Not sure where the idea came up originally, I guess it's one of those random out of the blue 'Aha..' kind of things. Not quite on par with the highly esteemed "Eureka!!" kind of moments that magically solves those impossible dilemmas or inventions, but more like a manic-inspired idea, the kind of feeling that LSD might make you feel as if you could fly and walk off a cliff...before reality hits you on the way down. Well okay, maybe it's not that crazy but it's still the same manic feeling. The aftermath leaving you with a feeling similar to a nasty hangover, in the mental sense of the word. And no, I don't take LSD. I read about those horror stories though.
It's not exactly inspiration as it just ebbs and flows before fading away into oblivion. It doesn't leave you feeling quite the same as a manic feeling does. Maybe inspiration is a little bit of mania in itself.
The idea is about wearing uniforms to draw.
But that sounds too serious right? So I went with the idea of wearing a costume instead. I'd love to get into a whole wardrobe full of costumes idea just for this purpose, not as a cosplayer in the public sense or even for Hallowe'en. It's not really meant to be shown off for the public anyways. So it's more of a closet thing.
The point is to feel silly.
Feeling silly is the way to go. An anti-thesis to being serious. To trigger the required mindset for it, all you need is a silly ritual, or just think of a little prayer, some role-playing, anything to shift the focus to a new task. Even doing a "silly walk" based on Monty Python's walk as part of a ritualistic routine on the way to "work", even if your work is in another room. It's got to be its own unique feeling otherwise it'll be like anything else in normal clothing ( ho hum ) and you won't feel the difference in the changes of mindsets. Feeling is the key here.
Feel how it feels to be in that clothing and let it work through you. The time spent putting on the uniform builds up anticipation for the work you're about to do. Then once you are finished with your work, feel free to disrobe it and act as if you are "shedding" its skin to go back into your old self. The time spent disrobing also helps with the process to switch off your brain so that you can think of other things to avoid work-related burnout. And who knows, maybe it'll develop into a new personality that works through your art too.
Imagine how you would feel putting on a doctor's robes. Would you feel like a doctor and get some heightened sense of importance while playing in that role? Wouldn't they feel different after a long day's work once they take off their uniforms? I'm sure everyone in uniform in the police, or the military feels that way. Or even sports players with their crazy superstitious rituals that they do. So why not do the same for your art "profession" too?
So, time to jump into my gorilla costume which I, surprisingly, still have "around" which I found in my closet for over 20 years. Amazingly, it still fits. Perfect! Time to go ape-shit. Rarw-rwar-arar.
The effects of wearing an old costume from childhood brings back a flood of memories. Taking a good wiff of nostalgia helps with that as it is an already established feeling. It's easier to go back than to move forward in a sense. Wearing something new for the first time is more for novelty and doesn't quite feel the same way. So for that reason it made more sense to me to go with the gorilla costume first, for now, before I even decide to get other costumes
And if everyone thinks you're crazy? So what, throw bananas at them.
If you don't have a costume? Wear a smock and a beret hat.
And a fake moustache.
And act french.
No comments:
Post a Comment