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Creative Process Essay
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Liberty University
Creative Process
Taylor Hamlett
Professor Abbott
ARTS 209-01
22 February 2022
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Creative Process Essay
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The creative process is defined as the progression an idea goes through in refinement to
become its best and final form with the help of a preliminary process, sketching and thumbnails,
the final piece, critique, and review. Within my years of creating pieces for pleasure or school,
the creative process has been vital for producing the best work possible. This process is one of
the best ways for an artist to train their artistic skills into becoming refined and produce better
work through practice and refinement.
Most often, I use the creative process whenever I create a piece for somebody else
whether it be a commission or for school. The first thing I always aim to do whenever I begin the
art project is to fully understand what I’m drawing in the first place, which can lead to rough
sketching or thumbnails before I begin my piece. Then I focus on a solid outline or the base for
what I’m drawing so that I know that from here on out I can focus more on adding values (or
whatever the case may be for the specific artwork). Throughout the process up until
completion, I usually take breaks and come back with fresh eyes so that I may catch mistakes I
might have missed previously from staring so long at the project. Once I have completed the
work and send my project away to be graded or seen by others, I take that time to accept the
critique that I receive, positive or negative. Without honest critique, an artist has no way of
bettering themselves and improving their art skills.
The creative process is crucial for being a tattoo artist. Each concept is tailored
specifically to the client’s wishes, so if revision and critique aren’t considered, I won’t get far in
that particular job field. When designing a piece, having multiple ideas and sketches are vital so
that the client may be satisfied with one if they don’t prefer the original one that was created.
According to Elizabeth Soep, author of “Critique: Where Art Meets Assessment,” she writes, “…
[I]n that artists use insights from critique to make further adjustments to the specific project
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under discussion, to reject the suggested changes, or to apply new ideas to their future efforts”
(Soep). With this in mind, a tattoo artist must use the creative process in order to appease their
clientele, not only to design pieces that the client appreciates but to also better their art skills and
hone talent throughout the years. From first taking the client’s idea for a tattoo and constructing
preliminary rough drafts, to sketching out a design with the appropriate sizes and dimensions,
beginning to produce what would soon be the final piece, and stepping back after a while to
notice any mistakes that might have been hidden to the eye previously. The creative process is a
crucial element in every artist’s life and reminds us to do everything to the best of our abilities to
sharpen the skills God has given to His creation.
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Works Cited
Soep, Elisabeth. “Critique: Where Art Meets Assessment.” vol. 87, no. 1, Phi Delta Kappan,
Sept. 2005, pp. 38–63, doi:10.1177/003172170508700109.
