Photo by Futurilla.
I came across this blurb today on a tumblr I am following called creativesomething. It tackles the idea of creative success and what it means to achieve it. Take a look:
“What does success look like for a creative individual?
For many of us, we believe that creative success is the act of creating something and seeing it do well. From spreading content online, to publishing a book, selling a painting, getting that big raise after solving the company’s problem, all of these can be measures of success for someone who is creative.
But that’s not entirely true.
Creative people need to create, it’s regularly what makes us feel purpose in life. So even if we do sell that big painting, or if we create something that millions of people around the world use, the measure of success isn’t there…
The real measure of creative success, I think, is the ability to create without restrictions. To spend your days doing the work that makes you happy, even when it fails.
That’s real creative success: the ability to create unrestricted. Something to keep in mind.”
I disagree with this. When I was younger I bought this book called “Keys to Drawing with Imagination” and it introduced this idea that creativity breeds within restrictions.
The author Bert Dodson wrote this in the introduction:
“I actually never liked those grade-school art assignments in which I was told, “Draw anything you want.” I was overwhelmed by the possibilities. My mind came up blank. There was nothing to push against, no problem to solve. The experience left me with an early and intuitive appreciation for the value of constraints. In fact, it is both beautiful and ironic that constants can actually give you more freedom. They activate your imagination.”
He goes on to say that mature artists learn to set their own restraints. Key word; learn. It only comes with artistic development and experience.
Having the freedom to express yourself however you want is great, but in my opinion creative success is not simply constant creation. It is overcoming a problem. It is wrestling with difficult subject matter. You may start dozens of pieces and not be satisfied, but true creative success is being able to thrive inside of those restrictions in my opinion.
What does creative success mean to you?
