Surrealist Automatism
I recently watched a wonderful video about the history of art movements. My favorite of those movements is the Surrealist movement—think artists like Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo, and Pablo Picasso.
One technique of surrealism is called Surrealist Automatism, “a method of art-making in which the artist suppresses conscious control over the making process, allowing the unconscious mind to have great sway.”
Now, I don’t want to sound like I’m comparing myself and my art to the likes of Dali, Kahlo, or Picasso…not even close…However, this was the first time I’d heard of automatism. And I was excited that there was a name for this thing that felt very similar to what I experience when I draw!
My doodling sessions typically go as follows:
Zero planing ahead.
Pick up the pen.
Place pen to paper.
Let my eyes glaze over.
Hand moves on its own.
Illustration created.
It sounds cookoo, but it does feel like my unconscious takes over.
Sometimes I notice a pattern or a subject that I want to build on. Then my conscious mind takes over. But the whole process is somehow very unfocused while creating these details and abstract shapes in a particular, focused way…I know, it makes no sense. But sometimes, such is art!
I don’t consider myself an art history buff or well-read on the latest art news. In fact, as I write this, I have to watch the video linked above a few more times before the names of each movement and the types of art they represent actually sticks in my mind.
But many of the examples they share are familiar works of art that I’ve seen throughout my life. And apparently, they have shaped the way I create my own art.
Besides surrealism, here are a few art movements that I didn’t even realize influenced my style:
Art Nouveau – my parents had a painting of The Kiss by Gustav Klimt hanging in their bedroom for as long as I can remember. (I also love the long stringy lines in these classic art nouveau posters).
Cubism – No personal examples here, but I definitely create animals and people out of random unrealistic shapes all the time. (I do this because it’s easier than trying to accurately draw an elephant, but also because it’s fun.)
Bauhaus – Bauhaus art and architecture is aaaalll about geometric shapes. I grew up visiting family in Tel Aviv, Israel, a “beacon of bauhaus architecture.”
Man, I love art. Here are some doodles from the past few weeks.
