19 Comments
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David Perlmutter's avatar

A great metaphor. Long-term fiction and painting both require extensive prep work, a solid base, and a creator with a strong mindset to work.

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Lisa Cunningham DeLauney's avatar

I agree with your theory, Walter. I like to illustrate my posts and newsletters, and occasionally Medium articles, too. Early sketches help me organise my thoughts and formulate headlines.

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Sande Mayott's avatar

Great article! I’m delighted that you’ve found a correlation between writing and painting. Highly creative people often find different mediums to express themselves. I for one see a strong correlation between brush strokes on a page and prose on a page. The two work brilliantly together and should be explored. Many of our great painters and sculptors also wrote, Michelangelo, Picasso and Vincent Van Gogh. Van Gogh actually wrote more letters than he produced paintings. Jack Kerouac was a self taught visual artist as well as a prolific writer. You mentioned Lewis Carroll and he is in grand company with others, William S Burroughs, Charles Bukowski,Sylvia Plath and more. The list is mind blowing and beautiful ❤️

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Kathryn Wallenstein's avatar

YeP. THaNK Y0u for PuTtiNg THiS 0uT HeRe

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Sarah3000's avatar

I am a big fan of art and painting. Some of my favorite classes in college were art appreciation classes. I had to dissect famous paintings for theme, color contrast, etc.

Even though I have some idea about color and composition, I am not a good artist. So, I have to find my inspiration elsewhere. Usually I find it on my daily walks. I find myself problem solving as I'm walking. Sometimes, I'm not even aware of my surroundings because I am so caught up in thinking.

But I applaud the effort of anyone who has the slighted gift in creating works of art. I love seeing what people come up with.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

It's so relaxing to paint and make art. All you need is two shades and you can create some wonderful images. Whenever I need a mental break, I sit down with my watercolor pens.

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Wendy's avatar

Greetings from a fellow problem solver/walker. That is what happens to me too. I assume because my mind is allowed to wander the streets unsupervised in a feral manner that it is open to things my everyday mind is not allowed to see. I have great appreciation for the humorous lens through which it is all filtered, like a kaleidoscope. It is its own art form.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Yes, I think it's called ocular flow. You aren't in a rut from looking at a computer screen, and maybe that helps see connections :)

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Sarah3000's avatar

I didn't realize that there was an actual term for this, I like it. I'm going to start using it when people interrupt me. I'm going to say, "Sorry, I'm in my ocular flow, you need to come back later."

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Yeah! I think that’s the term, I should double check. I learned about it when I was reading about depression.--It helps you get out of depression.

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Kathryn Wallenstein's avatar

& THe ReLaTioNSHiPs & ReSoNaNCeS aMoNg THeM

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Susanne Floyd Gunter's avatar

Love this, Walter! Nice read heading into the new year.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Thank you!

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Lissa Johnston's avatar

I'm not a painter, but I can definitely see how painting activates the right brain, and that's always a good thing.

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Suzanne Whitaker's avatar

I love your perspective on this! I am a professional artist coming to writing. I had an amazing high school art teacher who trained me well. So I naturally “work the whole composition at once.” Before his instruction, I think I produced one small section at a time, how I ate my food on my plate. Lol! I have a general outline of an idea, can see most of it in my mind’s eye, and then generally get there. You are so right that the clearer one’s visualization the stronger the end result. Thank you for the comparison. I don’t feel as confident in my writing yet, but what you say here makes perfect sense.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

It's a nice way to set the jitters aside and get to work. Usually I find the pieces turn out better than we think... both in writing and in art :)

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Wendy's avatar

You do make me want to go to the used book store in search of large hardcover books, open them up on an easel, and start playing with paint. Two colors. One brush. Imagination engaged.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Yeah! Do it! It's so relaxing!

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Autumn of the Species's avatar

Not that we must, but invitations to leverage can be nice. That said, I agree. The arts are intertwined.

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