In my course Visual Literacy a Course in Drawing I wrote an essay about 14 Reasons to Keep Visual Journals.
A diary has value and is relevant to any creative process.
In the past it hasn't been as easy for some of the areas within the creative arts to keep journals as it has been for writers or artists. With the invention of affordable digital video cameras, Webcaming and Podcasting came the opportunity for the note takers of the other sections of the Creative Arts to spontaneously record their thoughts, intuitions, and impressions with out the loss of valuable material.
These valuable recordings can be kept online in an electronic journal or online as a web log. Blog. Some of the reasons Creative Artists would take journaling up as a discipline include.
Personal process.
Self discipline Record of personal improvementSelf nurturance - Self of directionPrivate space for explorationDeveloping intuitive awarenessPublic Collaborative.Starting point for discussionLogical mapping of themes and ideas to share with others Process evolution to explain where ideas came fromDialogue with styleRecords of patterns and relationshipsTechnical Capturing fleeting thoughts, emotions, expressions and impressionsTrying out techniques, styles and ideasExperiment with abstraction and stylizationAn animator could use an electronic journal to capture facial expressions. They can be illuminative when trying to create the animated characters movements and credibility. The information could help the animator create a 'look' that was just right.A dancer might have a video cam set up in an area of the house to enable spontaneous movement to be recorded. Later more complex integrations and synthesis can be facilitated from these first impressions and expressions. Movement is captured and able to be depthed both at the time and then later during the process of synthesis.A poet may pin a small recorder to her lapel. She can then talk into it when haiku or fleeting impressions come to mind. By speaking into the recorder and later plugging it in to the computer the artist can record the impressions through a voice activated programme. The fleeting thoughts can now wait to be refined when an opportunity arises.Spontaneous processes allow Creative Artists to develop discipline, personal authenticity and evolve stylistically. Collaboration can occur in a spontaneous and refined manner enhancing communication whilst at the same time allowing for authenticity, synergy and efficacy.Related Blog Scrappy Ideas Journal.
