Graphic Expression 1: Pondering with Form and Color

As a writer, I derive great excitement and inspiration from photography, as well as graphic design. The richness of visual expression offers a workspace for ideas, a place to experiment and play. Moreover, one can gauge the veracity of new forms and theories by assigning visual characteristics to them. The above piece is from my collection of print-on-demand art. After initially creating the forms and colors with T-shirts in mind, I decided to explore these elements (and the process of design work in general) for their efficacy as writing tools.  

Gradual Change

Gradation is a wonderful mode of expression in visual art, softly blending one hue into another, marking points of overlap and transition, as you eventually wind up with another color--perhaps on the opposite end of the color wheel. In life, we find that gradual change is common, as relationships morph from early romance into the routines of marriage, or the accoutrements of a house fade in the sun and begin to crumble with passing seasons. Such changes can be imperceptible, though their impact is often extreme and impossible to ignore.

The gradual changes of life can inform our artistic creations, in no small measure. But how can we truly explore this?

As a thinking exercise, open a document in Publisher or Adobe Illustrator, create a few shapes and assign colors to them, using the gradient tools. If your mindset is relaxed, use round forms, perhaps overlapping them with each one possessing increasing amounts of transparency. Do this to enrich the texture and impact of your images. If you feel angry or frustrated, create jagged shapes to reflect your current mood. Again, this is an exercise of exploration, so create freely to see where the journey leads.

Consolidating New Ideas

If you enjoy journaling, consider keeping a digital sketchbook to collect your projects and add text, as the mood strikes you.  

This is one way that designers, as well as journaling enthusiasts, develop new ideas and test them for the range of applications they offer.