Think Process, Not Product

Creative inspiration from artist notebooks, works-in-progress, and other bits of behind-the-scenes ephemera. Read the book About the author Ask me anything Submit

[dept-of-research-and-development]

Brian Biggs wrote a detailed post about his process of illustrating and designing his latest book, Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor. I love seeing this kind of stuff.

[artistsmakingart]

"In the age of digital media it’s as if the artwork is really a vehicle for documentary evidence of itself, rather than a thing in its own right. So I try to treat the evidence, too, on its own terms. Because much of my sculpture is kinetic and video is my documentary medium of choice, I also have to be a filmmaker." - artist and inventor Chris Fitch on what he strives to capture when documenting his work

[thinkprocessnotproduct]

Chilly Gonzales teaches what he knows

The great Chilly Gonzales (“the musical genius!”) has a new book of sheet music out called Re-Introduction Etudes, which is a book of 24 pieces designed to give people with limited piano training who gave up for whatever reason a "re-introduction" to music theory and playing.

Here's a video of Gonzales explaining left-hand technique:

And here's a series he's doing called “Pop Music Masterclass,” where he takes pop songs and explains the musical theory behind them. Here's one for Lykke Li's "No Rest For The Wicked":

And here's one for Daft Punk's "Get Lucky":

Really brilliant ideas, and perfect examples of what I talked about in the “Teach What You Know” chapter of my book, Show Your Work!

[creativetime]

As part of the creative process leading up to her installation at the Domino Sugar Factory, Kara Walker did extensive research on the sugar trade. Explore her notes, sketches, bibliography, and more HERE.

[thinkprocessnotproduct]

Jessica Hische shows her work.

[thinkprocessnotproduct]

Kevin Parker's demo of Tame Impala's “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards Now” Here's a photo of him recording

[austinkleon]

Kevin Parker (Tame Impala) recording the album Lonerism

[thinkprocessnotproduct]

A Growing Challenge for Germans Who Live by Bread Alone - NYTimes.com Bakers in Germany are [showing their work](http://showyrwork.com), and letting customers see their process ("something not normally done at traditional German bakeries"): >The idea was not only to attract customers, but also to send a message to anyone who might be tempted to pick up their Sunday rolls at the local supermarket, which have made the traditional German bakery an endangered species. > >“I wanted them to see for themselves, up close, what we do,” said Mr. Trefzger, 58, as he sat in the cafe attached to the bakery that he took over from his father in 1989. “It is important that people learn to appreciate the traditional craft of baking bread.”

[thinkprocessnotproduct]

THE 1000 TEES PROJECT by SEIBEI

To show his process, t-shirt designer and illustrator David Murray is posting the next 1000 t-shirt ideas he sketches.

Most of them will be really bad, but that’s the point. My brain is a supercollider of bullshit. I’ve read so many comics, watched so much TV, and made and heard so many bad jokes, that in order to pull out the kernel of one good, original idea, I’ve got to pull out a lot of bad ones to uncover it.

As I start to pull out ideas I like or ones worth saving, or ones you like, I’ll take another stab at them, and reblog them with the original and the revision, to show my process.

Each sketch is very quick and will be presented with minimal commentary, and really is just a way for me to get ideas out and in front of me so I can mold them into something better (though every so often I have struck gold with a first sketch).

Follow along here.

[johnporcellino]

I’ll finish scanning and cleaning up The Hospital Suite today, at last! Should be at the printer soon…

[thinkprocessnotproduct]

“Makin' Sausage” a page from Matt Fraction & Chip Zdarsky's Sex Criminals**

[thinkprocessnotproduct]

A page from Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner's notebook. (via)

[ayjay-deactivated20161206]

Two of John Vernon Lord’s illustrations from the new Folio Society edition of Finnegans Wake, plus two pages from the elaborate notebooks he keeps when working on such a project. I think I may have to buy the book, but I also wish I could buy a facsimile of Lord’s notebooks!

[thinkprocessnotproduct]

You start by singing to yourself. And you go, ‘I sound good.’ And then you think, But do I really sound good? And to find out, you have to put it in a room.

Lady Gaga

[thinkprocessnotproduct]

@bmilenkovic: “Late night chalk works... Belgrade's new barbershop...”

[jkottke]

2001 behind-the-scenes photos

From a large collection of photos shot on the set of 2001: A Space Odyssey, two of my favorites:

Those are a pair of smooth criminals right there.

[allieolsonart]

Just another day at the office.