Depending on the work you are creating art can be an expository discipline almost like reporting. If you are trying to trigger an emotion or get an idea across its important to know your subject. Try taking out a pen and paper and brain storm a little.

This exercise is a type of brain storming technique that is useful for finding relationships between objects, life, and wherever your thoughts take you.

Take any object and list all attributes that are associated with that object. For example:

Your living room sofa:

Write down every attribute that belongs to this sofa:

• How big is it?
• What color is it?
• Is it soft?
• Is there a pattern?
• What is it sitting next to?
• Why did you decide to place it in this part of the living room?
• Is it next to a window?
• Is it sitting on a rug?
• Does it have a matching chair?
• Does it have throw pillows?
• Is there change in this sofa?
• How long have you had it?
• Where did you get it?
• Who was with you when you got it?
• What else did you do that day?
• Why did you pick this sofa?
• Is there someone sitting on it?
• Why did this person choose to sit here?
• What is that person thinking?

I can’t tell you where this will end. When you have finished a complete list of attributes for your subject- you now completely know the subject. You understand its purpose, its shape, its life span, its ideas, its future plans, and so on and so on.

Do you still see this object the same as you did before? Can you see this list transforming into a work of art? Good art comes from drawing what you see, and then drawing what you know- until you begin to see what you know. This is true whether the outcome is representational or abstract. Our style is what decides how
we express what we know. Knowing your subject is a very important element to creative expression.

This brainstorming technique is also valuable for generating ideas and overcoming creative blocks.

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