I used to sketch a lot when I was younger. I'd spend class time illustrating when I should have been paying attention. The range of things I could draw was not wide, though. Mushrooms, skulls, and comic book characters were my bread and butter. Over the years I've lost touch with that part of me. As it turns out, being an adult is time consuming. Who knew? Because of my time in the Army, I get paid to go to school and what better way is there to regain touch with my artistic side than to attend a graphic design school?
Despite my lack of artistic range, I had gone pretty much my entire life believing I had a strong level of creativity. That is, until I attended Platt College. What I have learned in the past year at this school is that my level of artistic skill is intermediate, at best. I haven't allowed the direct exposure to numerous artists who are infinitely more skilled than I to discourage, though. I'm as determined to finish with my degree and continue to hone my skills now as I was on day one. Possibly more so. Although my funding for school will end in November, I feel I've gained a solid foundation upon which I can continue to build after I've received my degree. I'm not sure where these skills will lead me but I already feel as though my career in graphic arts will be much more interesting and fulfilling than anything I've done in IT. I'm a tech nerd for life, but supporting people who know nothing about the machines they use all day long is a frustrating way to spend your day and I need an outlet. Here's to hoping that the graphic arts will show me the way.
Everyone has a large range of creativity! It's learning how to open up those water gates to let the creativity flow freely. For a lot of people it's music, for others, meditation. I've learned for me it's music and isolation. I can't have other people interrupting my creative weave. I also make sure to surround myself with things that will inspire me. That's why studios are so important I think.
ReplyDeleteIn a lot of ways, it's about not trying and like you said, an outlet. Sometimes I will start with a blank sheet and start drawing with no ideas whatsoever, and just see where my hand takes me.
And just take notice of the words you chose to describe your experience so far with graphic arts. Fulfilling is a pretty powerful word!I hope you choose to do something you love with your life.
I agree, though. Being an adult is very time consuming. Sometimes I feel as though the real world has just sucked the creativity right out of me! It's hard to reconnect with that side when you've been out of the game for a while, but it's not impossible. We've all got the potential to do some really awesome things :)
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who's spent their adult life doing something nearly the complete opposite of going to a liberal arts college. I'm a science and tech geek myself, but I can't find the motivation to get into the inevitable high-level math involved in the higher echelons of both those fields. I discovered a little late, that the process of creation's a better fit and maybe finding a medium between the two hobbies would lead to something significant.
ReplyDelete"I get paid to go to school and what better way is there to regain touch with my artistic side than to attend a graphic design school?"
ReplyDelete-Couldn't have said it better... its been a great experience.