Records of Your Creativity Process

It was 26th, November, 2009 yesterday. I went back to the university I graduated from and had an interesting experience there.

I was honoured and pleased to be invited by Mr Wang Shijun, an excellent teacher from School of Advertising of my university, to give a lecture to his students. I had total freedom to choose any topic in design. Eventually I decided to target on maintaining a sketchbook and the impact it has. The subject is called "Records of Your Creative Process".

Mr Wang also post a "report" on his advertising class website. (click here)

26/11/09 Giving Lecture in DUFE, originally uploaded by rgmu11.

There were two reasons for me to set that subject.

- I think keeping sketchbooks is something missing in Chinese art school education. Till now, in the entrance exam to art colleges here, they still select promising students through technique test, i.e. sculpture sketches and still-life painting etc instead of appreciating the students' personal portfolios and their interest in art shown from their sketchbooks. Moreover, keeping a sketchbook is so important for all designers.

- I have developed my thoughts in art and benefited myself from learning to use a sketchbook. I really want to share the experience with the students and hope they could be inspired as well.

Mr Wang suggested me to give it in English since this would be give the students a totally fresh experience. The two hours lecture went well. And it was indeed fresh to them.

I tried to guide them on how to accumulate the inspiration and knowledge. In the excise I gave them, I played some music clips and asked them to tell what image and colour they had on their mind from hearing. I know imagination is human's gift. They just need to remember that moment's vision with some idea journal  let's say. The most important thing is I want them not just to see, not just to hear, but also to think. When I heard the students speaking out how they feel personally on the same music, I felt really happy. Some of them even made a story throughout the music. This is also a method I think useful: We need to practise from observing our surrounding life, and use our mind to think actively, then build up connection between the practical life and our own thoughts to convey that idea to the public, as a designer . Observe, Think and Connect.

We had some interaction in the Q & A section.I told them the importance and power to be true to their heart. I could see from their eyes that something they started to feel made them want to think about their life. Mr Wang has been supporting me since. He told the students that I am being in a hard time to save money for my tuition from my current job and even though they couldn't help me but they would like to give me best wishes on this Thanksgiving day...I almost cried.

At the end of the lecture, he gave me a design magazine as a present and wrote his feeling on it-" The best student is also the best teacher of a teacher."  I was flattered. We had a dinner  together and again he gave me some unforgettable advice- Many people like to spend time on making up for their weakness instead of enhancing their strength. They think getting rid of their shortcoming would lead to success but it is wrong.