How Does a ‘Creative’ Mind Work?

I make this very clear in the beginning that I do not claim to be a ‘Guru’ or have earned the ‘Nirvana’; have understood the final truth and all. I would just like to share my thoughts, settled now, by the work I have been doing over the years.

Honestly, to call it ‘work’ would be a little injustice – because It has been a passion for me through out. I am one of those lucky chaps, who are fortunate enough to get in to a profession they love.

I do not hold any art school degree. Of course it would have made me better, or more importantly it would have made my abilities ‘official’ while looking for a job. I chose not to attend any art school and instead went to learn engineering. I got fed up soon and leaving it incomplete, I jumped on to the digital animation band wagon, a trend which was starting in India around 1990.

After completing the animation course, what I realized was, all the big dreams and big plans me and my friends had, after getting the diploma in animation, were so away from the real world. Real world of digital art scene out there in India. We were appreciating the great work done in western movies like ‘Terminator’ ‘Jurassic Park’ but in India, learning animation was kind of ‘Avant-garde’. Before its time.

So, meeting the harsh realities, I started working as a desk–top publication operator. A job which is equivalent to a web designer of 2007-8. Being a D.T.P. operator, you should learn the finest detail of the print media. Fortunately, I was put in the right path and started growing as a visualizer and graphic artist. Now looking back, if I try and analyze things. I think we can discuss “How does a creative mind work?”

Dreaming:

I don’t really have all this science of conscious and sub-conscious mind to tell you. But what I know for sure is a lot of creative minds have ‘dreams’ as a paradox or rough work pad or concept generator park. It is a very good practice to remember and note down the dreams, and on a relaxed weekend just think about that. It will some day really stir your mind and make you understand more about yourself. For me, dreams always have worked as a great help if there is a mind block on ideas. In dreams, there are so many creative ideas – on the verge of madness, are tried out, where you really do not have a direct control. Of course for this you have to have a great sleep, but unfortunately lot of ‘creative minds’ also suffer from ‘insomnia.’.