In college I was asked to read The Courage To Create by Rollo May, I was a bit skeptical at first that something could be gleaned from looking at the lives of past artists and creative geniuses. I assumed that inspiration was as fleeting as a dust devil so how could one possibly present inroads into the creative process?
Mark-making was the mindset I was in at the time, focusing on every individual stroke of the charcoal or brush. It was myopic but necessary in order to progress. A popular term for this is “Art Marks”, you’ll often see them around focal points to represent distant objects or atmosphere.
The book does not promise that you will become a genius if you follow the steps but it does show you that a lot of the more creative types have similar patterns amongst them. Starting with long sessions of work, round the clock, with short catnaps, followed by a period of relaxation, like a day off and a hot bath. Sounds funny huh? Well follow me beyond the fold to find out why this makes sense.