Did you ever see those memes being passed around on social
media? It shows a group of pictures showing what "THEY" ( fill in
who they are) think I do vs. what
I actually do? Of course I laugh at a lot of them, but unfortunately, there is an element of
truth in that humor. (all meme images are from Google, they are not my images)
(That last one hit a little too close to home, as of late!)
Being a visual creative, you realize that everyone has a
different perception of how we make art happen, what skill set might have been
needed to accomplish the final product and how long they think it should have
taken. The reality is, that it's extremely hard work, long hours in isolation, and
is not always a smooth journey....especially when you decide to try something
new!
Not to say that every single project is a total disaster.
Sometimes I start a job and everything seems to just fall into place, with the
exception of a couple of minor speed bumps on the road to the finish. But occasionally,
both the creative and technical hurdles to get a job done, can become
overwhelming. And just as you jump over one hurdle , you're met with another
and another after that. Sometimes those hurdles come fast and furious, one
right after the next, so you just keep jumping over them and continue moving
forward, right? But, sometimes...you fall.
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| Illustration by ©Deborah Cuneo - "How The Coyote..." - Pioneer Valley Books |
And it's okay. It's during that rather abrupt halt in artistic
momentum, when you're laying on the cold, hard ground of reality, feeling
totally exhausted, emotionally drained (and somewhat defeated), that you realize it's
not just your artistic skills that are going to pull you through. It's your ability
to troubleshoot and find creative solutions for problems you never even knew
existed, that now become your most valuable skill! It's also in that moment of despair and frustration, that we seem to be
the most creative!
Being a bit of a podcast junkie, I recently came across a great Ted
Talk about frustration as a catalyst for creativity. ( link below)
By the time I listened to this, I had already begun to figure
out how to resolve my technical hurdles for my current project, but I found the similarities between what lead
to my solutions and what was intentionally done to those creatives to inspire innovation, really intriguing. I
also found it interesting that the scenario that most people usually do everything to
avoid, can actually produce a very positive, creative spark!
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| Little Dragon - Sky Pony Press |
Thinking back, it
truly was in those toughest times, when everything in my creative process was overwhelmingly
frustrating, that I seemed to tap into my most creative thinking. Now ...I
hope it all pays off !
Website: www.deborahcuneoillustration.com
Blog: Creating Out Loud deborahcuneo.blogspot.com
Facebook: Deborah Cuneo Illustration
Blog: Creating Out Loud deborahcuneo.blogspot.com
Facebook: Deborah Cuneo Illustration
Twitter: @debcuneoart
Instagram: @ataleof2studios
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