3 ms·

I also remember this story and hearing that it was just made-up rather than real. However, I know a lot of professional artists and most of them do not have a p

I also remember this story and hearing that it was just made-up rather than real. However, I know a lot of professional artists and most of them do not have a process that consists of "sitting and thinking about what to make." It is often a generative process that consists of making small/sketchy things and iteratively fleshing it out. In other words, although that anecdote doesn't seem to be referencing any sort of study, it matches very well with my experience in the art world & in teaching art.

bluGill 7y ago
I agree that spending most of a class thinking about what to produce is not useful. However just creating without thought isn't the best way either. Someplace in the middle is where to be. That is get an idea, and create it in sketch form. Then examine the sketch (often waiting a few days is required to be a good critic of your own work). If the idea is good start fleshing it out a little at a time - examining it critically at each step. In some mediums you can erase, in others you need to create a new sketch of the same. Eventually you get something good. Many artists will have more than one piece in progress at a time so they can have that break to get away from their mental investment and look critically at it. (this last is not universal)