Summary:
"Writing can be a powerful tool when creating visual projects. From the initial notes and sketches to free-writing and mind mapping, writing can help generate lively, lateral thinking. Writing helps to work through the process phase of a visual project, and can also serve as a reflective tool once a project is completed."
The writer's toolbox reading had several examples of how to use writing to enhance the creative process and help develop our concepts along the way. There were several examples of different ways to use writing to generate ideas through simple writing activities, and reflect on our work throughout all stages of the design process.
I think the information in this reading is very beneficial to students/designers alike. A lot of times I find myself just wanting to jump in and start a project by 'designing,' and the concept and goal of the project becomes lost. By learning to start a project by writing and getting all my ideas on paper first, I feel it could help eliminate a lot of extra time that is spent on designing something that could end up not being the best solution, or not even meeting the goal of the project. I also think that taking time to reflect on my work throughout the different stages of the project could help me determine what needs to be changed, what is working,etc., so I can fix those problems early on and move on to stronger solutions.
Mind maps:Mind maps give visual form to ideas and help initiate ideas in a
project.To make a mind map, you first start with a central topic,question, or subject. From that word you then branch out and write down words that are associated to that central word. Continuing to branch out from those words, you move away from the center as your associations to the center word/idea weaken, which can help new concepts develop that you would otherwise not consider. When done, reflect on the map, and find patterns and relationships that are evident from the process and can be used to develop a concept.
Concept maps:
Concept maps reveal students cognition organization and allow for a more thorough investigation and analysis of conceptual relationships and meanings. They show the relationships of concepts (objects,people,environments,events,etc.) in hierarchical order from general to specific. Each word is joined by a proposition or linking statement like "depends on" or "can be" "made of" etc.
Free writing:
Free writing is an excellent way to get thoughts down on paper, and can be used in prelim. phases throughout the course of the project. Free writing helps bring hidden ideas into the visible world, and allows your thought about a subject to flow on paper without any judgement. It promotes energetic discovery processes.
unfocused free write: allows you to put words on paper in response to a general thought or feelings a bout a topic or problem.
focused free write: addresses a specific question
To begin free writing, write 10-15 minutes about a problem or subject in more general terms ( why chose topic,what it is about etc.). Another way to begin is to choose 3 words important to the subject and write about those words. Posing a specific question about the project and then answering it is another way to generate ideas through free writing. I began by writing about each book, and then wrote about what they all shared in common with one another.
Word lists:
Word lists are typical to use to check off items that have been completed, which gives us a sense of control and accomplishment. Listing goes beyond that and can help us figure out things that need to be done in a quick way that uses words for idea generation.To create a word list, group the words in distinct categories, start with a word and then make a descriptive list of words,metaphoric words, or oppositional words that are related to that word. By creating specific categories, you help focus the list of ideas. Writing tools such as a thesaurus and a dictionary can be helpful too.
Outlines:
Outlines are structures that help organize info, plan/guide ideas you want to express. Outlines act as a framework to hold/organize ideas and usually contain a central idea,subsequent points,summary and conclusion. A storyboard can act as an outline.
Critiques:
Crits allow for periodic input throughout the project, the addition of many voices can help make a piece stronger. There are different ways to conduct a critique, such as using sticky notes, feedback questions, peer review and response, round-robin crits, and voting.
Reflective writing:
Good for self-assessment or self-crit exercise. Journals,blogs,sketchbooks are good places to document thoughts and reflections. Reading reflections can help bring more insight in your subject, they show how you've grown throughout the process. The main point of reflective writing is to get you to write which will make you a better thinker/artist/designer.
Journals/Sketchbooks:
Sketchbooks can be filled with ideas,notes,sketches etc. on a day-to-day basis. It is good to get in the habit of carrying them around with you to write ideas and thoughts down, write reflections to lectures, posters,films,magazines etc. Reviewing a sketchbook can help you reflect on ideas and the creative process.
Conclusion:
After completing the reading and the required exercises, I think that I have strengthend some of the original concepts and connections I have made so far in the book re-design process, and also found a connection I originally did not think of.
When working on the word lists, I ended up doing an associated word list over the word "cold," I hadn't considered this word originally, but when I entered in the visual thesaurus, all kinds of related words came up that could be used to connect my book series together. Some of the descriptive words I thought could work were bleak,unconscious,intense,cold-blooded,emotionless,unfriendliness and phrases such as 'lacking warmth of life,' 'located at a great distance in time or space.'
I think that using these different exercises when beginning a project is a great way to brainstorm before you commit to anything or become too invested in the design process. Reflective writing and critiques throughout the process are also good ways to step back from your work and critically review what you have done, and what you are trying to achieve.
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