It's always interesting to reflect on writing by listening in to a practitioner in another art form discuss their creative process. Martin Gayford's interviews with David Hockney are full of gems.
For those days when the draft of the next chapter of your novel looks rather too sketchy, consider what Hockney does when working on a large, complex picture. Think of your draft in terms of the painter’s charcoal sketch. The outlines might be there but what about the layers of colour, the detail of the brushstrokes?
David Hockney talks about painting from memory. In his case, the Yorkshire landscape. He’s observed and sketched it but back in the studio is working on a vast painting from memory. He isolates a detail:
‘You decide: I shall go and look at this aspect this morning. If you don’t have a question in mind, there’s far too much to look at … Depending on what you decide, that’s what you see – and you ignore a lot of other things … How do you really see the clouds reflected in the water?’
In your sketchy draft what interests you most? What is your chapter's equivalent of clouds reflected in water? Ask a question. Look closer at the details. Start to build up the layers of colour.
More on the Gayford/Hockney book, here.
Yes, and Hockney has so much to say about process in art that makes sense in terms of writing
Posted by: Pamela Johnson | 02 February 2012 at 07:39 AM
fascinating and important. Thanks!
Posted by: Sue Guiney | 02 February 2012 at 03:48 AM