Thursday, September 11, 2008

Connecting the Dots - Social Design



I started my Connecting the Dots as a document, and since I'm not able to copy and paste here very well I've thrown in my images of the preliminary research work.

Furthermore I'll describe my creative process in a broad view.  Many things spawn my creative process, anywhere from magazine clippings, photos I've snapped, while reading, music, tv, news, existing objects I own or see out and about, even people, so basically anything is fair game for inspiration.  I can't control when ideas pop in my head, many times I will be in class listening to a demo or discussion and one little thing will spark in my mind and if I try to suppress the thought, its just like gasoline to fire.  I'll run with it and jot down what's going on in my head along with my notes.  I never abandon a thought; once something makes sense even in the least bit in my head I need to record it immediately before its lost forever.  For that reason I always have some form of notebook in my purse; if not multiples.  If by chance I don't or my purse isn't on me, I'm almost always certain to be holding my cell phone; which the notes come in severely handy.  I've got many lists in my phone, just looking now to name a few: Google This, iTunes, Jewelers, Books, Plexiglass, General Ideas.  Then I'll jot in the respective category what I'm thinking and save it and go back later and then firm it up by jotting it down in a notebook and then disposing of the reminders.  I frantically type in my phone ALOT.  People think I'm either insane or being insanely rude as I normally type away while they're talking or explaining something to me, when I get the questioning looks I explain I'm not cutting them off, I'm still there, but I've got something I need to get down so I won't forget it before I respond to them (my family and boyfriend just LOVE this, I'm constantly doing this while talking to my mom when were out, and the the "finished yet?" incessantly)  I love the quote on the direction sheet saying if need be buy another purse if you need to in order to contain a sketchbook.  That's going to be my next excuse, because I ALWAYS want a new purse, they're my simple (and guilty) pleasure in life.  If I give my mom that line she might shoot me in the head, but I'm running with it, thanks Jan! But seriously, my purse is usually filled with little notes or ideas on ripped out note pages or in the pockets of my wallet.  I even have a post-it pad in my car; not too safe, but it's ok at red lights.  I tend to snap a ton of pictures as I'm driving; if its pretty out driving down the road it puts me in the best frame of mind (if no idiot drivers are surrounding me, or else it could be gorgeous but I'm too annoyed to care)  So I take pictures as I drive hoping some of that will translate when I get the chance to look at it later, and most of the time I love the results, good and bad.  Thats a quick set of what sets of my creativity, anytime, anywhere, anything, and once the bug hits me I run with it and jot it down, and later I'll either pursue, expand on, or trash the ideas, but at least I keep track of as much as possible.

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