How Much Of Your Art Work Is ‘Sub-Consciencely’ Inspired?

Question

I finished this late last night. I started it with no idea of what I was going to paint and only knew that it was finished when it was finished. It probably was greatly influenced by both the music and the films I had on the last two nights while working on it. Leonard Cohen, Leon Russell, David Lynch, even Tom Hanks and a handful of others probably had much to do with it’s outcome. I don’t know what it means but I’m really happy with the results

http://pics.livejournal.com/unmired/pic/00074ktc/g41

How often do you paint on ‘auto-pilot’? And when you do are you often pleased with or sometimes displeased with your work?

Zoltar, most of what I paint, like this one, which was finished last week:

http://pics.livejournal.com/unmired/pic/0006ybrb/g11

are planned out in advance. It's just that every once in awhile I like to kick back, go totally natural and see what happens.

There are many wonderful replies here. It's impossible to choose a 'best' answer. Really. So if your sincere reply isn't picked please don't feel slighted. There are just too many 'best' answers.

Answer 1

Hi Doc.. I love your work.. it draws me right in, so... it must reach something in 'my' subconscious! I think we start with a vision, subconscious or not (hmmm.. and ask yourself 'why') until something rings 'true' and we 'see' our own hand emerge in the process. It's that ancient deja-vu of a comfort-zone when momentum starts to kick in. What's known is safe... time just disappears. Gilda Radner once said.. "I base my fashion sense on what doesn't itch." Yes.. I think it's subconscious when we work at our art. We work 'til the itches, as we see them and feel them.. are no longer there. And how do we know that.. it's buried inside us. We find strength in our strengths so we opt for default as a springboard for more. It's the same thing with people. We may find new people exciting and exotic.. but we crave what is known... what is fluent for us. To take what is given.. whether learned or innate and create something greater than the sum of the parts. Sometimes, for me.. it takes immense discipline to break with tradition and paint 'outside the box.'... but no matter what, when I put the brush down, I am humbled and stunned that the art came from me.

Answer 2

I think that the subconscious plays an important part in the life of a real artist. I have known those who work from photographs and try to put the image in front of them on canvas. Where is the challenge in that?
I did a painting once that I knew not where it was going, but one thing led to another, until it was finished. Low and behold, to my amazement, a couple of weeks later something made the news that reminded me of my painting. The more I looked at it the more I could understand what my painting was about. The human mind is a very complicated organ. I was truly amazed.
I have always said that creativity is the mother of learning. This holds true in the art world.
I like your painting as well. Continue the good work and may God bless you and yours.

Answer 3

I think you are talking about what J. Pollock was into ; kind of like automatic writing only with paints. I don't get to that spot, Doc, but I do get into a trance when I paint where time and physical things don't matter. I don't get hungry or thirsty or tired until I'm done and that might be up to 6-8 hours in a streatch. I don't think its the same thing because I am really focused and concentrating on the work; the composition; the rules of art etc.
Get me?

Answer 4

A bit of both?? I've sometimes had a vagrant image in my head, with time to paint it when inventories were adequate, & I guess I'd have to say I like them the best! They are so far off the wall from what I've done for galleries, (the market wants wants wants to keep us locked in)!
I could have sold them many times, but they are MINE.
I'm leaving psychology & going back to painting. The last two days I've "seen" an image that really inspires me. It may not be at all what I imagine, when I'm finished! Isn't that a lark? Thanks for sharing...

Note: Zoltar, what are the "rules" of art I wonder? The art world, yes, but....

Answer 5

I do both. I can't really quantify it, though. Most of my pen-and-ink drawings start out as doodles, and then evolve and evolve and evolve, and end up as complex finished drawings... which I'm usually very satisfied with. So it's often a good idea for me to doodle on "good" paper.

And then a lot of doodles (like those done while talking on the phone) later give me ideas to develop into a "real" drawing or painting. I keep the little scraps and pieces of paper I do them on, for later reference. But while I was doing them -- the "seed" of the future artwork, so to speak -- it was entirely subconscious. A friend of my mother's once asked her, as she watched me while I was on the phone, "Why is it that Donna's phone doodles turn out so artistic, while mine are just nothing?"

And then there are other paintings and drawings that have nothing spontaneous about them: they're intentional, cerebral and totally planned out... although improvisations, changes of course, and reworkings are always possible. And some work better than others.

BTW, this latest work of yours reminds me of some of my pen-and-ink doodles of... (omigod!)... almost 30 years ago (I was about to say 10, but then stopped and counted! LOL! If I can find them and scan them, I'll try to show you.

Answer 6

No, for the easy reason that as quickly as you're dozing your sub-ethical sense exhibits a great number of stuff approximately your self on your desires. regularly, it rather is stuff which you're suppressing and in case you're taking some time to make certain your desires you will locate which you and your sub-ethical sense are in consistent touch with one yet another.

Answer 7

That's the only kind of painting I do, It's like Clement Greenberg said: representation is dead. And it is, show people your mind, don't show them what they've already seen.

Photoshop and photo alteration, the world we live in, has devalued representation to the point that a photo means nothing to us. That's why expressionism is the only way for the truly cerebral painter to ...well, express themselves.


You know I go into a trance much like the rest of you, it's called being unresponsively focused. I love it, myself..

Answer 8

None, and never on auto-pilot. My work is pretty much planned out but always leave some margin for change should i need it. My work can be checked out at hellosanantonio.com under artist name ''Guerro'' in the local artist section.

Answer 9

I can't say yes or no. I've had one base idea that started as one thing and ended up way off the map sometimes, but those times are few and far between.

Answer 10

to be honest, a few of them. feel quite sorry for myself because these don't come from myself at all. but often when i doodle for fun, then yeah they're subconsciencely produced/inspired.