Thursday, March 22, 2012

I Obviously Have Some Issues I Need to Work Out

Sitting With It
There's a story from my subconscious somewhere in here

The majority of my visual work over the last few years was created through this basic process:
  1. Wait for a concrete idea to pop into my mind. (Like the recent Whack-a-Doodle game)
  2. Pick an output medium (comic/video/etc.)
  3. Write a script if needed
  4. Choose one or more visual creation platforms (SL/Frameforge/Photo/etc.)
  5. Crank it out, usually in a half-day or less
Although my recent Polaroid Micro-Story series began life with a similar workflow, it has evolved into a very different process:
  1. Comb through a collection of dolls, toys and action figures
  2. Select one or more that catch my eye
  3. Pose them in various ways and try to capture an evocative image
  4. Sit with it and wait for a story to emerge
  5. Create a caption
The first process I described starts with a mental concept which is then visualized. The second reverses the order by starting with the image and then conceptualizing an associated story. I recently realized that the latter process is a form of Sandtray Therapy. Given what's come up so far,  I obviously have some "issues" I need to work out.

Here's the 100 Word Story that emerged from the image above:
Spawn of Satan 
Mama has a million stories about the identity of my father. She's never repeated one twice. And she tells each version, no matter how fantastical, with the complete conviction of the consummate carny she is. But my truth is stranger than her fictions. 
You see, I'm no ordinary girl. Not even close. The small town kids who gawk at me in the sideshow would pee their pants if I let my predator's gaze capture their eyes. But I have to bide my time until my first red moon. That's when the power wakes up and all hell breaks loose. Literally.

4 comments:

R. said...

Full-duplex creative flow.

-ls/cm

The Lone Quaker said...

You used to be so interesting, but not anymore. How sad. Here's hoping you get your mojo back.

Yordie Sands said...

/me thinking, maybe Botgirl is a Gemini.
/me thinking, maybe Botgirl is... oh not that.

Hugs

Botgirl Questi said...

Crap: I like that analogy. Although it's sometimes possible to trace where an idea comes from, the source of creativity is pretty much a mystery to me.

The Lone Quaker: So you thought I used to be interesting? Thanks! Seriously though, I'm interested in knowing what you used to find interesting.

I realize that the micro-story stuff I've been playing around may be of little interest to the people who started reading the blog because of the virtual identity focus. But there's a common thread between virtual identity and the way our minds give life simple scenes of dolls and action figure. For now, I'm just having fun and paying attention to the process. At some point I'll explicitly start bridging the two focus areas.

Yordi: I'm a Libra. So similar movement between the poles (or sides of the scale). Thanks for noticing!