Developing creativity: from simple note to character.

Today is the 1st of March and it means that it's time to do another Creativity exercises. I already mentioned this method here but, unfortunately, it never became a routine. The idea is to create piles of notes with single keywords written on and then, choosing one of each pile, put them together. I created piles with nouns, verbs and adjectives. Feelings and emotions, colors and moods. Anything. You can start with ten of each, but obviously, you can make more. The idea is to create original and funny illustrations.

I actually made such piles before but they are holiday related themes. Back then it didn't work well for me but I want to give it another try. My themes at this point will be: Objects, Looks, Emotions. Since I work with graphite pencil I decided to ignore color names. I will not do beautiful and polished sketches but rather something very very rough.

I started with 2 notes, but obviously you can include three or even more. The more notes there are the more descriptive your illustration is to become.

After choosing my two words I decided to start drawing. But then I looked at my notes and said, wait. A table? What kind of table? Is it heavy or is it light? Is it made of glass or wood? Is it square or round? How is it positioned? Is it standing on all 4 legs or only two? Back or front? Or is it top down? Hmm.... Similar question were asked about the nose itself. And this way I ended up with so many possible combinations of Table and Nose, it's both scary and wonderful.

After a while I made my first sketch.

It was very carefully made, but in the end I've realized that I can actually draw a human nose (front view) and that I have to work more on my perspective. Also I thought that a human nose outline makes a beautiful table handle :).

These some additional sketches.

It was interesting and pretty challenging. I failed to do a nonchalant sketches, they were drafted carefully and pretend to be beautiful. Too clean comparing to what I really wanted to do. But if I manage to make it a monthly exercise, I will get better.

P.S. This is my February 30 circles in a minute exercise.