[From "The Art of Art": The art of the Process > Vision and Execution]
To put it very simply indeed, every work of [deliberate] art goes through two main stages: vision and execution. In the vision stage we collect information, raise different options, and finally sum it all up with a quick sketch of the finished work as we imagine it. Only after we had decided what the finished work is going to be like, we start executing the work itself. We could say that every [deliberate] creative work actually gets done twice: once when we form and sketch our vision, and again when we realize it.
The important thing about working with a vision is that it provides a clear framework for our efforts: we work until the result is close enough to our vision, and then we can stop. This frame of mind is fundamentally different from the open-ended "walk in the park" approach of casual art, in which we have no idea where we we're going and we only stop working when we're fed up or have ran out of time.
Deliberate work gets done twice: once when we form and sketch our vision, and again when we realize it.
Deliberate writing: sketch and execution.
Films are also made twice. Animatic vs. the finished result.
Sculpting is also done twice. Quick sketch vs. final work.
Computer games, AKA game level or maps, are also made twice: first the fully playable vision sketch, then the final level.
Great stuff Doron.
ReplyDeleteAll though I do agree that in times, it is necessary to work twice, what about the sketch as part of the process?
In many forms of art, the sketch is also used to layout the vision before continuing into the detailed execution. It's not really done twice but rather as a continuous progress.
Hey Rafi,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your description. The catchphrase "every work is done twice" is just a simplified way of looking at it. you could see it like that, couldn't you? Even when it's a continuous process, you could say that first we do the work as a sketch, then we go for the real deal.
There is, however, also a good reason to NOT think about it as a continuous process, and that is that it's a very good idea to actually leave your work for a while between the proof-of-concept sketch and the actual work. This way you get to judge your vision more objectively before going for it. Remember that we're talking about relatively long creative efforts here, not a casual afternoon work.
There's something else, too: with a deliberate work of art, it's a mistake to turn our initial sketch to the finished work. The sketch must stay there for reference, to remind us of how we had visualized the result. In this sense, it really is very close to doing it twice.
ReplyDeleteHey Doron,
ReplyDeletegreat post as always. I really enjoyed watching the two stages in different art fields, great examples!
I do agree with Rafi, about using the sketch as a layout. I do that a lot and find it helpful for the final execution, though i always save a jpg of my initial sketch for a referance.
Anyway, thanks for sharing your tips and again, great and well written posts!
I agree, using the sketch as a layout is a good idea, as long as you save a copy for reference. Not always possible though, for example with a sculpture. Also, sometimes the proof of concept sketch is made in a different medium (consider the video-board as a sketch for a 3D film, for example).
ReplyDelete