Whether it’s graphite, ink, or colored pencil, my process remains the same. I draw for the sake of creating; I draw for the sake of drawing. I have an unbelievable amount of respect for people who spend days, months, or even years planning and thinking about one piece, but I can’t work like that. My creative process runs on spontaneity. If I’m in class and an idea pops into my head or I see something interesting, I’ll pull out my sketchbook and draw or doodle. Sometimes what ends up on the page is the final product, other times I use it as a rough draft. Often, I’ll transfer it onto better paper or I’ll fix a flaw and recreate the image on another page of my sketchbook.
The materials in my creative process, the aforementioned graphite, ink, and colored pencil are not the only materials needed for me to create. Materials are present in what sparks an idea and causes an emotion. Of course material is physically present, but it’s also present in my drive to make something out of spontaneity, considering only my emotions at the time of creating.
The drawings I’ve kept were made with consideration for how I’m feeling, not what I’m thinking. These drawings are the product of an emotion, whether that is happiness, frustration, or anger. Yes, they’re on the page thanks to physical materials, but creativity lies in the presence of emotion.
Hannah Reid
thinkingthroughmakingsourcebook 