Recording Ideas, Observations, Insights and Independent Judgements

• Understand the Importance of Recording Ideas: Regularly writing down thoughts and concepts helps to solidify them and provide a reference point that can be revisited later. The practise of recording helps in the development and refining of ideas.

• Document Observations: The physical world can deeply inspire artistic work. Using diary entries, sketches, or photographs to document and assess these observations can support in idea development.

• Develop Insight: This involves thinking deeply about the themes and ideas encountered. It encourages the expression of personal responses to artworks, themes and the world around.

• Evaluation Skills: Developing independent judgements about your own work as well as others’ work and clearly articulating reasons for these judgements is a key skill to master. This nurtures the ability to evaluate work constructively and improve continually.

• Use of Sketchbooks: Sketchbooks aren’t solely for drawing; they serve as a journal of creative progress. They can hold anything from written notes on your thoughts and ideas, to photographs, fabric samples, found objects, sketches and final drawings.

• Experimentation: Try different mediums, techniques, styles, formal elements, and so on. These should all be documented as part of the creative process.

• Reflect Regularly: Consistently reviewing and reflecting on your own ideas and progress, as well as that of others, will help shape future work. It’s important to apply independent judgements in this reflexion.

• Connect Different Elements: It’s important to draw connections between observations, insights, and independent judgements. For instance, noticing a pattern in a series of observations could lead to a unique insight. Equally, a series of insights could lead to an independent judgement.

• Keep Record of Inspiration: Inspiration can strike unexpectedly, therefore, maintaining a constant method of recording—whether it’s sketching, writing or clicking a picture—will help to capture ideas the moment they strike.

• Research and Critical Thinking: Look at works by other artists and designers to deepen understanding and broaden perspective. Always document your thoughts and ideas stemming from this research.