I've never been one to expose the process of my work. Its difficult. My thought process is not something that can be explained. I move backwards, then forwards, through the middle, and then on to the perimeter. Sometimes I mix things up even more and work in order.
It has been this way forever. In elementary school we started learning the basics of algebra. My teacher explained this long drawn out procedure that in my mind made things harder. By eliminating several steps and swopping out a formula, I was able to make sense of the whole mess. My teacher was angry at first, but when she couldn't find flaw in my new system she had to let it go. I have to internalize information in a way that will make sense to me when I spit it back out.
In church, one of the Elders kept trying to take my pens away. During the sermon my head would be down, and my pen would be busy. Apparently my focus on the program sheet was too strong. In hindsight I can see why he thought I wasn't listening, but it doesn't change the fact that he was wrong. I'm a hardcore doodler. The action of drawing stimulates something in my mind. Every word spoken around me resonates on the inside. Eye contact is not something you want from me in a situation that requires listening for long periods of time. Eye contact means that I've allowed my mind to wander. Even my process of listening differs from the norm. In the end, the information was retained. I know that Jonah was swallowed by a big fish, not a whale. I also know that you can't run from your responsibilities to God; he'll find you.
I am taking 'Words and Images,' and my current struggle is exposing the process. It seems to be an integral part of the class already. In the past I've moved according to my own rules. As long as the end result was correct, the means to getting there wasn't an issue.
It's a new day.
In order to be successful in this class, I'm going to have to make a change … at least for the time being.
There is actually a TED Talk that backs up your doodling claims:
ReplyDelete"Studies show that sketching and doodling improve our comprehension — and our creative thinking." via the TED Blog
I think your strength lies in truly understanding yourself. You know your process, even if it's "not something that can be explained." Speaking as someone who is still learning what her creative process is--be glad that you know exactly what you need to do in order to tackle your work.