Or how I can take a lot of different ideas, hone in on one and deliver.
Developed when I was doing my Masters in Fine Art, knowing every 12 weeks I’d need to produce a finished piece of work for critique. And I say finished because this is how to get the most out of the critique. A half-finished work gets a half-response.
Play with all your ideas. An exploratory period. Follow your nose and your ideas. Quantity over quality, we’ll refine it later. The aim is to get all your ideas out and started. More than thumbnail sketches – enough to communicate the idea, give a direction.
Pick your three strongest ideas. Those which interest you the most. Or that you have the most energy for. Develop these over the next three weeks. Making will text your theories. You’ll find the weak points in your thinking. You’ll identify strengths, you’ll find out if you really have the energy for this work. You’ll also be more aware of what it will take (time, money, materials) to make this thing happen. Are the remaining six weeks enough?
Look at your three works/ideas. Pick one. Get feedback. Talk to someone else and see what they think.
Things to consider: - time remaining - budget - practical concerns - materials - your energy levels - your interest/excitement in the work (If it’s less than 8/10, what can you do to get you up to eight or above?)
Also: - What can you subtract? - What can you do to make this easier?
Make and be ready to present your work.
This is a buffer week. It gives you breathing room. Something will probably not have gone to plan. Something might need tweaking. You may need to go and get some more paint to touch up that wall.