Sadly, I didn't participate in this weeks exercise. I tried to at first. I thought about what rule I'd break and why. However, none of them were really that worth while. They were all pretty boring. Granted, I was really busy this past week, so it was out of sight out of mind as well. I at first just thought about breaking a rule just to do the assignment and get it done, but I assumed this assignment was to help us step outside of the lines and do something to help free ourselves of being tied down. If I did the assignment and half assed it just to get it done, it would be for nothing. I wouldn't really be doing myself any favors just by skirting the lines. The purpose, from my understanding, was to break a rule and think about how rules bog us down in our creative development and processing. I couldn't think of a rule to break that would fit that reasoning behind doing the assignment. I was about to do it just to show something, but that isn't the purpose here. Therefore, I decided not to rule break.
However, I think I can still talk about having rules and when they can be broken, or even should be broken. My past typography teacher, Alicia Ford, once told our class that "you have to know the rules before you can break them." She said this as a response to a fellow student who asked why they couldn't do something they wanted to do (in this case, it was using a grid system) because they wanted it to be open and free. The whole purpose of the assignment at the time was utilizing a grid system and understanding proportions and placement. He argued with her for a good few minutes before she made her statement. Of course, the student thought she was wrong, only because it was obvious he half-ass the assignment before class.
Pretty much what we learned in that moment is that rules are here for a reason. They are to help set a guide for us to follow. In example with the grid, it was to help place things so the audience has a better understanding of the material. You want them to follow a certain pattern. However, that didn't mean you can't go against the grain once you learned how to properly set them up. The purpose being that you understand the underlying method to eventually break the method to turn it into your own. It's similar to organized chaos. Once you understand how to organize efficiently, can you organize it chaotically. Not to mention, you don't want to break the rules just because you can. No one likes a rule breaker with no purpose. In those cases, you're someone who didn't take the time to understand the basics of a system. It's not wrong to dislike a system once you've learned it, but don't shut it down before you've tried it because you're being lazy. The student in this whole scenario just decided to skirt the process, waited until the last minute, and then decided to turn in the assignment during critique session with a uninspired argument as to why they didn't do what they were supposed to.
I think breaking the rules can lead to some wonderful creative revelations when they are done properly. There's times when breaking the rules has created some wonderful art in this world. I recently, and ironically, read an interview with Antxon Gomez (someone who works in the film and advertising industries) and he talked about how breaking the rules and being different is more important these days for young artists and designers than following the herd. He says "Young people should take risks, experiment and try new things. Don't be afraid, be positive. Enjoy making mistakes and do what other people aren't doing - learn to break the rules. Above all, it's better to regret something you tried and failed at, than regret not trying at all."
No comments:
Post a Comment