the challenge
A few days ago when I launched Habit Zero Vol. II, I promised myself to experiment with things that don’t come natural to me. One such thing is drawing.
Drawing is not something I do. Period. I’m not good at it. Maybe this is the reason I am avoiding it. Or, it could be the result of avoiding practicing it. But that’s exactly the reason I decided to step out of my comfort zone (pardon the cliché) and just do it (a cliché again). I decided that in the upcoming weeks some Insights will be in the form of drawings, regardless of my lack of skill and therefore their potentially poor quality.
So, today we are playing with the Backstage Seed. Let’s draw something.
my insight
Armed with a small notebook I thought about the Seed. I can’t say why, but the first association I “saw” in front of me was of the sun and the moon as part of a theatre set, connected to ropes and weights so they can rise and set as needed.
Fair enough. Now I had to draw what I saw in my mind. Quality aside, I believe I captured what I had in my mind with my limited (non-existing) skill.
reflection
This was my first attempt in drawing an Insight (or drawing in general for that matter).
This exercise started in my mind and not in my notebook. Some people could start doodling without an explicit vision and flow with the drawing until something takes form. Since drawing is not natural to me, I felt more comfortable starting with an imaginary picture and only then trying to construct it on the page.
At the same time, it was the drawing I knew I had to create that triggered the association. Had I gone for an observation-oriented assignment, I wouldn’t have come up with this mental image. It was the definition of the medium (maybe even my limited skills with that medium) that triggered the line of thought that resulted in this idea.
mental notes
- The tools or mediums you choose can affect your Insights.
- Experiment with tools, skills, and mediums you don’t feel natural with.
now it is your turn… be creative!