Creative Process of Genius' and Ourselves
Richard L Mitchell Jr.
Hum 266
Aug 6, 2011
Malcolm Enger PhD.
Creative Process of Genius' and Ourselves
It is difficult to pin down the way to creativity. Each individual has their own ways of learning and expressing thought. The patrons of the arts each have unique ways of stiffing their own creative minds. Some of which involves stimulation, the use of life experiences, or simply the desire for knowledge. Whichever way these patrons accomplish this, it is important to note that while we might seek to emulate them, we must find our own unique path in order to accomplish it.
William Shakespeare is widely heralded as the father playwright and the master of the English language. Though there is much speculation surrounding his life, it is documented that he was a suspected manic-depressive, and prone to fits of inspiration that would cause him to go into writing "sprees" in which he would stay awake for days continuously writing. Many of his friends and co-workers would say that he would see something in passed, a couple arguing for instance, and go quiet; thinking then on why the situation he had seen only for an instant was the way it was. Afterwards he would have a creative spree, and astound his peers by new creative writings.
Another writer and poet exulted in popularity is Edgar Allen Poe. Many speculate that the inspiration for his creative processes were the numerous tragedies in his life. It is said he used these tragedies to express himself in the format of writing. The loss of his mother, father, numerous friends and eventually his wife gives us a sense that Poe was prone to constant bouts of depression. Many claim that he would not eat or drink for days at a time and would not stop until he was finished pushing his emotions out on pen. The feel of is work is always somber, moody and rarely active. Yet for many it instills in readers a sense of reality that not all stories are happy endings as is such with life.
Into other forms of mediums were the giants of the arts. The mainstay of many and one that even others who became masters themselves professed to be like was Leonardo DaVinci. DaVinci was said to be an eccentric genius, prone to buying caged birds and releasing them and often getting into trouble in his creative process, some of which became famous, for instance his run in with the French law when he was caught grave robbing. He had done this because he wanted to dissect a human corpse and no one would voluntarily release one to him. Leonardo was claimed as the patron of the Renaissance itself. Leonardo was able to maintain his creative process by studying the world around him and by constantly being curious as to how things worked, whether they be organic or not. He was known to travel the countryside and study and sketch plants, landscapes, animals, and people all in order to understand how the world around him worked.
Another artistic pillar was Michelangelo. His creative process is well documented by many. It was said in order to work he would be left alone with his mediums either sculpture work, architectural work, or painting and stare at said mediums for hours, sometimes days. He was often said to be "looking