Creative process

Posted by dextr0us on July 31st, 2007 filed in .art, .biz, .job

So I’d love some input from other people in creative fields.  Right now, I’m working on some motion graphics for DigitalCameraInfo.com, and with that, I think I’ve discovered my creative “flow.” I’ll likely use your input as part of an article for CamcorderInfo.com, so beware of leaving comments… but I totally encourage it.

My process, if I could describe it as that is this:

  1. Find logo and like materials
  2. Start working on project
  3. Look around for new After Effects plugins for inspiration
  4. Peruse through animation presets and start modifying
  5. Continue working on project
  6. Find music (usually the longest step in the process)
  7. Continue on project
  8. Browse people who are respected artists
  9. Get more inspiration
  10. Get project to alpha state
  11. Go for revisions
  12. Take revisions and move to beta
  13. Show to everyone and their mother
  14. take about 1% of that feedback
  15. finalize
  16. give to client
  17. really finalize.

Am I off base here? What do you think, what is your step for creative expression?


3 Responses to “Creative process”

  1. J Maxfield Says:
    July 31st, 2007 at 12:46 pm

    somewhere in there I’ve got to get some research in. What does the client say they want? What do they really want? What is the client’s vision? What client-related specs do I need to work around (colors, type, gx, etc.)?

    I also need to research out some details related to the industry, some basic on the competition (but not too much that I get lost in their ideas), and a visual image of who my target really is (basic marketing profile-type stuff).

    What I’m doing with all this pre-work homework is getting my limiters in place. By knowing specs, timelines, budgets, and medium limitation (it needs to be in HD? that’s a medium limitation) I can dictate certain things about a project (and about how I’ll proceed with that project) before ever sitting down at a machine to get to “work.”

    If none of this is relevant to what you’re doing, then feel free to disregard. And word to your mothah.

  2. Russell Heimlich Says:
    July 31st, 2007 at 6:11 pm

    Man, it has been a while but the first thing I do is just look around for images about the topic I will be creating. I then look for some music and sound effects to match so I can really set the tone. Then I switch off between visually editing and audio editing. Eventually I come up with something I sort of like and then I get feedback.

    The relationship between the sound and picture is super important which is why I use Vegas for most of my motion graphics work since I can do both in one timeline.

  3. Seth Says:
    August 1st, 2007 at 11:34 pm

    …lots of Salsa con Queso!

Leave a Comment