Transformation

Yesterday's art class started with a box of junk. Fascinating bits and bobs gathered, I suspect, from various tutors' sheds. My bit was a sofa castor (sp?). We started by drawing it from as many angles as we could think of. Then - the fun bit - our brief was to transform the object by changing it in some way. Changing scale or perspective or proportion. Elongating bits and squashing others. And playing with different media, or sticking bits of paper on. Learning how to play again.

We were learning how a designer works from a starting point, and goes through a process to come up with an idea. Ideas don't spring fully formed onto a blank page.

This sounds familiar, doesn't it? As a writer, we work with bits and bobs, an observation here, a landscape description there, or starting with a picture or poem, we play with our writing until an idea takes hold.