The Creative Process of Karen Patel
Out lecture this week was concerned with managing creative teams. Chris Bilton’s reading was particularly illuminating with regards to ‘creative brokering’ – stimulating communication between members, understanding their creative processes and using their personal traits to encourage a creative synergy between them.
Annette asked us to think about our own creative process, so here is mine:
Far from Emmanuel’s romantic envisioning of the writer in a cottage, I work best in my square room in a semi-detached student house in Perry Barr. The absence of cavity wall insulation means I write and design under the comforting heat of a £15 halogen heater from One Stop Shopping Centre.
Many magazine designers use Apple Macs, but I am happy with my laptop. When I am designing pages I have to listen to music, which I usually listen to through Spotify. Favoured artists are of the easy-listening ilk, such as Erykah Badu, India.Arie, Dwele or if i’m in a more commercial mood, Mariah Carey (don’t laugh). I rarely plan or sketch out pages; I first think of the colours I want to use, then the heading font (which takes a while), then the pictures, and finally the text.
When writing or reading, I can’t listen to music. A few of my friends used to handwrite their assignments on paper, but I can’t do this either. I tend to just type whatever comes into my head and then read over it afterwards, but I don’t proof-read too much because I’ll stop concentrating.
I take breaks regularly, and like to get away from my room when doing so. Rather than step outside the cottage and sniff roses, I go into the out house downstairs. The outhouse is beautifully adorned with graffiti, permanent marker scrawlings and moss, with the odd slug for company if it is raining. There is also a beautiful pool outside, which has been created by a blockage in the outdoor drain. Such surroundings may not be thought of as a stimulus for creativity, but you would be surprised.
Creativity, students | Karen Patel | Wednesday, March 3, 2010
I think environment and supporting things around us play important roles in our creativity. I am so packed in my 12 square meters (I guessed) room sometime too. It kills my creativity sometimes.
so that is mostly about the environment. What about the process? Can you analyse that? Is it possible to analyse it? Objectively?