This is an experiment I have long been interested in doing, and now I've decided to do it. The experiment is to listen to the sounds in your surroundings, whether it is in nature, in a mall, or a piece of music, and draw the sounds as you are hearing them, in realtime! There is no contemplation involved. The aim is to simply let your hand instinctively create your mind's interpretation of the sounds, without pause.
So yesterday I went to downtown main street and sat on a bench and decided to do a very basic version of this, drawing in line form across the page like a heart rate monitor. I wasn't trying for creativity, but to get the feel for listening in and letting my hand move freely, seeing if any kind of patterns were visible.
Here are the guidelines of the experiment if you wish to join in:
Once a day for the next couple of weeks or more, spend at least 5 minutes drawing the sounds in your environment, or music if you so choose (but try environmental sound, too). The style should be freeform and uninhibited. It may be preferable to create some continuity from where the sounds start to where they end so that you can follow the continuity and remember where certain sounds occured, but it's not a rule...the most important rule is that you are uninhibited! While you are drawing, let your awareness center around the sounds; their textures, pitch variations, etc, and let your hand interpret. If you are able, write the sound origins next to the corresponding strokes so that you can keep track of the patterns.
Each day, observe your progress both in your ability to focus on sound, and your ability to visually interpret them. Do you notice patterns or themes? Share your creations and results in this thread.
Here is mine from yesterday:
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I think photobucket reduced the size, so it may be hard to read my writing next to the sounds, so I'll write it here. Line 3: car horn, people talking. Line 4: Loud girls closing car doors and chattering + car horns. Line 5: car with bad engine idling, keys jangling. Line 6: conversation......end. Line 7: car w/music, honk, baby giggle, insect buzz, shoes dragging. Line 8: conversation, car music beats.....
You don't have to emulate my form. I only chose this form to get the feel for it and let creativity open up from there. So have fun!
So yesterday I went to downtown main street and sat on a bench and decided to do a very basic version of this, drawing in line form across the page like a heart rate monitor. I wasn't trying for creativity, but to get the feel for listening in and letting my hand move freely, seeing if any kind of patterns were visible.
Here are the guidelines of the experiment if you wish to join in:
Once a day for the next couple of weeks or more, spend at least 5 minutes drawing the sounds in your environment, or music if you so choose (but try environmental sound, too). The style should be freeform and uninhibited. It may be preferable to create some continuity from where the sounds start to where they end so that you can follow the continuity and remember where certain sounds occured, but it's not a rule...the most important rule is that you are uninhibited! While you are drawing, let your awareness center around the sounds; their textures, pitch variations, etc, and let your hand interpret. If you are able, write the sound origins next to the corresponding strokes so that you can keep track of the patterns.
Each day, observe your progress both in your ability to focus on sound, and your ability to visually interpret them. Do you notice patterns or themes? Share your creations and results in this thread.
Here is mine from yesterday:
I think photobucket reduced the size, so it may be hard to read my writing next to the sounds, so I'll write it here. Line 3: car horn, people talking. Line 4: Loud girls closing car doors and chattering + car horns. Line 5: car with bad engine idling, keys jangling. Line 6: conversation......end. Line 7: car w/music, honk, baby giggle, insect buzz, shoes dragging. Line 8: conversation, car music beats.....
You don't have to emulate my form. I only chose this form to get the feel for it and let creativity open up from there. So have fun!
I suck at drawing though 
