Take a mental note
...or an actual note if you can
Hey hey hey lovely souls! How are ya?
I felt a rut coming on. I was feeling uninspired but also had the urge to pick up a mix of materials. I noticed my hand sneakily slide over to my phone and head to instagram for a little “harmless” scroll session. I’m happy to say I stopped myself in my tracks.
Where we source inspiration from is something I’ve spoke of before. We have to go to the source, not to the art that already exists. I’ve fallen into this trap too many times. Whenever I get asked about defining a style or finding your creative voice my answer is simple if you’re willing to be patient:
Checking my notes
Let me take you back 10 or so years (damn I’m getting old). Growing up I wanted to be a fashion designer for as long as I can remember. I would cut out little fabric samples and doodle ladies of all shapes and sizes. I learnt to knit when I was 8 and got my first sewing machine when I was 10. As time went on I realised it wasn’t so much a love for making clothing but more for observing and drawing the people in it. I would people watch in awe, transfixed on how a garment would flow with their charisma and movement, imagining stories of how these (everyday) people lived their lives.
Let me fast forward to now. Sat twiddling my thumbs, I remembered this wonderful little habit I got into. When I’m out and about, if i’ve forgotten my sketchbook (which happens more often than I care to admit), I take notes on my phone. Whether it’s interactions, colour combos or fashion finds. Taking a mental note, or an actual note forces me to gather “back-up” inspiration for times when I feel a little stuck.
Let it be noted
Don’t get me wrong, I love social media, without it I wouldn’t be able to share my work so freely. However, there is a rise in “saminess” (as I like to call it) and I genuinely do believe it’s because we are fed a multitude of trends at an alarming turnover. My fear is creating work that looks so similar to another that people can’t differentiate the artists and it’s definitely something I notice when scrolling Instagram.
My character style has undergone the biggest evolution amongst all my creations because it’s what I focus on most. I use to draw long limbed, small headed, wonky people. At the time I thought that was it, “this is my style”. Overtime, and i’m talking years, the legs became shorter and the heads grew a little larger. It was a natural process that I didn’t even realise was taking place. As I learnt more, failed regularly and adapted - so did my style. You can often tell if something isn’t natural or “you” because it will inevitably change or feel inauthentic.
The work I sit most comfortably with are the pieces that have a back story, an evolution. It takes more time for sure but the outcome is always more worthwhile.
My unsolicited advice to you - if you’re trying to find your creative voice, you’re not going to find it scrolling social media.
A “post it” note
There was a time when I’d hold back from posting this kinda work because I felt it had no substance, relevance or purpose. In actuality, it has a “creative” story, an embodiment of my process. So post it! Share it! Embrace the irrelevance or randomness because you don’t know who might see it. *ommmm… manifests publisher, art director, creative agency seeing this…ommmm*
On that note (can you tell I ran with the theme of notes), imma love ya and leave ya for now, happy note taking.
Ciao, Chiara x