Guest Author - Debbie Striker
Images connect us to the world. Our brain uses images to remember details and compare experiences that we’ve had in the past to things we are currently involved in. The images that appeal to you or those that you find disturbing can give you insight into how you see the world and what things spark your interests. Over the course of a week, we will be using images to connect to our sub-conscious mind and find out a bit more about the things that increase our creative inspirations.
Have fun with this quick and easy way to tap into your sub-conscious and learn about what things spark your creative juices. This exercise will take you less than 5 minutes a day over the next 7 days. Collect all of your images before you go on to step 3 where you’ll discover what they mean.
Step 1:
Create a new folder on your computer to collect images. Place your folder somewhere on your computer where it’s very easy for you to download pictures off of the internet. Please make sure you are honoring copyrights and not publishing the images on the internet. The collage you create will be for your use only and is not to be shared publicly.
Step 2:
For the next week, search one word or phase on your favorite search engine‘s image search function. Make sure you’re looking only at the image results. Scroll through the results and choose 5 images that cause a reaction in you. Don’t analyze why you’re reacting or what your reaction is. If an image catches your eye and you are draw to it, then save it in your file. Right click on the image and choose “save file as” and you’ll be able to add the image to your newly created folder.
Here are some suggestions for words to search. If you have other words you’d prefer to use, feel free to do so, but please be creative and search terms that you don’t regularly use.
Day 1 - Creativity
Day 2 - Art
Day 3 - The color or colors of the shirt you are wearing right now.
Day 4 - Painting
Day 5 - Landscape
Day 6 - Design
Day 7 - Choose your favorite word
Once you have collected all of your images, we will be combining them into a very simple collage. Instructions on what to do with your collage will be in part 2 of this article. For now, just have fun collecting images without trying to analyze them. Play along and you may just find a new direction for your creative endeavors or a new way of looking at the world that is unexpected and fun!
Step 3:
Now that you’ve collected all your images, it’s time to see what they have to tell you. You’ll need to be able to look at all of your images together. In the first article, I asked you to make a folder specifically for this exercise. The reason was that the easiest way to see your images as a group is to open the folder on your desktop, click on “view” and select “thumbnails”. Voila, thumbnails for all of your images should be right there for you to see.
The 8 questions below are a starting point to help you connect to what your subconscious would like to reveal. Because you are a unique individual with your own life experiences and ways of looking at the world, my interpretations may or may not be the same as your own. Follow your instincts and decide for yourself what it all means. Answer the questions quickly at first and then you can go back and think about why you choose the images that you did.
1 - Are any of the images duplicated or very similar? Many images are presented in the search results for multiple words, so although it is rare, you may have chosen the same image on different days.
If you have an image duplicate or two or more very similar images, pay special attention to what they might mean to you. Duplication means there is something specific you need to pay attention to.
2 - Does one particular color or colors stand our? Is there a predominate color scheme?
When asked what your favorite color is, you probably have a quick answer. If that the color that stands out the most in your images or is it something else? You may be surprised to find a color repeating in the images that you didn’t know you were fond of. Now would be a good time to incorporate that color into your life and your artwork more.
3 - Are your images mostly of a certain theme or place? For example, are they set in the country side or Mountains or more city settings?
Where your images are located can give you some insight into what types of places you are most drawn to.
4 - People or no people? How many of your images have people in them?
No people at all in your image selections may indicate your desire or need to create by yourself and on your own terms. A few people may indicate that combining forces with a small group of creative individuals would be good for you right now. Crowds of people in your images may indicate your desire to be part of a large group of people working together to complete large projects or the desire to put your work in front of large audiences.
5 - Are there words or captions in any of your images?
Words mean so many things to each individual. What do the words mean to you?
6 - Are the images photographs or artist renderings?
This gives you a good idea about whether you create best using things in “the real world” as inspiration or if your imagination leads you wherever it wants to take you.
7 - Overall mood of the images - tranquil and calm or active and busy?
The prevailing mood of your images can help you to understand what types of environments may help you create your best work. While some people crave quite to work, others enjoy having lots of activity around them.
8 - Title your grouping of images. Come up with a phrase or sentence that describes the collection as a whole.
Pretend you will be presenting these images to a group of people and you need to let them know what to expect. How would you quickly explain the what they are about to view?
I hope you enjoyed this exercise and learning something new about your subconscious creative life. Please join us on the forum to share your impressions and insight!
Additional note: Although we were focused on your creative endeavors for these articles, this exercise can be used anytime you’d like some clarity about what you really want or need. Make a list of words associated with the question and go collect images! For instance, if you’re considering buying a new home, but aren’t sure what type of home you’d be most comfortable in, you could search words like; home, interior decorating, furniture, and things of that nature. Your results would give you an overall idea of the types of home environments you enjoy the most.
