In this synopsis I aim to show my research process, methodologies and self reflection in relation to my question. Initially the question left me feeling confused so I started by picking out the key words within the question, which for me were ‘technology’, my own ‘practice’ and how ‘creativity’ is intertwined within these. ‘Technology’ was the main word that stood out to me as it raised more questions and I think it is a widely known, relatable topic.
I chose to start by finding the definitions of these words (from https://en.oxforddictionaries.com) to get an unbiased understanding and grounding before begging my research. It stated technology as “Machinery and equipment developed from the application of scientific knowledge.” Creativity as “The use of imagination or original ideas to create something; inventiveness.” And practice as “The actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method, as opposed to theories relating to it.” I liked the word ‘inventiveness’ as it has connotations of all three of the key words.
After checking these definitions I then went to the library website to investigate the secondary research material available in my subjects such as journals and ebooks. This is when I began to question my research methods as I have always struggled with heavy theoretical reading so I sought help from the university and was diagnosed with Visual Stress. This makes it difficult for me to read a lot of text due to the high contrast of black text on white backgrounds as my brain struggles to process the contrast. Now I know why I have never fitted into the mould of an academic researcher but through exploring my question I have learnt there are other ways to research which are just as effective.
From this, I read the ‘research through practitioner action’ section of ‘The Nature of Research’. Archer (1995) states ‘There are some circumstances where the best or only way to shed light on a proposition, a principle, a material, a process or function is to attempt to construct something, or to enact something, calculated to explore, embody or test it.” This gave me confidence I could complete my research without struggling and falling behind.
With this in mind, I started my research by having conversations with fellow creatives about their own practice, ways of researching, and how they develop creativity within their work. I interviewed artist Peter Driver about his background and his work in general in which he stated “I think i’ll keep learning until I die. Every time I make a new piece I learn something new.” I thought this was interesting as I didn't prompt him or mention my research, yet he still backed up my point. This suggests a lot of other artists/illustrators have similar research methodologies to mine. I also discovered Robin Nelson (2013) who explains his practitioner research method which I found rather inspirational and thought I could work similarly too. He describes starting off with a question (like I have done with this research unit) then goes on to make a timeline of planned activities to help answer his question, building in reflection alongside the practical elements. He goes on to state how important it is to capture the moments in which things go well as well as looking at similar fields and what has already been achieved in theses, both historically and current.
This idea lead me to start researching into how technology was impacting creativity currently in younger generations, especially in education and schools, as this is who it will effect most in the future. The university library website was my first port of call as I knew I could find more reliable, academic texts on here compared to search engines such as Google. I discovered the paper Rethinking Technology & Creativity in the 21st Century: Crayons are the Future in which Mishra (2012) explains the study carried out when using the motion sensor technology from the Xbox Kinect in children's maths lessons. They used this interactive method to help children draw and engage with graphs Mishra states “allows students to view mathematics as few students have been able to do before—as abstraction embodied in physicality” and that “This is learning that breaks disciplinary boundaries to cross-pollinate ideas, and thus helps students become creative divergent thinkers.” This proved to me that already some methods have been used to develop creativity in relation to technology. After every piece of research I do, I find it beneficial to refer back to my research question and try to relate it to the information I have found. This reminds me of the overall aim of the task.
At this point, I felt like I had approached enough academic theories and was beginning to struggle with the reading so considering everything I had read, I began looking at my own practice in regards to my question. I decided to look at digital vs traditional drawing, as drawing is a big part of work. I had never been able to get on with graphic tablets in the past but after several conversations with skilled digital drawers I chose to experiment with Pro Create. I was advised to use an iPad with the Apple Pencil as it feels more natural compared to graphics tablets.
Figure 1
I wanted to see if digital drawing would be something that could benefit my work compared to my usual traditional routes, so I began designing a character for my major project (see Figure 1). Experimenting on Pro Create was beneficial research as I have now gained new skills that I can potentially use in my future project. Although I feel my traditional drawings are more successful I can still use the digital aspect to enhance them further, which would therefore help develop creativity within my own practice.
In conclusion I believe technology is beneficial to developing creativity within my practice and that it goes alongside traditional methods well. Rizzo (2005) states “A good digital designer must have training in handcraft as a way to problem solve” which I agree with. Having both digital and traditional skills is constructive. I have learnt a lot from this research task and I believe my methods for research have changed for the better. I have found the blog very effective in keeping track of my research and I think it is something I will use again. I would aim to improve my time management in producing the three outcomes for this unit if I were to repeat this task.
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