The creative process explored: artists’ views and reflections

Abstract

The creative process continues to occupy the minds of countless philosophers, psychologists and academics. While it is relevant to a range of fields of practice, artists who enact the creative process have attracted attention as far back as the early Greek philosophers Aristotle and Plato. Since that time there have been numerous theories as to the stages involved in the creative process, with recent research arguing that to date, there is still no consensus as to how to best understand or develop a model relevant to artists. In order to contribute to the discourse, this paper focuses on 339 artists from a range of disciplines and countries who voluntarily completed a survey inviting them to consider various aspects of their creative process. The findings reveal that it is complex in nature, and that it involves a range of factors, both internal and external. While internal factors such as inspiration, experimentation and sustained effort feature strongly, external factors such as the work of peers and audiences have a significant role to play. For some artists, there is also recognition of a divine influence on their process. While this research reveals a range of insights into the creative process as applied to artists, it also highlights the potential for numerous areas of inquiry in order to further understand this complex area of practice.