Medication can motivate design

Reading a new book, Designing patterns for decoration, fashion and graphics by Lotta Kuhlhorns describe one of her designs in the most unusual way. She said it represented amount of exercise training, calories consumed during the day and quantities of blood pressure medicine – how unique! Isn’t it interesting how people see imagery and what motivates them to create a piece? She was almost describing a graph but illustrated as green pink and yellow tartan-style stripes. Obviously her health was on her mind at the time.
But it made me think about I see and think about when I work. I think I see in a far less interesting way to the aforementioned designer.

I enjoy the beauty of subject, line, texture and colour in its simplest of form. I am attracted to more rounded, flowing and scrolling gesture rather than sharp and angular. I appreciate texture and intend to bring more into my own work; an area I think is lacking. I love colour both bright but constrained. I prefer limited pallets and love a greyed pallet that looks bolder than what it is through simple use of complimentary colours. I look for harmony by feeling my way and have an emotional connection to all I create, indulging in whimsical imagery – the cuter, funnier, and cuddlier the better. Then there is the luxurious design that draws me. It speaks class and the world far removed from poverty; the design that can beautiful any surface and look like a king had commissioned it.

I pursue all these things when humouring my creativity. In saying that, exercise training probably should be on my mind more. But point to me for counting calories.

So have you ever thought about what you think and see when you work and the tendencies you have when creating? I wonder what they are.