The Struggle of the Analytical Artist

Artists are typically known to be care-free, eccentric individuals that live in a dream world. People think they may dye their hair pink, throw caution to the wind and struggle as they pursue their passion. While that may be true for a good portion of creative types, I am not one of those people. Before I found animation I was on my way to becoming an electrical engineer. It was the closest thing I found, at the time, that would mix my love for art and math...until I found 3D animation. I feel like I’m equal parts creative and analytical. Being analytical can be helpful in many ways.

Analytical people are masters at visualizing theories and planning for the future. We’re proponents of delayed gratification and are a very curious bunch. But after all of the planning and conjuring...there’s just more planning and conjuring. My analytical brain keeps my creativity held captive sometimes. I'm the type of person to read a million articles about a topic and not do anything. That’s what analytical people do (or don’t do). We think and think and think and think about doing something, but never take the steps to actually do it!

When it comes to learning various artistic methods, I’m hindered by my analytical mind a lot of times. If I can do a step-by-step tutorial on how to learn a new skill or program, I have it down! But if I’m supposed to “explore” and “figure things out,” I’m lost. It’s a weakness I’m working on. If I could just get a step-by-step guide on how to be a free thinker. Lol.

This hindered me even when I was younger. I can remember having this lanky clown in my head doing this funny dance, but could never translate it onto paper. This struggle has me wondering how Leonardo da Vinci and others like him did it. Years ago people would be an engineer, mathematician, artist, poet all at once. Nowadays we put ourselves into these boxes where artists don’t like math or science and scientists or engineers don’t see the point in art (not always).

I tell people that I know how to take the stairs, but I don’t know how to jump off of cliffs. Nevertheless, I’m taking a purposeful step to becoming more free not only in my art, but in life. I don’t want my analysis to be my prison. I want to base jump all over the art world and learn as much as I can and not need someone to tell me what the answer is. I want to find it. I see the benefit of exploration and look forward to the journey.

Here are some tips for the analytical folks that are trying to fly free:

• Strive for perfection, but don’t be beholden to it
  • I work on pushing through trying to “make it perfect” and concentrate more on producing and getting my work out there
• Be proactive
  • You have the power to get better at being a free-thinker. You can always work on becoming your best self.
• Stop rationalizing, justifying and explaining
  • Just do it. I know it’s hard, but do (not try).
• Get out of your thoughts
  • Empty your mind and stop keeping yourself from doing things by going through the 537 reasons it won’t work
• When learning new disciplines, techniques or programs
  • Make it relevant
    • When trying to learn something new, place rules on your exploration to make it less intimidating. Instead of just going full on into exploring, try to create something specific. Ex. If I want to learn how to use a certain program, I could try to create an apple instead of randomly clicking on things.
      
  • Create small projects
    • If you have little wins over and over again, you become more confident in your newfound freedom
  • Practice makes perfect (we know analytical people love perfection)
    • Carve out some time each day or each week to work on your new craft
      
      
  • Look for activities online, but don’t follow the step by step guidelines
    
    
    • Try to figure it out

Join me on this journey of freedom and discovery!!

- BlkWmnAnimator

Sources:

• http://davidjoragui.com/career/the-positive-and-negative-attributes-of-calculated-analytical-thinkers/
• http://www.ipersonic.com/type/AT.html
• https://umdcareers.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/analytical-as-a-strength/
• http://www.doane.edu/facstaff/resources/cetl-home/31812
• http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/how-to-stop-being-an-over-thinker.html
• https://elearningindustry.com/11-tips-engage-inspire-adult-learners