I enjoy the process of improvisation. I like seeing something come together from little flashes of inspiration along the way that come as I build something. Sometimes I have a fully formed idea for something before I make it but usually I see a little bit in front of me, take some steps and then see a bit more and keep moving toward an unknown future outcome. Usually what I make is informed by what came before.
I have a strong feeling that I don’t know what I like making or what will be enjoyable or fulfilling to make until I start making it or until I start seeing it form.
I tend to abandon a lot of projects or put them on the back burner to return to later. This is partly because I have ADHD and easily get bored when projects get hard and I tend to get shiny object syndrome but at the same time I don’t want to go against my nature. I want to enjoy what I’m doing in the moment so I don’t mind putting some projects away. Also, sometimes I put away projects because I don’t think they’re worth finishing. Simple as that. I don’t believe you should just finish everything for the sake of finishing it. (Unless of course, you’re getting paid to, so you’re obligated to).
I used to plan things out a lot in advance and force myself to go through all the steps in a predefined process to get to the end but I started hating the process and not enjoying what I was making and this would mean I wouldn’t finish things. Improvising has been my way of getting out of this rut of not enjoying the process. I don’t have a predefined idea of what something is going to be before I start making so if I get bored of a project, part way through, I can come up with a conclusion quickly and wrap it up before I get bored.
I tend to find that when I’m making something in an improvised way, if I get too far ahead of myself (and plan to fill in the details later) then I never actually fill in those details because it’s basically planned again, (just to a lesser extent) so it’s not fun.
When I was a kid I used to make improvised little home movies and stuff. I didn’t do any pre-planning. I usually had a little idea to start me off and then I would just run with it and film and make it up as I went. I think I made some really good stuff that way. I’d like to get more into that method of working again.
Art should be like your best friend as an artist. It should be something you go to when you’re happy, sad, whatever and you can get comfort from it. It shouldn’t be something stressful so I recommend making stuff in a way where you enjoy the process.
I tend to put a lot of work into planning things out and then I just give up as I’m trying to execute on this grand vision. I think the best way to do stuff is just to experiment and build stuff as you go. The best philosophy is just to put 1 foot in front of the other and keep going.