The Method of Madness

Art is everything. It is everywhere, at all times around us. When observing an artwork, we don’t realize the amount of time, energy, and effort put into the production of a piece. The ‘behind the scenes of an artwork is usually the most genuine and complex part of the creative process. It is the space where one can allow mistakes while making ecstatic judgments through exploration. This phase then leads to building and creating ideas known as “brainstorming.” Through the theme of “Method of Madness” for the Fall SCAD SCAN 2021 Student Editorial Magazine issue, insights into the creative journey were expounded upon to illustrate SCAD students’ “methods of madness.” At SCAD, a plethora of majors are offered, where talented students have unique artistic styles and approaches, showcasing their true “methods of madness”. Every creative journey is different, but I wanted to dig deeper into the thinking styles and choices that SCAD students make to produce their work.

To understand the creative journey, I asked ten students at SCAD who study from various majors to answer questions about their methods of madness. From photography, interior design, industrial design, fashion design, graphic design, writing, to advertising and branding majors, here's what SCAD students have to say:

Illustration by Anokhi Dodhia

“I usually brainstorm quite a bit before shooting or editing a photo project. Sometimes it’s just best to jump in though and see what happens, and go on from there.” - Lexi Athina Waldman (B.F.A Photography)

Photography work by Lexi A. Waldman

“Improvisation is very important to my design process — this allows me to tackle the design from different perspectives, in which evidently leads to unique outcomes for problem-solving strategies. However, I also believe in brainstorming that is backed up with proper research that conveys a more organized path for the overall design.” - Chloe Andrea Macasaet (B.F.A Interior Design)

Interior Design sketches by Chloe Andrea Macasaet

“I always brainstorm before writing a piece. Even when I don’t want to, I end up slowing down to gather information and create a structure, whether it’s for a fiction or nonfiction project. Outlines are super important for me, otherwise, the pace of my writing is inconsistent. I’m also very hesitant to start writing if I haven’t already figured out how the piece will end”- Benjamin Green (B.F.A Writing).

When it comes to describing the artwork, students were asked to describe their work in 3 words, here are the following examples:

• “Experimental Erratic and Elaborate” - Khushi Jain (B.F.A. Industrial Design)

• “Engaging, fun, overwhelming” - Merly Lewis-Nicol Deon (B.F.A. Fashion Design)

• “Adaptive, innovative, frantic” - John Warner (B.F.A. Advertising)

Photography work by John Warner

Concept Industrial Design work by Khushi Jain

Fashion Design work done by Melry Lewis-Nicol

Needless to say, SCAD students are talented. As shared, all the process work and brainstorming is phenomenal. Dedication and passion are visible for each student representing their majors. To elaborate on this creative process, data was collected to showcase the differentiation and amount of work the method of madness takes through an infographic in the SCAD SCAN Fall 2021 Magazine Issue.

View the online magazine here: https://lnkd.in/eQypETAq

Research and illustrations by Anokhi Dodhia

Graphic by Julie Tran