentation and growth. - Seek feedback from peers, mentors, and art communities to gain valuable insights and perspectives. - Embrace iteration and revision, allowing your artwork to evolve and improve over time. By following these steps, you can develop a dynamic and responsive artistic methodology that fosters creativity, exploration, and growth. ____ The work should be done in ‘the field’ and not the laboratory. Always adapting, responding to now and experimenting. Practice precedes theory. The doing becomes the path - motion is emotion. 1. [[Complexity Theory]]: Gysin's approach to art, which often involved building complex systems out of simple elements, has similarities with the study of complexity theory. This field studies the behaviour of complex systems, such as ecosystems or economies, and the emergence of patterns and structures from simple interactions. Gysin's work can be seen as a precursor to the study of complex systems. Allow the process to unfold naturally. Once you have a clear goal in mind, you can begin to let the process guide you along. This means staying open to new ideas and letting your work evolve organically, rather than trying to force it into a preconceived shape. By embracing the creative process and staying open to new possibilities, you can discover new directions and ideas that you may not have considered otherwise. 2. [[Odilon Redon]] In the realm of artistic creation, there exists a parallel to the mysterious interplay of chance and careful planning found in science. Artists, like scientists, can harness this dynamic to enhance their creative process. Here are some words and methods artists can embrace: 1. Serendipity: Allow for serendipitous moments in your work. Embrace unexpected colours, shapes, or ideas that may arise during the creative process. These unplanned elements can infuse your art with uniqueness and vitality. 2. Exploration: Be an explorer of your chosen medium. Experiment with different techniques, materials, and styles. In the midst of exploration, you may stumble upon novel approaches that breathe life into your creations. 3. Embrace Uncertainty: Much like the Uncertainty Principle in science, acknowledge that art too has its inherent uncertainties. Let go of the need for rigid control, and instead, find beauty in the spontaneous and unanticipated aspects of your work. 4. Collaboration: Collaborate with other artists or disciplines. Just as complex systems in science often emerge from diverse interactions, collaborative efforts can lead to fresh perspectives and unexpected inspirations in your art. 5. Intuition: Trust your artistic intuition. Sometimes, the most profound creations arise from a deep connection with your inner self, where instinct and emotion guide your hand and brush. 6. Iteration: Recognise that art, like scientific experimentation, often involves multiple iterations. Be willing to refine and rework your creations, allowing them to evolve and improve over time. 7. Storytelling: Weave narratives into your art. Stories captivate and engage viewers, adding layers of meaning and intrigue to your work. This narrative element can introduce an element of mystery and depth. 8. Embrace the Unplanned: Occasionally, allow yourself to start a piece with no fixed outcome in mind. Begin with a blank canvas, both literal and metaphorical, and see where your creative journey takes you. In the world of art, as in science, the dance between intention and chance can lead to astonishing and beguiling results. Embracing this duality can open doors to new realms of creativity and expression. Here are some suggestions for learning to review and expand upon the marks and images you've created: 1. **Reflective Practice**: Take time after each session to review your artwork. Sit quietly with your pieces and observe them with a critical yet open mind. Consider what elements resonate with you and what aspects you might want to explore further. 2. **Mindful Observation**: Practice mindful observation of your artwork. Notice the details, textures, and compositions within each piece. Pay attention to the emotions and thoughts that arise as you observe your work. 3. **Experimentation**: Embrace experimentation as a key part of your artistic process. Allow yourself to play with different techniques, mediums, and tools. Explore new ways of creating marks and shapes to push the boundaries of your creativity. 4. **Seek Inspiration**: Look for inspiration in a variety of sources, such as nature, other artists' work, literature, or music. Expose yourself to different styles and perspectives to expand your visual vocabulary and spark new ideas. 5. **Embrace Serendipity**: Be open to unexpected discoveries and happy accidents in your artwork. Sometimes, the most interesting ideas emerge from spontaneous gestures or unplanned interactions with your materials. 6. **Visual Journaling**: Keep a visual journal or sketchbook where you can document your thoughts, ideas, and visual observations. Use this space to experiment freely and record your impressions of the world around you. 7. **Feedback and Critique**: Seek feedback from trusted peers, mentors, or art communities. Engage in constructive critique sessions to gain insights into your work and identify areas for growth. 8. **Iteration and Revision**: Don't be afraid to revisit and revise your artwork over time. Allow yourself the freedom to iterate on existing pieces, incorporating new insights and ideas into your creative process. By incorporating these practices into your artistic method, you can cultivate a deeper understanding of your work and open yourself up to a wealth of new possibilities for image creation and expression. --- Rest as the space for experimentation and differentiation, and Work as the realm of exercise and discipline. Let's weave this into a coherent practice. --- The Artist’s Rhythm: A Pendulum Between Two Gardens Imagine your creative life not as a line to be marched, but as a pendulum swinging between two essential gardens. 1. The Garden of Discipline (Work) This is the cultivated plot. It’s tilled soil, straight rows, and daily watering. Here, you exercise your craft. This is where you: · Show up to the blank canvas, page, or file especially when you don't feel like it. · Drill fundamentals (figure studies, colour theory exercises, technical tutorials). · Push projects to completion, meeting deadlines and honouring commitments. · Build the muscle memory of your craft. It’s the 10,000 hours. It’s the "art work." 2. The Garden of Wildness (Rest/Experimentation) This is the untamed meadow beside the plot. It’s overgrown, full of unknown flowers, and buzzing with strange insects. Here, you explore without a map. This is where you: · Play with a new medium "just to see what it does." · Follow a tangential curiosity down a rabbit hole with no commercial goal. · Consume art radically different from your own (a new genre of film, an unfamiliar music album, a scientific podcast). · Take a walk, daydream, or visit a museum with zero pressure to produce. This is the "rest" that isn't passive; it’s active receptivity. It’s differentiation. The magic isn't in living in one garden, but in the deliberate swing between them. --- A Practical Framework: The Artist's Weekly Rhythm 1. Designate Your "Work" Days (Discipline & Exercise) These are your structured, output-focused days. The goal here is depth and completion. · Theme: "Execution & Craft" · Mindset: The Artisan. You are building, refining, and finishing. · Action: Work on your core projects. Practice specific skills. Do the repetitions. This is non-negotiable studio time. 2. Designate Your "Rest/Experiment" Days (Differentiation & Play) These are your input and exploration days. The goal here is breadth and novelty. · Theme: "Curiosity & Connection" · Mindset: The Beginner/The Tourist. You are here to be surprised. · Action: No "production" allowed. Only: · Technical Play: Use software "wrong." Mix media that shouldn't go together. · Consumption Safaris: Watch/read/listen to things outside your field. · Nature/Urban Walks: With the sole purpose of noticing (textures, light, sounds). · "Bad Art" Time: Deliberately make something ugly or silly to break the inner critic. 3. The Sacred Transition Ritual The swing between gardens needs a gate. Create a simple ritual to mark the transition. · From Work to Rest: Tidy your primary workspace. Save and close all project files. Write down the first task for your next "Work" day. This physically closes the Garden of Discipline. · From Rest to Work: Review your project notes. Set up your tools. Put on your "focus" music or playlist. This ritually re-enters the Garden of Discipline. --- Signs Your Pendulum is Stuck & How to Correct You're Stuck in "Work" (Burnout, Repetition, Stagnation): · Signs: Work feels stale. You're copying yourself. Ideas feel scarce. You're irritable about creating. · Correction: Force a Rest/Experiment Day. Go to a hardware store, a toy store, or a library. Buy one weird material. Watch a silent film. Do NOT try to make it "useful." You're Stuck in "Rest/Experiment" (Diffusion, Lack of Output, Frustration): · Signs: Lots of starts, no finishes. A graveyard of half-formed ideas. Feeling unmoored or like an imposter. · Correction: Initiate a "Project Sprint." Give yourself a ridiculously small, clear project with a hard 48-hour deadline (e.g., "A 3-panel comic about my morning coffee."). Complete it. Ship it. Re-engage the discipline muscle. --- The Guiding Philosophy: Rest is Part of the Work This is the core insight. The differentiation that happens in the Garden of Wildness is what makes your work in the Garden of Discipline uniquely yours. The rest is not "time off from art." It is artistic R&D. Discipline without experimentation leads to technical proficiency but soulless repetition. Experimentation without discipline leads to brilliant fragments but no coherent voice. Your balance is found not by splitting time 50/50, but by listening to the needs of your current season. Sometimes a project demands 80% discipline for a month. Afterwards, you must then swing to 80% rest/play to replenish and find the next spark. Trust the pendulum. In short: Schedule your discipline. Protect your play. Honor the swing between them as the very process that generates an authentic, evolving, and sustainable artistic life. <iframe src="-"></iframe>