Author Anxiety

Anyone outside the publishing industry or even those just starting their writing journey have a distinct vision of the 'author.' The private, relaxed individual sitting in their own home office plugging away at their keyboard while downing coffee. Not that there isn't some truth to this image, most authors have more coffee in their system than blood, but TV, movies and stories romanticize this image. The first-time author is a far cry from that idyllic vision that the entirety of the world seems to portray. In-fact the budding author is actually...

Intriguing Observations: Art In Writing

When this blog was first launched early last year, there were concerns about subject matter and finding an audience that would be interested in these ramblings. Over time, topics became more creative and more distinct, focusing on not just writing but all creative aspects. On the anniversary of the initial launch it only felt appropriate to gather together some of the greatest supporters and bloggers to provide their own Intriguing Observations on creative ventures and techniques. Kicking off the Intriguing Observations Series this week is...

The Perfect Tease

Compelling, Intriguing, Tease… Any artistic piece is a combination of different elements that are arranged in such a manner as to be compelling to the observer, the audience. Creating a compelling work is more than just the internal elements; the setting, scenes, dialog, pacing even tone of the piece. Making a compelling work is ultimately perfecting the art of the tease. Every creative work relies on an intriguing presentation to attain the interest of the viewer regardless of the medium. The primary challenge for any piece is to compress the...

Abstracting Speed and Clarity

Expressing the focus of a composition is a delicate balance between the primary subject and surrounding details of the piece. The balancing of primary subject and supporting details is most readily apparent in visual compositions from mediums such as photography and cinematography. The speed of the composition determines the clarity of the overall composition. In photography and subsequently cinematography, the film speed determines a number of components within a given composition. Most prominently the speed determines the level of detail and...

Stabilizing Influence

Dynamic, fluid, compelling... Any creative composition, especially a narrative, has a dynamic component to it that keeps the audience interested. The more dynamic the piece, the more intriguing it is for the viewer but it can also become a challenge for the composition. In the visual arts, creating a dynamic composition is a matter of choosing fluid elements and subjects for the piece. The largest difficulty in fluid subjects is in establishing an anchor, applying some stability to keep the composition in clear focus. As much as fluid...

Intriguing Perspectives

"There's nothing new under the sun." -John Lennon Every narrative, every composition has existed in one form or another for as long as people have been able to create. The tools and mediums for these have continued to evolve over time but the inherent core of these compositions have remained the same. Photo Credit In any creative effort, while it's clear that it's not the first incarnation of a composition, it's the artist, their perspective that creates something unique. Every artist regardless of medium has a unique approach and an entirely...